T
TeDo
Guest
difficult child and I saw the new psychiatrist today. It was awesome. They guy is good with difficult child and knows his stuff which makes me very happy. Anyway, if you guys have been reading my other posts, you know I am in a fight to get difficult child's school to give up their heavy-handed "show him who's boss" mentality in response to an unofficial ODD diagnosis they can't seem to get past. When I mentioned that they were dealing with difficult child in the wrong way, they ignore everything I say because ODD is what they have in writing (I'm still waiting for a copy of an OFFICIAL report from a professional stating this).
After only 20 minutes of questions and observations, the psychiatrist said "oh, he's very definitely on the autism spectrum". I was in awe but also relieved that I wasn't just in denial that my kid was purposefully defiant. He is weaning difficult child off the Depakote because it isn't going to help with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) so that's why we haven't seen any improvement. He also started difficult child on Risperdal. He is starting off with a very small dose because difficult child had bad stomach pain from it when we tried it about 4 years ago. Looking back at the records, psychiatrist says it was started too high.
I can't wait to INFORM the school that they are going to need to totally rethink how they handle difficult child and put more effort into teaching him the skills he lacks instead of waiting for even a small problem so they can discipline him yet again (he is currently on a 3 day suspension).
I have a Regional Autism Consultant beginning an evaluation as well as a psychologist to do further testing to see exactly where difficult child is functioning. Since these have already been scheduled, psychiatrist says he will let them figure out EXACTLY where difficult child's difficulties lie. The Regional Autism Consultant is contracted through a collaborative that services many of the schools in our area and they evaluate as well as supervise the services being delivered to kids in these schools with ASDs.
I can't wait to watch the school scramble. If they just would have listened to me in the first place. Sheesh. But then again, I'm only the mother.
After only 20 minutes of questions and observations, the psychiatrist said "oh, he's very definitely on the autism spectrum". I was in awe but also relieved that I wasn't just in denial that my kid was purposefully defiant. He is weaning difficult child off the Depakote because it isn't going to help with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) so that's why we haven't seen any improvement. He also started difficult child on Risperdal. He is starting off with a very small dose because difficult child had bad stomach pain from it when we tried it about 4 years ago. Looking back at the records, psychiatrist says it was started too high.
I can't wait to INFORM the school that they are going to need to totally rethink how they handle difficult child and put more effort into teaching him the skills he lacks instead of waiting for even a small problem so they can discipline him yet again (he is currently on a 3 day suspension).
I have a Regional Autism Consultant beginning an evaluation as well as a psychologist to do further testing to see exactly where difficult child is functioning. Since these have already been scheduled, psychiatrist says he will let them figure out EXACTLY where difficult child's difficulties lie. The Regional Autism Consultant is contracted through a collaborative that services many of the schools in our area and they evaluate as well as supervise the services being delivered to kids in these schools with ASDs.
I can't wait to watch the school scramble. If they just would have listened to me in the first place. Sheesh. But then again, I'm only the mother.