Question re ASD and disability.........

[Ben10NeverAgain]

Disclaimer: I'm looking for opinions and am in no way criticising other points of view.

I went to an ASD children's afterschool club yesterday with DS (which he loved ) and met another mother.

When I said that I also took him to a multi-sports club for children with any disability or additional needs, she was surprised as she didn't want her children to be associated with the disabled community. Her two boys have severe autism - both verbal.

Now i think it is good for DS to be in clubs with children with other disabilities apart from ASD as it is teaching him patience and an appropriate way to view other disabilities - ie that children with other disabilities can achieve huge things too and everyone deserves to take part.

Am I just lulled into a false sense of security by MNSN parents being so open and accepting?

Is it that my DS doesn't have severe autism so I don't appreciate the difficulties?

Or is it a normal thing for parents or people with autism not to associate with the disabled community?

Or was it just this one lady (who had had a terrible wait to get her DS's dxed btw - made to wait until her son's 7th birthday when first assessed at 3)?

I've been thinking about it all night as I wasn't sure about the whole thing, I don't think I'm doing anything wrong by making him part of the wider "disabled community" - am I?? .........

Please tell me if you feel that my thread is inappropriate as don't want to offend. :)

I'm suspicious that they are trying to 'downgrade' it to avoid providing support. Paranoid, moi?

You and me both, EllenJane! Statutory services will do anything to avoid spending their budgets where it's needed.

We saw the NHS paed today and she definitely was using the term Autism Spectrum Disorder and we even had a nice chat about DSM5 and why she wouldn't give an Autism Spectrum dx as so many people try to minimise the effects that the condition has on children to try to reduce the level of support. I love our paed :)

She thought it was very interesting and good for DS that he was able to increase his level of interaction at clubs which are able to accept him for him compared to a lot of the mainstream clubs which are all about competition, badges and complying.

AFAIK there is no requirement to have a statement to access the activities in our area, you just need to explain what the barriers are which mean your child can't access 'mainstream' clubs. So many of the children will be on SA/SA+. The word disability does not need to come into it - it's about level of additional need.

Sorry meant to say she wouldn't give an Asperger's Syndrome dx

I'm waiting for a call from Aiming High to discuss options for short breaks etc bigbluebus so will ask them then re statement beign required.