anyone had their child diagnosed late (age 10) with Autism/AS?

[allthatglisters]

DS (10) has had ed. pschology assessment at school - he has social inclusion needs - the head is talking about possible autism (we agree) and is asking us to get him a more definate diagnosis so he can be helped with move to seniors. I've made an appointment with the GP - anyone else been in a similar situation with an older child? Advice and tips appreciated.

We are in a very similar situation Atg. In the end,i went to the gp and asked for a referral last October. School were just stringing me along basically. We had initial forms to fill in ...and the school had to fill in forms and do observations...but we are still waiting to be seen.
My son has just had his tenth birthday. I am expecting an Aspergers dx (he ticks all the boxes).
Have you read up much on things?...and how is your son taking to the idea of being assessed? My boy is finding the whole concept quite difficult to take on board.
Good luck anyway

Thank you TP, I'm glad its not just us. Actually, haven't told DS - he didn't know it was the ed. psychologist talking to him at school and I'm planning on going in to see the GP without him at first and then calling him in for a 'check-up'. If he gets a referral it may be a little harder to explain! Problem is more with us - keep looking at him and thinking 'am I mad - he looks so normal and in lots of ways is improving?' but then think I've got to do something - how will he ever get a job and be independent in life, he's going to need help? Have you got other children? DS is my third.

..Yes Alg...i know the moments of thinking 'He looks so normal' ...but in just about every other area my son is in no way like his peers. He is wired so completely differently iykwim
My ds has improved in lots of ways too...slowly over the years and we have short phases where he is really connecting well...but then we hit another phase when i think...'oh yes...i am so right to pursue this'
I have a daughter too (age 4)....and it's really having her that helped bring home to me how different he was ...as a baby, at 1 , at 2 and at 3.
I just want to get moving with the assessment now...particularly now that secondary school is looming. He barely copes with organising himself at primary level and moving between 2 classes. I have no idea how he will manage at secondary level.Well i do actually...he won't simple as that.
Has it slowly crept up on you? the feeling that all wasn't right somehow? or have you known for a while? . I have pushed it every now and again for years...but it's taken a while for people to start saying it back.
DH particulary has fought it...and his family also and it's made things difficult....but has slowly come around to that fact that ds needs to be assessed.
I took ds in to the gp ...wasn't going to at first...but then it seemed strange not to be upfront about it iykwim. Anyway...it went ok.
but he is finding the prospect of being assessed harder...because he doesn't want to be 'different' or find out there is something 'wrong'
Anyway...we muddle on...i'm sure he'll be ok with it in the end

allthatglisters-I am currently in the same situation as you. Although we seem to be further on the assessments. We are just waiting for the last ADOS meeting now. Would ideally like to get everything sorted before secondary school as I am worried about his transfer without help.

Hi ALG. My DS2 was diagnosed with Aspergers and OCD at 9yrs old and is now almost 12. he moved into secondary school last September and the school he is now in is far better than the primary one he was at. I think I always knew that he was 'different' but put it down to 'a phase' for a long time. When i did voice my concerns with the school SENCo, she observed him once, for 20 minutes and told me that 'there was nothing wrong with him - he spoke beautifully to me'! I could not accept this, so I went to my GP alone and asked for a referral to the Dept for Chid Psychiatry and we were seen within a few months. During the second visit, the Psychiatrist diagnosed him with ASD and OCD, as he said it was so obvious! Since then, we have been on a real rollercoaster ride, as my Ds1's behaviour has become so unpredictable and - as he has got bigger- very difficult to manage and very scary at times! He is now on Risperidone medication daily, which has made a huge difference, in that we can now 'manage' him more easily and he is a lot calmer. I am not saying that this will happen to your DS, I am just letting you know that there is help available out there - should you need it - and that the way ahead is not all dark, IYKWIM. My advice to you, is to ask for a Transition Meeting with the current SENCo, the senior school SENCo and yourself, so that you can voice all of your concerns before he moves schools. If you can, take a friend/relative with you, for moral support, as you may feel emotional talking about your Ds's difficulties. If you need any more info, please contact me again, as I am only too willing to help if I can. Hope this helps.
Take care.

Troutpout, Jeanie and Scooby, how lovely to read your messages - really feel you all understand - and maybe getting a DX at this age is more common than I thought. Troutpout - DS has had problems from age 1 with little speech til age 5 - like you say DH has taken a while to come round but is well on-board now (difference between DS and other kids has become SO obvious really); and grandparents don't accept anything wrong so now I don't take much notice of them but go ahead with what's best for DS. Recent trigger for getting official help has been his 'noises' that he can't help making - (he picks up habits very easily). On the plus side you can trust anything that he says as being accurate in every detail - he would be an excellent witness!
Scooby - how annoying is it when people see them for a tiny amount of time and say there's nothing wrong? I'd like to see them cope for a few days. Yes it IS a worry with DS getting bigger (and he is going to be huge, already got size 6 1/2 feet at 10 yrs)-he is normally gentle but can 'lose it' if pushed too far which is another reason why I want a DX.