Children With Disabilities May Qualify For Services

Children with disabilities may receive special education services from the public schools as soon as they turn 3 years of age and earlier if there are identified hearing and/or vision impairments. Early assessment and education are available free of charge to children suspected of having disabilities.

Following are some early warning signs. If a child exhibits several of these traits to a significant degree, the parent may contact Special Education Director, Stephanie Hawkins, West Rusk CCISD Special Education Department (895-4503 Ext. 170), for an assessment.

Symptoms of physical disabilities: poor balance control in sitting or walking, poor ability to use arms and excessive drooling.

Symptoms of vision problems: Rubbing eyes frequently, shutting or covering one eye often, tilting head to one side, stumbling or falling in unfamiliar places, blinking often, squinting or frowning when looking at objects, holding objects close to face.

Symptoms of hearing impairments: Frequent earaches or running ears, talking in a very loud or very soft voice, not turning to face the source of strange sounds, or turning the same ear toward a sound to hear.

Symptoms of speech and language problems: Not talking at all by age 2, difficult to understand after age 3, omission of beginning sounds after age 3, saying mostly vowel sounds after age 3.

Symptoms of emotional problems: A pervasive mood of unhappiness or periods of crying for no apparent reason, frequent extreme changes of mood, over aggressiveness, extreme fearfulness, continued excessive activity.

Symptoms of learning problems: Poor eye-hand coordination, inability to identify hair, eyes, nose, and mouth by pointing to them by age 2, does not understand simple stories told or read by age 3, repeats words and phrases in “echo”-like manner.

Fortunately many disabilities can be helped or completely corrected if parents recognize the problem early and seek help. If the child is tested, and is determined to have a handicapping condition, he or she may be placed in an early childhood classroom by the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee. For more information, contact Stephanie Hawkins, Special Education Director, West Rusk CCISD, (903) 895-4503 X170.