Continuity of care for children with special needs is difficult under ideal circumstances. We can all agree military families do not face ideal circumstances. Before my own children were born, I learned a valuable lesson about achieving success in this area.
It started with a one-inch, red binder. Its bright color stood out to remind me to lock it up whenever I left. The treasure between the covers was the secret to success. Throughout my years of teaching, my red binder was a constant companion, ready to help me live out my passion to teach kids of all ages and abilities about science.
Students with college aspirations attended my chemistry and physics classes. The red binder held the two keys to adapting my “college prep” classes for students with special needs. Special needs students have either an Individual Educational Program (IEP) that communicates the accommodations specially designed for a student or a 504 plan which provides support and accommodations without goals and objectives found in IEPs.
As I transitioned from teaching to being a stay-at-home mom, my red binder quickly became critical to my own special needs children’s success. It grew in size but remained red and ready to share answers. Each child had their own red binder, which traveled in our car or my carry-on for every move, to every new school, and all the doctors’ visits.
These binders contained all the tests, doctors’ notes, school grades, and follow-up reports. I learned early to retain paper copies of everything. While the military may be good at defending our country, it is not very efficient when moving medical records. Sometimes it took 2-3 months for our records to get transferred to a new duty station. I found having my red binders allowed me to be ready to enroll my children in schools and expedite their IEP or 504 plans.
When providers first met with us, the red binder surprised them. On numerous occasions, when an educator suggested a test, I opened the red binder and produced the last time that test had been done or offered results from a similar test. We did not have the luxury of working through multiple plans for tests to help my child succeed. As the parent, I had to provide the continuity that enabled them to hit the ground running. It did not take long for the staff to recognize my red binder was there to help us all do what was best for my child.
Large or small, every binder served its purpose–to help kids with special needs get the services they needed. Being organized and prepared made moves easier. It also allowed me to have copies of everything so when the military system “lost” our records, I had what I needed when I needed it.
Instead of waiting for the military, school, or medical records agencies to create continuity of care, parents can be the continuity their special needs kids deserve.
