3.5yo DS has been diagnosed with autism -AMA

[Clareypoo]

Just that.... posting to share our experience to see if it might help anyone.

He is our only child. Myself and DP are primary teachers so we both have some knowledge and experience of ASC, even so it has been a challenging time!
He was diagnosed last month and I think it has taken me a month to start to process the diagnosis and what this means for us and him.

*line things up

My daughter was diagnosed at 2 and now nearly 7, it's not really a question just comment , what I've found out since she was 2 is , autism seems to be the only condition where there is so much debate about how u address it , how u label it(disabled or not) , how u refer to people with it, how u refer to their care needs or functioning level (ironically people who are completel ynon verbal or have much higher care needs wont ever be able to be part of the 'debate' ) , how u need to listen to other autistic people as if they all think same and belive same and Just basically everything about autism is debated and u have to 'get it the right' way else u will upset others ! It's super infuriating and exhausting and I hate that part of it, my friends who have other disabilities have non of it and im jelous! , and dont get me started on term 'autism mum!' also u cant think its really hard to deal with as u will upset others ! And my point is proven on first comment on here.

@Jingledog sounds like he has some traits, my son used to line things up, however a common saying in the community is 'if you've met one autistic child then you've met one autistic child",' meaning that they are all unique, though with some diagnosable traits in common. OP's opening of this thread is definitely helping both herself and others, it's great to have a supportive community and to be part of something positive.

I thought it was the person before the disability; a child with autism rather than an autistic child? A child with Down Syndrome rather than Down Syndrome child.

As a teacher do you believe your DS will get the support he needs in a mainstream class?

Autistic is an adjective, Down Syndrome and autism are not adjectives.

Hi, did the Senco give you any feedback? If you aren't satisfied go for a second opinion. We had lots of 'hes too young you are making a fuss '. You know your child. One defining moment for me was when I dropped him off at nursery and we walked past the babies room and all the babies turned, smiled and waved at us and I realised DS didn't/doesn't do that. I tried to explain that to my mum and she just didn't get it.
DS didn't line thibgs up, stim/flap or do a lot of thing commonly associated with autism but I just knew from his social interactions.

Good question. I do think he will go to mainstream, in the first instance at least. My answer is potentially, depending on the school. Schools are like their own micro-universes and are all very different owing, in large part, to the staff, especially SLT.
I know that I will be very aware of limitations of a primary classroom but I will also very aware if he isn't getting what he needs/is entitledto, such as money allocated to him for a 1:1 not being used for that and being fobbed off with a few hours here and there. This, unfortunately, is quite common in my experience, sometimes owing to difficulties recruiting.

You’re not wrong there. In my school we have many children with an autism or communication and interaction diagnosis in Reception + KS1. Between them, their EHCPs state the LA will fund a combined total of 140 hours, but we only have around 100 hours worth of TAs. We’ve advertised for full time TAs 3 times since September and had precisely 2 applicants, neither of whom were at all suitable. We have to resort to supply TAs which is less than ideal as the children really need consistency. I’ve never known it to be so challenging to recruit support staff! My niece teaches in a special school in the same LA as me and they too struggle to recruit staff.

Where funding or recruitment is cited as a reason why provision detailed, specified and quantified in F can’t be provided, parents should look at enforcement action. LAs can fund the role at a higher rate, potentially a much higher rate if necessary, which can attract more applicants, but they won’t do so unless forced.

Sadly, though, many EHCPs are not detailed, specified and quantified and are far too vague and woolly to be enforced. In these cases, parents should request an early review.

We advertised the roles at a higher rate - after all, paying supply rates plus on costs is very expensive!

There’s a higher rate and a higher rate, though. It can be funded at a substantially higher rate if necessary, including at the level of the teaching MPS. Plus, ultimately, it’s the LA’s duty to ensure the provision is provided and if it isn’t being provided enforcement action can successfully result in the provision being provided. If it takes the LA funding it at a huge mark up that is what they need to do.