forkeeps251
Member
Just got off the phone with the school district psychologist. She's got a PhD and specializes in ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders, and this is pretty much the pivotal person all of difficult child's accommodations are going to be based off of. I'm also looking into getting an advocate for our next ARD meeting.
In our short conversation she wanted to know exactly what is triggering difficult child's self harm, and if he does it at school and at home (which he does not). She is going to observe him again soon.
I mentioned that several therapists suggested that he be screened for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). She did say that he does have significant social problems and that is an indicator. She also said that right now he is receiving special services for being classified as "emotionally disturbed", and that he can't be classified as both. She said if she observed some indication of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) at her next evaluation of him, that we could get a formal team evaluation by the school, but that he couldn't be classified as both "Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)" and "emotionally disturbed", and it just depended on whichever one was the overriding condition. She said that his self harm was more of an indicator of an emotional disturbance than Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
BUT, she said, it doesn't matter WHAT he is classified as, the accommodations would be the same for either classification.
Does anyone know enough on here to confirm what she said? He doesn't have a formal medical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), not yet anyway. Is it time to call in an advocate? I think if I actually had a diagnosis it might be easier but right now I don't, and it will probably be quite a while before I get one (due to wait times, right now our neuropsychologist appointment is in September)
In our short conversation she wanted to know exactly what is triggering difficult child's self harm, and if he does it at school and at home (which he does not). She is going to observe him again soon.
I mentioned that several therapists suggested that he be screened for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). She did say that he does have significant social problems and that is an indicator. She also said that right now he is receiving special services for being classified as "emotionally disturbed", and that he can't be classified as both. She said if she observed some indication of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) at her next evaluation of him, that we could get a formal team evaluation by the school, but that he couldn't be classified as both "Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)" and "emotionally disturbed", and it just depended on whichever one was the overriding condition. She said that his self harm was more of an indicator of an emotional disturbance than Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
BUT, she said, it doesn't matter WHAT he is classified as, the accommodations would be the same for either classification.
Does anyone know enough on here to confirm what she said? He doesn't have a formal medical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), not yet anyway. Is it time to call in an advocate? I think if I actually had a diagnosis it might be easier but right now I don't, and it will probably be quite a while before I get one (due to wait times, right now our neuropsychologist appointment is in September)