Lanie is a 9 year old girl diagnosed with OCD & anxiety. When Lanie’s parents describe her, they note that she performs well academically, but struggles emotionally in school. When Lanie’s parents consulted with the Learning Link, her 504 allowed for minimal accommodations including movement breaks, preferential seating, repeated directions & reminders both to attend to the task at hand and speak to a trusted adult when upset. However, emotional dysregulation during the school day occasionally leads to teachers calling Lanie’s parents, and Lanie often finds herself completing school work until 7 o’clock at night on days when she took advantage of the breaks she was offered. Our consultation resulted in the following:
- A recommendation to pursue an IEP for more targeted accommodations and clear goals that Lanie’s parents could advocate for during that process.
- Exploration of both the co-teaching and resource room structures available in Lanie’s district.
- Tailored accommodations with varied ideas about how the school might implement them to help Lanie with each of the following:
- Sensory regulation
- Time management and related anxiety
- Cueing systems for proactive breaks so that Lanie can regulate her emotions
Note: All student and parent names are changed to protect their privacy.