RIchelle: My daughter has chronic migraines, and frequently has had to leave school or has missed entire days because of her migraines. We have tried several different methods of controlling them, and are now on botox treatments and acupuncture, which are showing promise. We got a 504 plan, which didn’t include everything that she needed, and is now at least in part not being followed. A few weeks after the 504 plan went into affect, the attendance clerk refused to allow my husband or I to excuse her from school. Every time she is counted as unexcused, even though we sign her out from school or she misses and we communicate with the school. The unexcused absences affect her ability to participate in winterguard (extracurricular activity), but the attendance clerk will not budge from the district attendance policy. If I or my husband take her home from school, even though she is obviously in severe pain, the absence is not excused unless we go to the doctor and get a note. This is expensive, and insulting to us and aggravating to the doctor since we have a treatment plan. We’ve tried communicating with the principal, and haven’t gotten a response yet, and it was mentioned to my daughter that she transfer out of the school to an alternative school or homeschool, which was devastating to her. What do we do or who should we go to besides the district level to find a resolution?
My middle school daughter was getting Migraines 25 days a month in spring when the pandemic started. Last month they reduced however virtual online school started with her getting daily migraines. Not sure what will happened next. We are unfamiliar with a 504, how do they help with kids with chronic migraines?
Typically a school provides accommodations. You can consider your child’s situation, & research accommodations for a student with migraines, & make a list of those you want to request. I imagine that the main ones deal with reducing assignments, & extra time to complete assignments & demonstrate mastery.
Update: after finally also being diagnosed with the complication hemicrania continua my daughter had to leave traditional school completely. She is finishing through Penn Foster and it works pretty well. The attendance clerk who was harassing us was “encouraged to quit” toward the end of that year though, so the school did do something. She is also on Aimovig and Botox which is helping. She was actually able to get a job briefly before the whole quarantine started.
Wow! That is great news. I know you are proud of her.
My daughter who suffers migraines since childhood, was eventually diagnosed, was treated similarly. For years I fought this as a single parent, my heart goes out to your family. Now in college, some still resort to bullying her, sad their 1st reaction is taking advantage. Saw your post, looking for info on filing a complaint. Our daughters have tolerated behaviors from power-tripping individuals far too long! These behaviors are nothing less than discrimination! Every child & young adult deserves better than this. My advice to you don’t wait as long as I did let this school & attendance “clerk” know the buck stops here & this is breaking the law! File a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights & the school! God Bless & good luck!
I’m a sophomore in high school and I also have chronic migraines. I completely get what you guys have been through. I’ve gotten countless detentions and I was almost not allowed at my Homecoming dance because of my number of absences- which were excused. I’ve seen two neurologists on the issue and my school has still failed to be more loose with the absence policy which has become more and more strict. I’m a part of student council and my mom is a teacher at my high school and has tried to reason with my teachers and principals. I had to quit volleyball because I was missing so much school and I was miserable. I’m very sorry for what you and your daughter are experiencing and I hope that you guys can find a way to help her manage.
Sad — that some schools & school staff do not understand students’ IEP, 504, prior health agreements & basic rights to human dignity. I agree with Pam Wright in a prior post she suggests the parent immediately notify their state’s department of education ; they can also notify OSEP : https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html
Migraine update for adults : Aimovig, Ajovy, and Emgality. Here is info about possibly reducing migraine CGRP’s in children : https://www.empr.com/home/news/expert-opinion-cgrp-receptor-antagonist-use-in-pediatric-patients-with-migraine/
My daughter has IEP for emotional disturbance. Missed a lot of school due to anxiety/school refusal. School referred us to home service that we were waitlisted for for 3 months. Services started but this came in the final weeks of school. Remarkably, my daughter made it through the year completing all work and getting good grades. Her case manager assured (in writing) that she would get credit as long as she turned all work in. At the year end ppt meeting, team announced denying credit for 3 classes due to attendance policy. is this attendance policy discriminatory? Do they have to accommodate policy it penalizes my daughter due to her disability? She is shattered from this and wants to drop out of h.s. I asked to appeal but school is not allowing. Not sure where to turn.
You can use the federal dispute resolution processes. Your state parent training and information center can assist you.
I am having an issue with my sons school he has a 504 plan it is now revised stating that illness is to be excused with a Doctor note. Which lists his chronic illness and any other medical issues associated with it.
The school stopped sending me threatening letters in the mail after an email issue last year that resulted us in meeting with the Superintendent, but on the parent portal through our school they have listed three notes pertaining to his being absent .
Everytime he is absent I
1 Call the school attendance.
2 Inform her that he is out and that he will be going to the dr. That this IS a 504 related illness dr note reflects this.
Are they allowed to send letters correspondence about losing credit for a class ,
Approaching absence limit when it is listed as a 504 illness
My daughter has IBS and Migraines. We provided the school with documentation but they will not excuse absences in a 504. Now I need to miss time from work to meet with principal because I received a letter stating I will be referred to court if I do not meet with the principal in 5 days.
Sooo frustrated.
Have you resolved this? I am having a similar issue. My daughter has immune deficiency & a note at beginning of year given by doctor explaining issue & will be absent more. If you have had any success please let me know.
It has improved, but not completely resolved. We had a second meeting with my daughter’s counselor, one of the assistant principals and the attendance liaison for our school from the district. Her 504 was adjusted somewhat, and it was supposed to have been worked out with the attendance clerk at the school to allow us to call her out or take her home if necessary and have it excused without all the extra expense. The attendance clerk followed it for about a week, and is now going back to her old habits/harassment. We’ve also had to deal with a couple of issues that have come up with an extra-curricular activity and her “eligibility”. Hang in there!
The very same thing is happening with my niece and sports eligibility. She has ADD and severe anxiety, this causes her to miss a lot of school and playing sports helps her to feel involved and make friends. She’s been told that her grades make her ineligible. Its a real problem because now her anxiety over not belonging is worse than ever.