"Here are some things I'd like to discuss with you."
G's needs have not been assessed recently and I feel unsure about where he is struggling and where he needs support/help.
As far as I can tell within the triad of impairments he has made least progress socially, then imaginative and then communication.
That is why I feel he needs to be assessed.
We could always request statutory assessment ourselves but have no evidence that G is falling behind his peers apart from verbal confirmation in TAC meeting..
Would like:
In-depth specialist diagnostic assessments that lead to an improvement in his circumstances.
To know what we can do to support him. Feel totally out of our depth at times.
All the information we need to move forward and re-assure us.
Neuropsychological aspects of autism spectrum disorders, developmental pathways, broader family needs and in systems of support .
Are there standardised tests as such, for social skills and imaginative play, or is it down to observation of problem areas? (Although I guess the social difficulties can be caused by difficulties that are easier to assess - ie receptive language skills, information processing etc)
Strategies that would support and enable our G in making him social. G is without friends and skills that would improve his life greatly.
Need another opinion.
Assess him to find out what he has in more detail
Are we eligible for a service called PCAMHS - primary child and adolescent mental health workers. To test/assess for behaviour, being bullied, low self-esteem. Feel he is not progressing emotionally and socially.
Once assessed we can then offer a list of recommendations to the school on how best to help him. If the label isn't there, you cannot access the support and help that will lead to 'solutions'.
Worried:
Comorbidity Does G have a range of abilities from learning disorders to high IQ? Need special area of expertise, concerned with the problems that arise when autism spectrum disorder is associated with one or more other developmental and/or psychiatric disorders. Need to find out if he has a combination of diagnoses such as dyslexia as it is in the family.
I don't want any problems to become entrenched.
I also worry that County Council staff do seem to have standard answers (eg you have given him a label now) brainwashed to them to save money or avoid timewasters or whatever.
I just can't get it into my head that children are not regularly eg annually, tested if they have a diagnosis.
G?s Autism check-list
Has little interest in mixing or playing with other children.
Likes predictability and routine and can become distressed if this does not occur.
Would be described as having no fear of danger.
Repeats phrases that he has heard, often in a completely wrong and inappropriate context.
Would be described as liking his own company.
May engage in the spinning of objects or be fascinated by patterns of moving light.
Appears not to listen and respond to the verbal world.
G is over attached to items such as Thomas the Tank Engine or cars.
Has difficulty in expressing his wants and needs. Reliant upon pulling adults to what he wants.
The tantrums seem to come out of the blue.
His signs of sensory overload are; Crying, Agitated, Repeating words, Stimming
I feel strongly that these traits point to my son needing more diagnostic tests and then support.
He does not always meets his IEP targets.
How long is his processing delay? Will he have extra time and a reader and writer, as he is a slow processor.
Failing to access the curriculum in group situations.
The teacher has noticed that G takes himself off to the library section and sits there alone. He does display awkward behaviour at school but he's no trouble to them!
Is this due to his anxiety? Based on that and how he is at the moment, he spends most of his day in a state of good behaviour and is stressed trying to hold it all in.
His gap between him and his peers is getting larger I was hoping there would be some kind of intervention to teach him skills he could use to keep up not just reading, writing and spelling.
He has several needs, is not reaching his potential and all the time the system is failing my son. I see it as a 'team' thing, all working together to get G the best possible life.
Concerned with what is seen in one assessment, the diagnosis, it doesn't necessarily paint a full picture of the issues that our son is facing.
It will give me a picture about what is actually going on, to draw conclusions about G, to enable the professionals to make a useful and do-able support programme for G.
We could take that back to the LEA to demand assistance or at least a statutory assessment.
What will happen next if you do think there are issues?