will having an assessment help my AS son?

[amphion]

Hi, We think my DS has AS as he has so many of the signs - phobia about certain smells, frightened of toilets, takes things literally, short-temper, won't eat many foods (not even sweets!), and there are lots more. Trouble is that he is 10 and we have never asked for an assessment as he has always got on alright at school - a small school where he has had understanding teachers. Lately at home, things got to a stage where we thought this has gone on too long (e.g. he finds it impossible to watch telly with us without making a constant stream of noise with his mouth and throat, (kind of hard to explain!) - and also teacher wrote a note home to us to say he had been rude in class (he's very blunt and had openly complained that the special science class she had prepared was boring) - in reply I said that I thought it was time to get him assessed. Now, to my surprise the school seems quite keen, though when I asked straight out what they thought of him the head teacher said he was 'quirky'. What I'm worried about is how he will cope with the pressure of SATs next year and moving up to senior school. At parent's evening the other day, his new teacher said nothing about any of this to DH and as usual we get good reports about him! So, I get kind of mixed messages from the school - I'm worried I'll seem like an over-protective mum. When I've looked up about the assessments they seem geared to seeing how many hours extra support a child needs, and he doesn't need this I think but what he does need is a 'label' so that teachers can understand him and help him with the more stressful events. Will the assessment by an educational psychologist be any use to us?

Hi Amphion,

I know exactly what you mean about the telly. My ds gets embarassed by lots of things (e.g someone about to get into trouble) and makes silly noises etc. I am trying to get him to leave the room rather than make so much noises but no luck so far!!

I would have thought a diagnosis would be helpful once you get to secondary school. At the very least it will mean people will be aware of ds's problems and cut him a bit more slack.

I don't think an ed psch can make an offical diagnosis, it has to be a pediatrician. Your GP can organise this, be prepared for a 4/6 month wait for an appointment so best to get going asap. You can still get a report from ed psch at the same time.

Thanks Caroline3, that's useful to know about the paediatrician, I might do that, though hate having to 'complain' about my own son. He's so lovely looking - I'm sure he would sit at the docs. looking like an angel and they'll think I'm mad! Should I make out a list perhaps? (it could be long!)

Glad it's not just us with the telly thing - he really does try to stop but he does't seem able to - was in tears trying not to do it (as of course it drives the DH and DDs up the wall).

Hi amphion, my DS1 has a diagnosis of high-functioning autism. He's now seven, and doing very well in a mainstream school, but we have always found it helpful that he actually has a diagnosis in terms of dealing with the school etc.

I definitely would support the idea of having the assessment by the ed psych.

Good luck!

amphion

You are by no means "complaining" about your son; you need to know if he is AS. See a label as a signpost instead in order to get him more help in school.

Ed pysch cannot diagnose; you need to see a developmental paediatrician. A GP can help in this regard. Write down everything you want to ask well ahead of time (no matter what) and list DS's behaviours.

He is fortunate that to date he has been in a small school with understanding teachers.

The other thread today re AS is helpful, have you read that?. There are good suggestions there (contacting the National Autistic Society and reading Tony Attwood's book on AS to name but two).

Even though the Ed Pysch cannot diagnose their opinion is useful to obtain. Their word is valuable for instance if a Statement of special needs (a legally binding document outlining the child's needs and strategies to help at school) is applied for.

Thank you so much. It's so nice to get some understanding and support - he has been hard to look after over the years. DH's family are good with him but don't ever recognise anything being wrong, and what with the school giving glowing reports you begin to doubt your sanity!

My ds was very polite and well behaved at the pediatrician's. She did not treat us as "complaining", she just talked through all of ds's problems and then agreed that he was AS. Don't worry too much about making a list. The pediatrician led the discussion and had a list of questions to go through. It was all very stress free actually but they are so experienced they see kids like my ds every day.

It's good your school have been so helpful and nice. Not all teachers are like this however and I think it is very important to get problems well documentated so people can't just side line your ds and write him off. DS had a terrible time in reception with an unsympathic teacher - this would not have happened if I had had a diagnosis then. I am concerened about things like ds finding his way around a new school especially when he has to go to different places for lessons. He hates change and will need a lot of help to start off with, with a diagnosis this will be easier to arrange.

An EP's brief is to identify barriers to learning (basically) and if your son has managed well (well done to him!) so far at school, you may only get an equivocal inconclusive non-committal kind of report (ie, not much more than repeating that your son is "quirky" ...).

Some EPs will make concrete suggestions for behaviour/learning management (which is of course very useful), some won't. Ours didn't. He just tested my ds's IQ and said that since he was clever he was statistically likely to be unusual. That suppressed my worries for a while, but our school problems (which absolutely include inappropriate cries of "boring" - we have just had to write a letter of serious apology to the outside speaker who came to tell the class about Ramadan) aren't going away, so I am starting the referral via GP route.

Thank you Caroline3 - sounds alright at the paediatrician's then; have shown this thread to DH (who's come home early to take DD1 to her hospital appt. regarding a spine problem, which possibly the other two will also get, so you can see have been through quite a time with doctor's appointments, worry etc.!); am trying to get him on board, but guess I'll have to do it myself. Haven't told DS about any of these possible appointments, am wondering what to say.

Yes Bink, I kind of suspected that what you say about the Ed.Psy. might be the case. So, excuse me for being ignorant about the system - I think I kind of thought that if there was a problem then the Ed.Psychologist would refer on. So, not a very joined up system then?!

amphion, it often doesn't seem to be very joined up, and imo and ime, very often nothing happens unless parents absolutely push for it

By the way Bink - with regard to the cries of "boring" - perhaps they speak out when others daren't - it can be quite funny sometimes !

DDs class have been doing about alcohol abuse and poetry (separately) - DS has managed to combine the two topics into one rather outrageous poem apparently (I'm not brave enough to ask to see it but it's become quite famous at the school), me and DH are mentioned , and some of the teachers, with lines in the vein of 'beer dripping down Mrs. (teacher's name)'s chin' etc. You have to laugh sometimes.