What constitutes a diagnosis? - can anyone help?

[Tanfastic]

Hi there, ds is 8. Had problems at school with behaviour and underperforming on every level. Took him to the GP, who referred him to the paediatrician. Paediatrician has said he suspects dyspraxia and has written to the school to recommend they refer to educational psychologist.

Had a meeting with school and Senco who say they can't refer, the hospital have to send him to an occupational therapist first. School teacher did agree though with the fact he has dyspraxia after observing him in the classroom. There is also talk of dyslexia and discalcular. School are putting extra assistance in place now they know what they are dealing with.

Spoke to the consultant on the telephone who says the school are wrong, the hospital can't refer to occupational therapist. He was insistent that it has to be the school's decision etc etc. Says he is going to write to the school telling them that he has dyspraxia and its up to the school what they do with that diagnosis.

So....is this a formal diagnosis? The consultant says that dyspraxia does not come with a care package and I get that but will a letter from a consultant saying he has dyspraxia be enough to get the school to pull their finger out?

Any help/advice would be grateful. Feel like I'm piggy in the middle between the school and the hospital.

Look up paediatric occupational therapy on your local health trust website. Parents can self refer in some areas, or at least if you get a phone number for OT office you can find out who actually can refer to them

That is utter bollox that the school cant refer to an EP, they are lying!!

They can also refer to OT in some areas.

I am really surprised that the Paed diagnosed dyspraxia without anOT assessment but they can be a law unto themselves!!

I would go back to school and ask again for an EP to see your child!

Good luck

Thanks for the replies.

Ineedmorepatience - the school said they can't refer to an occupational therapist. Apparently he needs to see an OT before they would consider referring to an EP. I know nothing really about the process but from
What I've read on the internet it seems that if the school are happy to manage it then they don't have to refer. The school have told me they are putting things in place to assist him.

The consultant sounded mightily pissed off with the school on the phone yesterday. He basically said he's going to put it in writing that he has dyspraxia and then it's up to the school what they do with it.

What I want to know though is - is this a formal diagnosis? How did other people's kids get diagnosed? By a consultant paediatrician ? The consultant we are under is the head bloke at our local hospital, quite a formidable character and I'm guessing not one to be messed with.

I get the impression he doesn't want to piss about getting assessments etc,

Thanks for the replies.

Ineedmorepatience - the school said they can't refer to an occupational therapist. Apparently he needs to see an OT before they would consider referring to an EP. I know nothing really about the process but from
What I've read on the internet it seems that if the school are happy to manage it then they don't have to refer. The school have told me they are putting things in place to assist him.

The consultant sounded mightily pissed off with the school on the phone yesterday. He basically said he's going to put it in writing that he has dyspraxia and then it's up to the school what they do with it.

What I want to know though is - is this a formal diagnosis? How did other people's kids get diagnosed? By a consultant paediatrician ? The consultant we are under is the head bloke at our local hospital, quite a formidable character and I'm guessing not one to be messed with.

I get the impression he doesn't want to piss about getting assessments etc,

As I said some Paeds are a law unto themselves, I suppose he is probably more than qualified to diagnose whatever he wants and if he is very experienced then thats great! If he puts it on paper then its a diagnosis as far as I know

As to the school they will have to pay or use there allotted time to get an OT in but that is not your problem! Ask them how they are going to support him when they dont know what his areas of difficulty are! An OT assessment would show them clearly where he needs support and then they can get on with it!

As Polter says you could try your school nurse, I think its a postcode lottery to be honest because I didnt even realise they still exisited in my area until the other day!

Keep pushing for OT they are usually helpful in my experience.

I dont get why the school think you need OT before EP though to be honest! If his difficulties are purely physical then fine OT will help but they cant help with dyslexia or dyscalculia! Only an EP or other educational specialist can diagnose those as far as I know!

What a mess! Get your GP to do the OT referral? Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and Dyscalcula all fall under the label/jargon of Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) - so I assume with the paed' letter you are now officially in the school's SEN register. Do you know if this has happened? That should prompt termly meetings to review a "provision map" or "iep" or whatever your school calls them. If you don't get anywhere on the SpLDs with an EP through the school (as that is costly so generally avoided) you could look at the PATOSS website to see if you can find an assessor. I think an assessment costs about £300 (which sounds a lot but An EP is closer to £1800) so it might be worth considering if your school continues to be useless. If you have issues with all 3 SpLDs they can be very disabling so don't let them fob you off

My DS was given a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia aged 7 by a paediatrician without having ever seen an OT. The letter actually says developmental coordination disorder, but it's the same thing. However the paed did then refer him to OT for therapy - this was several years ago, budgets may be more constrained now. DS was already on the SEN register at school (he also has Asperger's syndrome which was apparent from an early age) but despite years of me asking he did not see an EP until I applied for a statement for him in year 5, the school always said they had limited budget for it and there were always children in greater need than DS.

I was told recently (by a member of staff of a dyslexia charity) that there is a move away from dyspraxia being diagnosed by OTs and that it is now coming under the EP umbrella.

In our area dyspraxia is diagnosed by a community paed but only after an OT assessment.

In my experience schools can be reluctant to get an educational psychologist in because they only have a limited amount of EP time and it also costs them money.

My DD has ASD and dyspraxia and her old school still refused to get EP in. Which is one in a long number of reasons why we ended up moving her.

captainsnort - did you move to another mainstream school? How did you find out how they would really be with SEN stuff until you were there? I'm starting to wonder about our school but can't see any of the local options will be much different.... Any tips please?!