Just adding this video resource here -- you'll need Facebook to view it.

https://www.facebook.com/MentalHealthOnTheMighty/videos/1737594379842606/?pnref=story

National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilites

http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/emotionaldisturbance

.pdf version:

http://nichcy.org/wp-content/uploads/docs/fs5.pdf

Quote from: nonuts4me on October 29, 2011, 08:19:36 PM
Some (not all) school districts will use the ED designation as a threat because the place they send ED kids is usually not pretty.

Most ED kids are sent off campus to a "special school". These are kids who need extra TLC and may not be in complete control of their emotions or physical behavior, and it's not their fault, just saying that it would be a hard environment for a LTFA kid to be in...especially coupled with anxiety.

SPED directors know most parents want their kids to remain with "typical" peers, and that most parents would cooperate with what the school wants to avoid the ED designation.

Quote from: ajasfolks2 on October 29, 2011, 06:31:49 PM
OK, so how might we get this "label" changed . . .

just asking.

Whose label is this?  Is it specified under IDEA?

What better label or diagnosis might be used?

No reason why we cannot cry foul on this too.

"emotionally disturbed" is NOT the best verbiage . . . and is emotionally charged.

Time for more change?

you bet!!

The "label" is listed in IDEA. http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,regs,300,A,300%252E8,c,

However, if you read the link, one of the definition of ED it requires that "An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.".  Therefore, you would have to argue that a child with FA is NOT emotionally disturbed b/c the anxiety can be explained by the life threatening allergy which is related to health.

Therefore, a child w/FA could potentially fall under OHI.

Some (not all) school districts will use the ED designation as a threat because the place they send ED kids is usually not pretty.

Most ED kids are sent off campus to a "special school". These are kids who need extra TLC and may not be in complete control of their emotions or physical behavior, and it's not their fault, just saying that it would be a hard environment for a LTFA kid to be in...especially coupled with anxiety.

SPED directors know most parents want their kids to remain with "typical" peers, and that most parents would cooperate with what the school wants to avoid the ED designation.

OK, so how might we get this "label" changed . . .

just asking.

Whose label is this?  Is it specified under IDEA?

What better label or diagnosis might be used?

No reason why we cannot cry foul on this too.

"emotionally disturbed" is NOT the best verbiage . . . and is emotionally charged.

Time for more change?

you bet!!

   That makes me so sad, ABF.  But I completely understand what you are saying there.

  That same phenomenon can easily happen with only one child if that child has more than one (unrelated) special need, too.  I have that teeshirt myself.  "Life-threatening" kind of trumps the certainty that something is going to lead to a lifetime of emotional baggage, when you get right down to it.    It's awful that we have to make that choice in the first place.

Quote from: AirSpare on October 26, 2011, 05:50:11 AM
Note:  If child identified and qualified under IDEA for IEP to address anxiety (or other emotional disturbance) . . . and child already has a 504 for life-threatening food allergy, then the 504 is dropped and the condition life-threatening food allergy is now included on the IEP under "OHI" = Other Health Impairment.

If child never had a 504 for food allergy, then the LTFA should be NOW added on to the IEP under "OHI".

I want to warn you all to be EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS.  I know from personal experience.  If the student has been characterized as "emotionally disturbed" then it will fall under the category of ED as in Emotionally Disturbed and not OHI.  What I found was that some staff may read the ED and predetermine that this student may lash out automatically without giving him/her a chance; as in he/she will throw chairs etc and they will treat your child very differently.  I found this the hard way.  I'm not saying that there aren't any good teachers who will actually realize that it's not the case. It's just that for years, it was the case for my son. 

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,regs,300,A,300%252E8,c,

Oh just in case you all are wondering, I have not requested further testing for my autistic son to get him under the another category b/c I have a child w/FA who's life is in constant danger if I do not advocate and spend my time on her.  It's sad that I was forced to choose which child to advocate for.  I still advocate for my son but I could not continue as much as I did in previous years.  It wore me out and my FA child needed support.  Again, sad I was forced to choose because of the lack of awareness.   

Quote from: AirSpare on October 26, 2011, 05:50:11 AM
Note:  If child identified and qualified under IDEA for IEP to address anxiety (or other emotional disturbance) . . . and child already has a 504 for life-threatening food allergy, then the 504 is dropped and the condition life-threatening food allergy is now included on the IEP under "OHI" = Other Health Impairment.

If child never had a 504 for food allergy, then the LTFA should be NOW added on to the IEP under "OHI".

yes, I pointed this out some years ago. (as well as the idea of "comorbidity") Glad to see the system is finally catching up. A little chagrined Illinois only recently addressed the issue of epinephrine in school for undiagnosed individuals who might have their first anaphylactic reaction (for whatever reason) at school.

Sure took them long enough. <sheesh....rubs temples>

Thanks for reminding people and hope to see this thread routinely updated/added to.

Psychological burden of food allergy:
http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/13/3456.pdf

Anxiety resources:

Anxiety Association Disorders of America
http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children

School Refusal WRT anxiety:
http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children/school-refusal

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/the_anxious_child



Please, if you have good studies or resources to cite, list and link here.

We need to get any life-threatening-food-allergy-specific studies and related research in here as well.


Term to know: comorbid
-- pretaining to two diseases which occur together

Getting us started:

http://www.worrywisekids.org/schools/what_schools.html

http://www.worrywisekids.org/schools/sample_accomodations.html

~ ~ ~

Please read, consider, and then add own (or from experience & used!) suggested accommodations, modifications, services that might also aid in reducing the anxiety level of student with life-threatening food allergy.

Please post any helpful resources related to this topic here.

Thank you.

Note:  If child identified and qualified under IDEA for IEP to address anxiety (or other emotional disturbance) . . . and child already has a 504 for life-threatening food allergy, then the 504 is dropped and the condition life-threatening food allergy is now included on the IEP under "OHI" = Other Health Impairment.

If child never had a 504 for food allergy, then the LTFA should be NOW added on to the IEP under "OHI".

Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice
http://cecp.air.org/resources/20th/eligchar.asp

The CECP is part of the American Institutes for Research (AIR), and is funded under a cooperative agreement with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education (ED), with supplemental funding from the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).