Transportation.

Because Braden has difficulty walking for long periods of time, we have a specialized pediatric stroller for him. There are several features that must be in place in order for a stroller to meet the criteria for 'transit ready' status. The stroller MUST  have a 5 point restraint system in order to secure the child safely. 

5 Point restraint system.

As you can see there are straps that go over each shoulder, a crotch strap and two straps that go over the hips. These straps all MUST be fastened into a center buckle(see red tab) in order for a child to be safely restrained. Depending on the disability of the child there may be other necessary additions to the stroller such as lateral supports for posture, head supports etc.Without these straps being done up the child who seizures or has other physical disabilities could fall from the stroller during transport. When their body is not properly positioned they could also become a 'missile' in a school bus during a crash. 

This is the type of bus lift that Braden has on his school bus.

Over the past year Braden has come home from school on the bus, without his stroller straps being fastened on FOUR occasions!! Braden is taken off the bus using a mechanical lift that is several feet off the ground. The potential for injury if he were to fall forward and off the lift is mind boggling.Look at the picture above. How would you feel if your cild were to fal from this ramp?


I was very upset the first time, but when speaking with the teacher I was given assurances that it was a horrible mistake that would not be repeated. While I was upset and made it very clear to them how upset I was I also felt that I needed to try and see this as something that was a singular incident and that it wouldn't be repeated because I trusted these people to keep Braden safe.


Last January (around the same time he had the bruises pictured previously) he arrived home AGAIN with no straps fastened. This time I was extremely upset. I called and spoke to the vice principal and told him that this was inexcusable! I reiterated how dangerous this situation could be, and how outraged I was to have to be dealing with this again. Of course the administration made all the appropriate apologies and promises to me, ran through a check with the teacher and the CEA's and I was given assurances that the situation had been dealt with. I was frustrated but for some reason I decided to move forward. In retrospect I would have done things differently at that point, but hindsight is 20/20.


12 DAYS later....yes, as unbelievable as that is...it happened AGAIN!!! I was almost paralyzed with disbelief! I cannot even begin to describe the anger I was feeling. I probably uttered a lot of words that I won't type here. When I could breathe again I called the school and spoke to the vice principal. Of course there was concern and he assured me he would look into ...yeah I had heard that before! I told him that I was NOT sending Braden back to school until I could have assurance that he would be safe. I had lost trust in the staff and was not feeling at all confidant about any steps they had taken to ensure me that my son was safe.


I asked the vice principal a question, which would soon be answered in a terrible way for me. I said, "does a student have to get seriously injured before the staff takes safety issues seriously?"


I was told that there would be a meeting scheduled later that week between the teacher, myself, the vice principal AND the health nurse(another issue). By that time the staff would have some concrete strategies to present to me in order to ensure safety. Wow...what does it take? Why is this so damn difficult? The CEA's know what they are doing? Just get them to DO IT!! This isn't rocket science!

Too scared to speak?

I have discovered something interesting since deciding to write this blog. There have been almost 300 page views and yet only one comment.

I have heard from more than one person that they are fearful to comment. This is EXACTLY why I am doing this. It is absolutely wrong that any parent should feel unable to stand up for their child out of fear of some type of backlash! 


How many incidents are going unreported because parents are afraid? How many parents are sending their children with special needs to school each day hoping and praying that they will return home safe and sound?


I understand that feeling. When I look off my balcony I can see the road leading to my sons school.I have, for quite some time, felt nauseous at the sound of ambulances speeding in that direction.That underlying fear that maybe something has happened. People who know me are aware that I am not a 'worrier'. But sometimes when promises have been made and broken regarding your child's safety at school you can't help it.


I believe that we, as parents/caregivers CAN have a loud voice. There are ways to make people hear us and to make changes to the system. But we MUST speak up. I have had to go to great lengths in the last several weeks to ensure that my voice has been heard. I have spoken, not only for my son, but for every child with special needs in our school system.


I want to say that posts on this blog can be made anonymously(I just changed that setting) or under the drop down menu where it says name you can use a first name only, or a fake name if you choose. But please post!!

You Would Think....

I have always tried to be realistic about Braden's condition. Because he seizures so much and is on many drugs that contribute to his issues with balance and body awareness I know that he tends to bump into things, stumble and trip.He gets bruises and scrapes but because he needs to be watched so closely I can generally tell you what caused them. In the school system he, and the other students in the Resource Room, are all considered to require 1-1 supervision at all times, so you would think that any injury would be duly noted and explained.

 Last January Braden came home from school and I was changing his diaper and noticed this massive bruise on his thigh. It measured about 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches and was very discolored. Braden does not bruise like this normally so I knew he had to really slam into something VERY hard to get a mark like this. You can see an "L" shape like a corner to the bruising. There was nothing written in the communication book so I called the school to ask the teacher what had happened. the teacher told me she had been out of the classroom that day and she was unaware of anything taking place, however she would check with the CEA's. 

The next day, after I emailed her these photos, she spoke to the CEA's...NOBODY had a clue what happened to Braden...not even any idea. I was totally amazed...something that caused such a mark and NOONE could tell me what happened!! NOBODY was watching him closely enough in that small room to see what happened??? 

As I said...you would think....... 

High School- A Whole New World!

High school was a new experience, especially in Braden's new school. It's a great school but what surprised and concerned me from the first day was the very small size of the Resource Room. When schools are built in BC they are required to have a certain square footage per student. I was told that our Resource Room had that square footage, however, it did not include the vast amount of equipment required for those students. There is a small space, a "quiet room" and another room for changing students. There is a bathroom with shower stall as well. Also housed in that classroom were at least for wheelchairs/strollers, a standing frame, physio balls/rolls, special chairs. Anyone with a child with special needs will understand how much equipment can be required. The entire room was like a daily obstacle course. Braden is very unsteady on his feet, some days more than others, and the room was like a minefield for him to navigate. I know I, and several other parents, had serious concerns about potential injuries to students who were already having problems with co-ordination,balance and motor planning. There were many people, including some professionals within the system that fought for more space, with no results. 


My question is - Why are classrooms like this expected to function with the same space requirements as a regular class full of students who spend the day at desks? I know that when I objected to Braden being placed in his chair for hours at a time I was often told that due to safety concerns with the limited space it was often necessary to keep students seated. So instead of dealing with the safety concerns of a small space the students with disabilities were often offered less than optimal learning conditions for their needs.


The classroom Braden was attending in elementary school was larger, more open and definitely less hazardous.It was also more play based as a lot of learning was accomplished this way.


My observation about this transition is not that different from a 'typical' transition from elementary to secondary schools. When typical students advance to high school there is a level of maturity that is encouraged, as well as a "leaving behind" of many of the trappings of childhood. With children who have special needs there are some things that are not the same. My son will always be a 'child' His functional level is somewhere between 9 months and two years old. There are safety measures that must be taken and observed at all times because he will never be an "adult" other than by age. His "space" needs to allow for optimal learning and maximum safety.