[blindkid] made my day

[Julie Yanez]

I'm so sorry for your mishap. I've had social services called on me once
because I spanked my 10 year old on the hand. She had knowingly slammed the
bedroom door on her 3 year old brother. His forehead hit the knob and he
nearly needed stitches. So along with a spank for slamming the door period,
then on top of that getting her brother hurt, she was sent to bed with no
music or TV. That's equivalent to torture for her.
Her comprehension and being able to explain events and the order in which
they occur is delayed. Has always been. It's a major issue we work on.
Reading a story, then explaining what happened when. She can't do that. So
when she was asked what she did the over the weekend, everything came out
her mouth in the wrong order. I sounded like thee worst parent. A police
officer even came to our home to question her and see her home environment.
I was soo mad that the school never called me to tell me what she had said
and gave me no chance to let them know what really went on before they were
quick to make a police report. I wanted her TIV replaced! Especially after
being with my kiddo for 4 years now and knowing how she gets her stories
confused.

Best of luck with everything. They seem to make everything harder on us
parents of the blind as if we can't parent our child.
On Dec 11, 2012 9:02 PM, "Cynthia Davis" <cdfiets at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi there, NFB friends,
>
> Today I learned that my son's therapist had reported me to Social Services
> because I "allowed by legally blind son (a 9th-grader) to take his
> medication by himself. "   Yes, you heard me.  The incident occurred
> yesterday morning.
>
> My son took his medications out of the pillbox by himself.  The pillbox is
> well-labeled; each of the 14 compartments indicates in both large print and
> Braille which day the pills are for and whether they are for the a.m. or
> p.m.  Usually I give them to him and he checks them, but he was really
> grumpy this particular morning, so he did it himself.  We have never had a
> problem with this.
>
> However, at school he became very sleepy and announced to the assistant
> principal, on whose floor he fell asleep, that he thought he had given
> himself his nighttime meds instead of the morning ones.  This meant he had
> some medications that made him very groggy.  I was called and immediately
> called his doctor and left a message while I drove to the school to pick
> him up.  When I arrived, the vice-principal kindly suggested that "I know
> you want him to be independent, but maybe he shouldn't be taking his own
> medications."  I added that we usually check them together, but....we
> didn't this time.  Anyway, the school seemed okay with our error, as he was
> able to walk downstairs and out of the school unassisted.  We then went to
> his scheduled therapy appointment.  The therapist called Social Services
> later that day, at the suggestion of her supervisor.  She made it clear
> that the report was necessary because "he is legally blind."
>
> My son is furious.  Ready to sue.  Mad as hell.  "Mom, you are the best
> mom a kid could have in this world ( Did my kid really say that?!).  It is
> MY FAULT (Did my kid really say that?!) I took the wrong pills 'cause I was
> angry at you and didn't pay attention!  They are discriminating against me
> because I am blind!  They are against the law!  I can read a pillbox as
> well as any other kid!"
>
> Clearly I don't deserve Mother of the Year for somehow allowing this to
> happen, but I do agree with him that the issue here is whether he
> should-or-should-not be getting his own medications out of the pillbox
> compartment by himself regardless of the fact that he is legally blind.
>  His doctor has volunteered to talk with the authorities if necessary,
> although she did make sure I understood "how to safely administer
> medication."  She didn't mention the blind part.
>
> Thanks for listening,
> Cynthia Davis
> Littleton, CO
>
>
>
>
>
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