-=> Quoting Charles Beams to Lisa Mcintosh <=-
 CB> Responding to a message by Lisa, to Charles on ...
 
 LM>From my own experience I can tell you that the person had this a
 LM>little messed up. What is actually the case is that if a teacher
 LM>feels that a child might need treatment for a disability (be it ADD
 LM>or LD or whatever) then the school is responsible for the TESTING for
 LM>diagnosis, not the treatment itself.                      ^^^^^^^
                                                              ^^^^^^^
 CB> This might well be a state law local to Alabama.  I'm not aware of our
 CB> schools paying for the medical diagnosis of our students.
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I didn't say that the school was responsible for paying for the
"medical diagnosis". Only a doctor can make a medical diagnosis. A
doctor must base this diagnosis on something though, and the TESTS
that a school sytem's psychomotrist administers is what the doctor
uses to make the diagnosis.
It is federal law. I will research through my files and give you the
code number if you like. I'm sure that I have it somewhere as I had
to use it in corresponding with our local superintendant several
years ago.
Again, to clarify: I did not say that the school is responsible for
making medical diagnosis. What the school IS responsible for is the
testing that is needed. The tests for ADD/ADHD are basically the same
ones that you use for testing a child to see if he has a learning
disability. There are some behavior rating scales that the child's
teacher, and each parent fills out that are unique to ADD/ADHD
screening.
I know this from experience. My son's kindergarden teacher insisted
that I take him to see his pediatrician. I asked about the school's
role in testing and was told that they did not do "that kind" of
testing. I spoke with my pediatrician and made arrangements to have a
private psychomotrist evaluate my child. She then sent the results to
my doctor who, upon the psychomotrist's results and reccomendations,
made the diagnosis of ADD.
After all this I found out that the school was not only equipped to
do these very same tests but that FEDERAL LAW requires it if the
teacher feels there is a problem.
^^^^^^^ ^^^^^
After I contacted Washington and got copies of the laws, the local
school board finally reimbursed the money that we laid out for the
testing.
So, no the school doesn't have to pay for "medical diagnosis" but
they do have to test children who are suspected by their teachers to
have a Learning Disability or ADD/ADHD.
The whole fiasco referenced above had a large part in our decision to
school our children at home. In this setting he does not require
medication.
Lisa McIntosh
... A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience.
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