DS and his assessments for Aspergers

[Littlebme12]

Hi everyone

hope I am in the right place, just looking to share experiences of assessment for autism / aspergers? My ds is 9 years old and is just at the beginning of his assessments. I changed his school a year ago due to problems with bullying and feeling that the head teacher was minimising and actually turning things around to be his fault. He was terrible at home during this time, very low self esteem. His new school have been great and he has been referred on to appropriate agencies.

Ds has always been a bit 'different' from his peers, emotionally and socially, struggles to make and keep friends and had problems with 'clumsiness' pains in legs and is very flat footed. Dyspraxia has been mentioned and hypermobility syndrome but following a discussion with ed psychologist she mentioned he possibly has aspergers/ high functioning autism. Following this a lot of what I have researched fits with ds.

He has recently been seen by podiatry and has insoles for the flat footedness. She also believes he has hypermobility syndrome. NExt assessment is speech and language, just spoke to them on the phone and she asked if I had concerns about his communication. I felt a bit of an idiot because I cant really put into words what I know he struggles with. Its not speech development, he just doesnt 'get' things. It isnt always obvious that he doesnt understand and he has obviously become very good at covering this up but later things he says will make it clear he doesnt get certain phrases etc. Im just worried my lack of communication skills will get in the way of him being properly assessed!! (Academically he has been assessed as working at a level several years ahead of his actual age).

Ed psych has started her own assessments, firstly by observing him she hasnt met with him yet. He also receives support from additional support needs teacher in school because of very poor handwriting. She has said that she finds ds very negative, something that I myself am aware of.

Sorry for the ramble, I dont have anyone else to chat about this who understands. I have been given support group meeting times etc but they are not until next month.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

ok don't panic - you not being able to communicate his problems will not affect his assessments. They know what they need to look into, if they ask you things it will be more to get an overall picture and then they will assess it all anyway.

the language issue you describe I think is called something like a higher level language disorder? wouldn't like to be quoted on that but it is when people don't 'get' metaphors and sayings and can't interpret language in the way other people can. (I THINK)

bright people are very good at adapting to their problems and covering them up. my daughter scores acceptably for language but the SALT said she could tell immediately that she had a language disorder, a word finding one and that it is masked by her obviously high intelligence. (we know from some of the tests she had that she is very very clever)

from our other experience with her the handwriting could easily be from hypermobility - it often goes with poor proprioception and the two problems can cause issues with handwriting.
It is also worth bearing in mind that whilst a higher level language disorder is part of autism it doesn't only occur with autism so it is perfectly possible that although he is currently showing some signs of ASD he may have a language problem, be very bright and be incredibly frustrated and confused (and if he is very very bright then dabrowski's overexcitabilities could possible explain some behaviour sometimes interpreted as ASD behaviour). establish the cause of his main problems and be able to help him with that and you may find other problems disappear. Does that make sense? What I am trying to say is that it could be he has a mix of problems which may add up to be ASD related or he may have a mix of problems causing him so much frustration and confusion that his sort of 'core' problems are being masked by the reaction to them.

[Littlebme12]

I completely understand. Im in the limbo land of knowing all these bits and pieces fit together somehow but until I know what came first or is the main cause I feel a bit bewildered as to what happens in the meantime.

I feel a bit defensive too if Im honest! Is it normal to feel a bit inadequate and guilty?

Had a quick Google of the dabrowskis overexcitabilities and can see how they could also also fit with ds. I guess i just don't know enough myself right now and I am not aware of these other avenues to explore. Such a confusing time!

Thank you for pointing that out, Im really needing to do some more research of my own.