Thursday, January 13, 2011

Follow up to The State Lady

Today I spoke with the neuropsychologist who wrote the report saying GB was autistic. My question was really simple. After having her (state) agency write a report that another person, from a different part of her agency (read here) read and said the report was not enough to get GB services, was there any point of taking on THIS particular dragon. Her response was mind numbing.  She said if we repeat the exact same testing on GB's 8th birthday, she would qualify for all available services.  Not because GB would be any different in two months (she won't be), but because the norms they use to score  the testing instruments change the day she turns eight. I guess some days the dragon does win.

5 comments:

Katydid said...

Yuck! Im so sorry! Everyday I read your blog and thank God that GB has you on her side.
Katy

Anonymous said...

But aren't some tests invalid if repeated too closely? I know that is true for IQ tests. The evaluators may have to choose different tests -- and aren't you SICK of answering your bit on all of the evaluations?

GB's Mom said...

It is true for IQ tests, but the neuropsych tests measure what she can or can't do. For example, one of the tasks was to tie her shoes. She couldn't and lost points. But if she is eight and can't tie her shoes, she loses a lot more points. As she has been diligently trying to tie her shoes since was three, I would say she is not going to master it by March. The adaptive scales have a lot of stuff like that.

Of course I am sick of answering 2+ hours of questions every time she is evaluated. I do it because she needs these services and I can be really thick.

Integrity Singer said...

yeah, we hit that same wall with AB. Sorry. I would have thought to tell you if I'd paid attention to how old GB was.

stellarparenting.com said...

ugh, talk about ridiculous. hang in there, may you have a good weekend.