Looking for Concrete Suggestions, Fast

Bear's EI transition meeting with the school district evaluators is on Wednesday.

My EI coordinator told me there's no need to prep and that she'd give me a book at the meeting.  Clearly, she has no idea what kind of OCD pre planning mommy warrior she is dealing with.

(And possibly... a vapid nitwit who needs to be beat with a clue stick?! I mean... telling parents not to prep for one of the most important meetings of their child's entire life?!)

Anyway.  I found the ISBE site full of documents and worksheets and even a little video.  So, that's what I'll be immersed in between now and Wednesday morning.

Here's the situation:

- Bear's gonna be discharged from speech.  He's caught up, there's no way he's going to qualify for school district services (requires 30% delay).
- OT is only considered a "support service," and if he's not in ST then he won't be granted OT through school
- at this time, none of his additional diagnoses support a request for OT
- all of our wonderful EI therapists have been telling me to ask for what he needs, but prepare for the high probability that he will not be granted services

Here's my question:

Assuming the stars are in alignment and the dog doesn't eat their homework, SPD will be validated for bureaucratic purposes with the next edition of the DSM.  Which is due out BEFORE Bear starts kindergarten.  Which changes things.

How should I handle that conversation with the evaluators?  Since I already know to expect nothing from them, I refuse to tap dance around his SPD.  I've read things that suggest not to mention it since it's not "official" and to stick to only discussing whatever other diagnosis can get what your kid needs.  I feel like I'm free of that particular semantic burden.

I know I can't play the bitchy bully, but I also want them to know I'm a well informed parent who doesn't intend to back down.

So... should I play dumb and ask them how they would like to manage things when the situation for SPD changes, or should I simply inform them I'll be knocking on their door while the ink on the DSM-V is still wet?

And I do go ahead now and start talking about the classroom concessions his OT is already suggesting he will probably need?  Or do I wait another 3 years, when he's actually going to be in a classroom?