ASD - Is it worth chasing a diagnosis?

[PrinceHansOfTheTescoAisles]

First time on the SN board so please be gentle!

Ds is 6. He's been loosely supervised by a developmental paediatrician since he was 3 and nursery flagged up his lack of eye contact and a slight speech delay. We've seen this doctor about once a year since and the verdict is normally "he seems to be doing OK...what good would a label do him?"

I do agree but as he gets older the differences become more pronounced. He takes an absolute obsessive interest in things (superheroes at the moment but in such a more detailed way than his peers) and he needs prompting to do normal social stuff like say hi to classmates if he sees them around town. He sometimes struggles to get to the point of a sentence but his speech is technically fine...it's just the social side of speech he doesn't always get.

He has a few friends at school and seems well liked. His teacher has no concerns. He doesn't have the rage that other kids with ASD in my family have - occasionally he shouts at his little sister but we've all done that (she's 3 and infuriating). He's just started doing a weird thing with his head all the time which I guess is why it's come to my mind again. It's like a constant nodding when he's anxious or just dreamy.

So mumsnet...is it worth trying to push for a diagnosis or is he basically going to be OK without one?

I would reply to that doctor that a label is a signpost to getting more help; it can open further doors that will otherwise remain closed. It may be now worth getting a further opinion.

Many teachers are not trained in the whole gamut of SN or SEN at all so I would not place too much stock by this one teacher.

I would push for a diagnosis; you need to think medium term as well like how will he manage at secondary school. Junior school can be a very unforgiving environment for many children with additional needs particularly as children gets older; the social and communication gaps can and do widen. You are already noticing more pronounced differences.

Thanks all...we must be due another appointment but we've moved house, borough, school, GP etc since he was referred so think we may have fallen down the cracks. ..