So DDs teacher thinks she might be "One the Spectrum"

[BandOMothers]

And I'm not sure how I feel at all. She's 7...a young year three...July born. She moved to this school from her private one this September just gone and has done fine with fitting in.

Her teacher has had her on Read Write Inc for a while now...extra help for maths but her reading, spelling is very good

LAst week DD said she was having a hard time with some sums the teacher had been putting on the board in the morning so I went in for a word...teacher said yes...DD was finding it difficult along with some others and so she would give me some extra worksheets to do at home

I went to collect them after school today and she asked me in and told me she wants DD assesed by the Speech and Language therapist I think. She added there was nothing wrong with DDs speech at all as she is very articulate...but that she has concerns over DDs "processing" and the way she copes with comprehnsion questions.

I asked what she thought could be the problem and she said she couldn't say...so I caame right out and said "Do you think she could be on the spectrum?" and she nodded and said "I had thought that yes....but it could be nothing...it could be maturity....if we fnd out then I can put strategies in place to help her."

I feel upset because I dont want DD to struggle anywhere (who does)

I have often wondered if she was on the spectrum as she was very sensitive to noise as a toddler and she was also very shy....didn't really speak for a term at nursery. She is also very tight lipped when I try to get her to share things...what was her day like etc. Please come and give me some advice.

My advice is that you're far better off knowing if she is on the spectrum or if she isn't.

School can't get her a diagnosis. You need to go to your GP and ask for a referral to a child development paed.

I think you are very lucky that her teacher has taken an interest and is trying to help your daughter. A referral to S&L is the first step.

Dont look at this as a negative, try thinking of it as a good thing for your DD.

It is better to know for sure rather than to speculate.

Try not to worry too much.

Thank you. i can't remember who the teacher said would assess her...she said t could be months before we get seen though. She said it was in her opinion to do with DDs processing. He has a hard time with comprehension and when asked to describe what might happen next in a story she simply says she doesn't know.

She's always tried to be invisible. She has been ok socially I think. Though she goes out of her way to avoid new situations like attending a club she's not familiar with. But parties and playdates have always been fine. Leonie DD is not like either of yours...she's quite uncommunicative if I ask her what she's done today or details..she just "Can't remember" and her day was "Fine" she rarely says anything negative and if she has any problems she will tel me in a matter of fact way...Like "We have some sums on the board in the morning now...and I find them hard."

She spoke very early...10 months and was very fluent by 18 months....lonng sentences. She seems to have the same hobbies and interests as other girls her age....she gets on well one to one with other kids. Her handwriting was TERRIBLE when she arrived at this school but has suddenly improved to such an extent that it looks like an adults writing. HEr maths is a bit poor...she's a level 2.

Oh and I never meant "One on the Spectrum" that was a mistake...I meant "On the Spectrum"

Having had a think I feel a little bit as though the teacher is quite rightly frustrated with DD and can't work her out. I understand this...as DD is difficult about some things...she can be frankly defiant/spoilt/lazy. If she doesn't fancy something then she won't do it and will refuse...I don't know if this is a typical of a child with some kind of Autism or Aspergers?
But it's not always or even usually because she's not capable...but simply because she doesn't fancy it.

The issue of comprehension is interesting...last week the teacher asked me to try and ask dd leading questions while we read...in order to get her to understand more about comprehension. So

"What do you think might happen next? or "If the children have run out of water, what could they use instead?" sort of things. When I have done this as we read together she has invariably replied to me the same as she does to her teacher "I don't know."

But this evening...she was just chatting to me not discussing a book...and she mentioned that a friend of hers had a camper van...she was interested to know how people washed when travelling in a camper van so I took the opportunity to ask her to think of how they might.

And she did...she reasoned that a bath in a van wouldn't be a good idea so it would be sensible to go to a camp site with showers and use theirs. I KNOW this seems such a simple thing...but it's what he teacher has said she CAN'T do and it's the only issue she's flagged....DD has friends and teacher hasn't mentioned any ant-social behaviour or awkwardness...nor has anyone else. She's always complimented on her manners after playdates and she seems quite popular.

ANother point is that literally in DDs first week at the school, the teacher called us in because she felt DD was defiant. Refusing to answer some questions...she warned that if DD didn't pull her socks up then she would have to send her to the HT if it happened again. I don't know if anyone's still following me...sorry if I'm rambly...