Do I tell school my ds has autism?

[Gorta]

Hi,
I'm in Ireland. My ds is who is six is currently in a language class. Seven children in class and getting Slt twice a week. He also gets OT maybe once every two months so I'm taking him privately every two weeks for sensory integration and some public physiotherapy. I'm very happy with his progress. The class teacher and Slt suggested to me last year that he is on the spectrum but did not suggest an assessment as the rules here are that children with autism do not qualify for a language unit. Now he has had two years in the class ( the maximum amount) he is due to move into mainstream next September. he has also a diagnosis of dyspraxia resource hours and special needs assistant is being applied for now for him using this diagnosis.
I am afraid to tell the school of our private autism diagnosis as he could be discharged from the school's Slt who is offering him Slt sessions once per week in school next September and he will be moved to autism services that are useless in my area. He will receive more public therapy by not telling them but he will not receive maximum resource hours if we give them our autism report losing out on 1.5 hours per week. I do intend telling the school down the road when I'm not being offered as much Slt therapy. All his needs are currently being addressed. He has an older sister in the school with autism I find the Slt is making more of an impact in their development than resources hours. What do you think?

So do you mean that even if he is finished in the language unit and in mainstream next September he would get fewer slt and resource hours if he has an extra diagnosis of ASD? Why would he get fewer resource hours with an extra diagnosis? And surely once he is out of the language unit the rule about children with ASD not qualifying is irrelevant and there should be no reason for the SLT not to give him the offered sessions

BTW I am in NI but from the south so know from friends and family that resources are incredibly hard to come by. It just seems ludicrous that an extra diagnosis could be a disadvantage in term of getting help

It shouldn't be, not sure which Children's Centre you are under, in mainstream DS accessed ASERT included physio, OR, SALT all coming into school. You can not tell them but you can't hide it from them. All our extra diagnosis have helped eventually.

Yes. My problem is that my local Asd services are so overwhelmed he will be on waiting lists to receive Slt and ot and even then he will get a poor service from what I know from other parents in the region. If I don't say anything he will get lots more therapy Slt in school but he won't get maximum resource hours but he will get 3 hours per week. . It beggars belief but this is how it is. It does not matter he is out of the language class but he will be transferred from his community service to Asd services where he won't get as much intervention. Hope this makes sense

The Slt in the school won't see him as he will no longer qualify if he has an Asd diagnosis there rule is that he must transfer to local Asd services

A good piece of advice I received was 'go with the diagnosis that provides the best support'.

So if there's good (and appropriate) support for children with language difficulties go with that.

You can always seek formal ASD dx when the time is right.

Thank you for your replies. My ds has a private ASD diagnosis but I really needed to hear that I should go with the diagnosis that provides the best support because he will extremely well supported by the SLT and today it was with his public OT and she offered to meet with his teachers to give advise. He is lucky where he is. Down the road he will be recommended for a assessment but he is doing really well and I take him privately for autism specific support and he is following the hanen talkability programme. I read somewhere that an SLI is autism secret brother.

Hi Zzzz,

Yes I agree, my ds language is now within normal range but Slt is working on language for thinking, logical reasoning, conversation and social skills. She's writing social stories to help with different issues he is struggling with. His autistic problems are being helped. He is our second child with Aspergers. I'm doing a certificate course in autism at the moment and I'm finding it really beneficial there is so much to learn. Thanks for taking the time to reply