Please or to access all these features

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Ados coming up. What to expect?

3 replies

IknownothingIamfakingit · 18/05/2022 10:45

Name change because I don’t want this to be linked to my other.
My ds almost 4 has his ados next week. It’s been a long road and right now I’m absolutely worn out between speech appointments, physiologist appointments, ehcp meetings etc. plus a very cute little boy who won’t sleep.
Ds is non verbal/pre verbal and I have no idea what to expect during the screening. I keep googling but can’t seem to find what actually happens. I can’t keep reading medical jargon. It’s not even sinking it at this point. Can anyone please just tell me what happens during the appointment? Or let me know where to look for a simple run down of what will happen during the appointment? Id really appreciate it so I can get my shit together for ds before his appointment
thank you

OP posts:
Ilovechocolatetoomuch · 21/05/2022 07:49

Hi, my ds had the ados recently but he is 8 so may be slightly different.
my ds was taken into a room by himself for an hour whilst I waited outside. That was it.
We already had to follow up meeting with the paediatrician booked the next day who confirmed it was ASC.
I did ask the assessor if they needed me and they said they prefer for you to wait outside the room.

Toomanyminifigs · 22/05/2022 17:31

My DS has had two Ados assessments. One at 4 and one at 9. There are different versions/modules they do depending on the age of the child and if they're pre/non verbal or verbal.

My DS enjoyed both that he had and the assessors were all lovely. They are very highly trained. I believe it's a difficult process becoming trained in delivering the Ados as what they're looking for can be quite subtle. There are usually 2 people doing the assessment and sometimes another asking you questions.

Some places will give you the outcome on the day, other times they may want time to think about it and speak to nursery/school. Occasionally they may want to go in and observe a child.

The idea of the Ados is that a DC shouldn't be overly prepared for it as they want to see how they react naturally to their questions or observations. As your Ds is 4, it will all be play based. I think in my DS's they blew bubbles together, acted out a tea party and then looked at a picture book. It was some years ago!

You may be asked to wait outside the room while the assessment is going on or you may be allowed to stay in the room. At my Ds's second assessment I could observe through a two-way mirror.

I was asked a LOT of questions - things like his early development (did he crawl? If so when?), how is his sleep? As your Ds is 4, most of it will probably be fairly fresh in your mind.
The assessments can take quite a long time. For our second one we were there half a day so I would take snacks.

I was very impressed by the reports I received after both Ados assessments. They really 'got' my Ds and could totally see his difficulties.

IknownothingIamfakingit · 24/05/2022 09:51

Thank you both for replying to me. I’m less anxious about it now. Luckily we saw his speech therapist yesterday and she explained to me the process in lay man’s terms. I see now I was stressing about nothing and ds will probably have a lovely morning playing.
You both have confirmed that for me too, thank you.

I think it’s because it’s been a hard road and I just want ds to have as much support as possible. I felt that not been prepared I was letting him down. I get now why not been prepared will actually be better for ds.
I will update after his appointment tomorrow. Fingers crossed they will “get” my little boy.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page