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<blockquote data-quote="BusynMember" data-source="post: 499468" data-attributes="member: 1550"><p>My son didn't get his Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) diagnosis until age 11 and we were also told he "can't" have it. The older he got, the more it became obvious that, regardless of the early professional's asseessment, he has it. I agree that for now IF THE SCHOOL WILL ACCOMODATE HIM WITH THE DIAGNOSIS THAT HE IS it doesn't matter. </p><p></p><p>However, in the US, the diagnosis is mandatory in the end if you want appropriate help. My son is eighteen now and we are going for adult supports. We just had Sonic's IEP for this year and after graduation. We were told that the school is changing his special needs label from Other Health Impaired to Autism. Does it really matter? Well, it didn't matter while he was in school because the school itself loved him (he was lucky) and he got anything he needed. But, as the school transition specialist told us plain out, "Sonic will get more services and more doors will be open for him to get help if his school educational label is autism." We agreed at once to change it. He is going to need those services and, in the end, he is on the autism spectrum. </p><p></p><p>If you can get everything you need from early school with the diagnosis that you have, I'd just go for it. If the school balks that he doesn't need the degree of services that you feel he does, then I'd get a second opinion and I'd go to a neuropsychologist. We did not have the same sort of luck with a regular psychologist than we had with a neuropsychologist. For one thing, neuropsychologist tested for a longer period of time (10 hours).</p><p></p><p>It's funny because when Sonic first started school, NOBODY believed he was on the spectrum and, because he was so young, we let it ride. He hung in there at school until about fifth grade when he no longer had any friends (friendship gets more complicated and more give-and-take at that age) plus he could no longer keep up with the work. He did not seem to be particularly upset about not having friends coming to the house. He tended to like being alone, although he could appear quite friendly. At times he acted almost like a typical kid. At times he seemed spacy and out of it. At 11, he was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified. This summer, he was tested again, because he was close to turning eighteen, and the diagnosis was autistic spectrum disorder (our neuropsychologist explained that pretty soon all spectrum kids...whether classically autistic, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified or Aspergers, would be under one umbrella term: Autistic Splectrum Disorder). Last week was the first time that the school itself acknowledged and promoted the diagnosis. The psychologist at school seemed very familiar with older kids on the high end of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). But it took this long for acceptance of the label because Sonic is atypical. Everyone wants Sonic to succeed as an adult, even if he needs job coaching and other help. Since he's not little, they are no longer worried about labeling him. It is more about making sure he lives as full and happy a life as a he can, even though he will not be 100% independent.</p><p></p><p>I g uess this long ramble, which I tend to do, is summed up by saying, if you can get school supports for V, don't worry about the label. If they give you a hard time, get a neuropsychologist evaluation, but IF he has Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and anxiety is always a big part of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), you will probably start hearing the words more in middle or high school because the differences between these kids and other kids becomes far more obvious by then. If he doesn't have it, he has autistic-like traits, so supports can't hurt him. Do what you can to get him the help that he needs to live a full and happy life. Labels are for getting services. It's amazing how you fight for services with labels like ADHD/ODD but how easily they come with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Take care and lots of good luck to V. If you don't get the servicess you want, I recommend calling the Dept. of Education in your state and asking for the name of the free parent advocate who works in your district.</p><p></p><p>One last thing: We found that Sonic is very sensitive to medication. He is doing much MUCH better without medications and their side effects. Every single child is different. V. may do better on medication. But you don't need to rush to a decision on that. Do research on any medication suggested. I wish, in retrospect, that this is what we had done.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BusynMember, post: 499468, member: 1550"] My son didn't get his Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) diagnosis until age 11 and we were also told he "can't" have it. The older he got, the more it became obvious that, regardless of the early professional's asseessment, he has it. I agree that for now IF THE SCHOOL WILL ACCOMODATE HIM WITH THE DIAGNOSIS THAT HE IS it doesn't matter. However, in the US, the diagnosis is mandatory in the end if you want appropriate help. My son is eighteen now and we are going for adult supports. We just had Sonic's IEP for this year and after graduation. We were told that the school is changing his special needs label from Other Health Impaired to Autism. Does it really matter? Well, it didn't matter while he was in school because the school itself loved him (he was lucky) and he got anything he needed. But, as the school transition specialist told us plain out, "Sonic will get more services and more doors will be open for him to get help if his school educational label is autism." We agreed at once to change it. He is going to need those services and, in the end, he is on the autism spectrum. If you can get everything you need from early school with the diagnosis that you have, I'd just go for it. If the school balks that he doesn't need the degree of services that you feel he does, then I'd get a second opinion and I'd go to a neuropsychologist. We did not have the same sort of luck with a regular psychologist than we had with a neuropsychologist. For one thing, neuropsychologist tested for a longer period of time (10 hours). It's funny because when Sonic first started school, NOBODY believed he was on the spectrum and, because he was so young, we let it ride. He hung in there at school until about fifth grade when he no longer had any friends (friendship gets more complicated and more give-and-take at that age) plus he could no longer keep up with the work. He did not seem to be particularly upset about not having friends coming to the house. He tended to like being alone, although he could appear quite friendly. At times he acted almost like a typical kid. At times he seemed spacy and out of it. At 11, he was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified. This summer, he was tested again, because he was close to turning eighteen, and the diagnosis was autistic spectrum disorder (our neuropsychologist explained that pretty soon all spectrum kids...whether classically autistic, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified or Aspergers, would be under one umbrella term: Autistic Splectrum Disorder). Last week was the first time that the school itself acknowledged and promoted the diagnosis. The psychologist at school seemed very familiar with older kids on the high end of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). But it took this long for acceptance of the label because Sonic is atypical. Everyone wants Sonic to succeed as an adult, even if he needs job coaching and other help. Since he's not little, they are no longer worried about labeling him. It is more about making sure he lives as full and happy a life as a he can, even though he will not be 100% independent. I g uess this long ramble, which I tend to do, is summed up by saying, if you can get school supports for V, don't worry about the label. If they give you a hard time, get a neuropsychologist evaluation, but IF he has Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and anxiety is always a big part of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), you will probably start hearing the words more in middle or high school because the differences between these kids and other kids becomes far more obvious by then. If he doesn't have it, he has autistic-like traits, so supports can't hurt him. Do what you can to get him the help that he needs to live a full and happy life. Labels are for getting services. It's amazing how you fight for services with labels like ADHD/ODD but how easily they come with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) :) Take care and lots of good luck to V. If you don't get the servicess you want, I recommend calling the Dept. of Education in your state and asking for the name of the free parent advocate who works in your district. One last thing: We found that Sonic is very sensitive to medication. He is doing much MUCH better without medications and their side effects. Every single child is different. V. may do better on medication. But you don't need to rush to a decision on that. Do research on any medication suggested. I wish, in retrospect, that this is what we had done. [/QUOTE]
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