Services

Advocacy
Advocacy for Children – Parents are often reluctant to question the judgment or practices of teachers or administrators. However, all schools experience some staff weaknesses. An independent advocate can ensure that schools are keeping children’s needs as their top priority.

Advocacy Training for Parents – Parents are often reluctant to question the judgment or practices of teachers or administrators. However, all schools experience some staff weaknesses. An independent advocate can ensure that schools are keeping children’s needs as their top priority.

Expert Witness- Dr. Heitin will serve as an expert witness for due process court cases in the interest of students with special needs.

Assessment

Assessment- A complete battery of psycho-educational assessments can be performed with students. These tests can be useful in the special education process by determining instructional strengths and weaknesses, identifying possible learning disabilities, and assessing a student’s areas of interest. In addition, previously performed assessments can be reviewed as a means of independent analysis. Standardized group achievement tests given in nearly all schools can be reviewed to help indicate areas of both instructional and individual strengths and weaknesses.

Diagnosing the Monday Morning Tummy-ache – Many children show signs of school-related stress. Parents do not have to be child psychologists to recognize them. An experienced educator, Dr. Heitin can use a variety of strategies to help determine the cause of the child’s concerns and develop a plan to reduce the stress.

Identification of Attention -Deficit Disorder-In conjunction with the appropriate medical and psychological services, it is important to assess the educational needs of ADHD children. The child will be observed in the classroom setting, and the teachers will be interviewed (if possible); then an appropriate educational plan will be suggested.

Preschool Programming – There are many different types of preschool programs and many options available for childcare and/or schooling for the preschool child. As a former preschool director and mother of three children, Dr. Heitin can help discern the best possible option for your child or assess your child’s success in the program you have chosen.

Programming for the Gifted Learning Disabled Child- Far too often, special educators are only prepared to serve children who are far behind academically. The gifted child who is having problems working up to his/her capabilities is seen as lazy or unmotivated. Gifted/LD children are perhaps the most misunderstood and maligned group of children. Parents need support to ensure that their children are properly identified and served.

School Readiness – The beginning of preschool or kindergarten is a critical time. It is important that a child is ready to meet the demands of the school. Dr. Heitin can help determine if a child has the skills necessary to succeed in his/her first school experience.

Support for Special Educational Needs – Parents and children have rights guaranteed to them by federal law to ensure that the special educational needs of children with disabilities are met. An independent agent can advocate for the child during all phases of the special education process. The eligibility process and the procedure of writing an Individualized Education Program are both critical stages of the special education process that could benefit from an independent consultant’s expertise.

Consulting with Parents

Child Development Issues- From preschool through high school, problems arise with children. It is important for parents to understand which problems are directly related to issues of development and which are the result of environmental or individual differences.

Homework Hints- To quote a nine-year-old girl: “My seventy-year-old uncle’s biggest problem when he was young was having enough food to eat. Mine is homework.” The issue of homework is not simple these days and parents may need support and guidance to help their children through this nightly chore.

School Planning- The number of schooling options in the Washington area is mind-boggling. The decision as to whether to educate publicly or privately involves a great many factors, including money. Since there is no perfect school for all children, the decision becomes one of individual appropriateness. Dr Heitin can help a family determine the important school characteristics to look for given their child’s unique needs.