My 6 year old grandson has ASD, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, & Hypermobility Syndrome. He is prone to fractures and in danger of re-fracturing the same bone over & over.
He was physically restrained at school and received numerous bruises. The principal said he was restrained for rocking back & forth in a chair. My understanding is that a child should only be restrained when a threat to self or another child or person.
I’m going to have his medical specialist write something about restraints being contraindicated to his medical conditions. I am also picking up the report from the school district regarding the physical restraint. What else should I do?
First, you need to document everything you are told and everything you learn. Make a log and jot things down. The fact that an educator or school administrator put a 6 year old medically fragile child in restraints is horrible.
Unfortunately, this is a problem around the country. Very few states have any requirements about when to use restraints, training for staff, or any requirements to report this.
On July 31, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter to all school officials in all states. He described his reaction to testimony before Congress on the use of restraints and seclusion in public schools. He advised school officials to reform their seclusion and restraint procedures “to ensure that every student in every school is safe and protected” before the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.
Read “I Urge You to Ensure that Every Student in Every School is Safe and Protected” at http://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/?p=1059
If you click this link — http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/abuse.index.htm you will go to a page about restraints, seclusion and abuse at schools. You need to educate yourself about this issue. There is a “no restraints” letter that you can tailor to your grandchild’s situation.
Be sure to get letters from your grandson’s doctors describing what damage he may suffer if this happens again.
Tags: Abuse and restraints · Advocacy · Parental Rights · Restraints · Rights & Responsibilities · Strategies · unique needs