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SN children

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

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Original poster

So, DS is going for lots of assessment sessions......

18 replies

TheodoresMummy · 21/01/2008 20:23

Am just wittering here really, ignore me if you like.

DS has been observed at nursery.

Had a home visit this anoon.

He is going for 16 hours of assessments from next week (8 lots of 2 hours, over 4 weeks).

He will be observed by many professionals including a psychologist.

We will then have a 'conference' - (I think she said conference).

Does this mean that there is definitely something up ?

I mean is it fairly unlikely we would have got to this stage if I was overreacting to what I see as his 'probs' ?

Ta for any responses. I feel a bit self indulgent posting as I don't know if DS will be diagnosed, but I feel quite lonely.

OP posts:

sphil · 21/01/2008 20:28

Hi
Of course you're not being self indulgent - we've all been in the horrible limbo that is pre-diagnosis. How old is your DS? It's good that things have been picked up early, whatever the outcome of the assessments. You'll find tremendous support on here.

Peachy · 21/01/2008 21:22

It could well be there's nothing up- that's the point of the conference (here its a multidisciplinary team meet, its all just jargon!) to decide. And even if there is something up it needn't be disastrous.

Feel free to keep posting on here- theres lots of kids here pre-dx, my DS3 only got his proper dx today (DS1 some time ago)

welcome, and I hope it all turns out how you hope

Original poster

TheodoresMummy · 21/01/2008 21:24

He is 4.2

I do feel in limbo, it's not nice.

He has some behaviours that I really need to address, but I don't know how because I don't know why he does things or how he thinks.

I'm a bit fed up at tho mo, but it could be a lot worse and i'm grateful that we actually have things as good as we do.

Thanks for your reply.

OP posts:

Peachy · 21/01/2008 21:25

Have you any idea what a potential dx might be?

Original poster

TheodoresMummy · 21/01/2008 21:26

What was his diagnosis Peachy ? (if it's ok to ask

OP posts:

Peachy · 21/01/2008 21:28

High functioning autism with severe speech and language delays and a possibility of a sensory disorder (he is hyposensitive so incontinent and has safety issues etc from that)

Well you did ask

We have known it for years, its more a case of the professionals catching up with us tbh (our eldest is aspergers / HFA with additional learning difficulties)

Aero · 21/01/2008 21:30

We're at a pre-diagnosis waiting stage with dd and I could have posted your last line myself as I feel the same. If they don't dx something, I'll be at my wits end!

How old is your son? You won't be over-reacting, rather a mother using her instincts and knowing something isn't right. You have my sympathy.

bonkerz · 21/01/2008 21:32

my ds is having this done at the minute. he goes to CAMHS every Friday from 10-2 and has assessments with lots of proffessionals. DH and I are due to attend with DS on Friday for discussions and assessment as family and then the CAMHS team meet next Friday to decide about diagnosis.

Im not 100% sure whats happening TBH and im scares/apprehensive/worried that they will find something and have the same feelings that they will say there is nothing wrong with DS and ive made it all up.

There are lots of ladys on here who are brill at support and have alot of useful info to give. Keep posting!

Original poster

TheodoresMummy · 21/01/2008 21:40

Nobody has given me any indication of what they may diagnose/are looking for.

I have had an inkling that he may be autistic since he was 10 months old, but I couldn't tell you why I thought it at that age except he would scream at certain noises, especially any toys that made a noise/played music. He would scream if another child went near him and would completely lose it if they touched him. He used to like toys played with in a certain way (e.g. the red block on the top when building a tower) and would scream as if being immersed in boiling water if you put the wrong one.

OP posts:

Original poster

TheodoresMummy · 21/01/2008 21:52

Now:

He didn't say more than 2 word together until he was 3.

His speech is developing well now, but a lot of it is repeatative and he learns when to use the phrases we say (but how else do you learn to speak ?)

He prefers toys that do things and plays copied stuff, repeatatively if he plays 'imaginatively'.

He suddenly 'turns' on me and DH. We can be walking through the park and he'll suddenly push me and shout at me. He let's go of my hand and threatens to run into the road for no reason (he does understand road safety, but would as he says if in the right mind).

He has routines and rituals.

He has learned to tolerate other children at nursery and now plays happily alongside them. He will happily respond if they talk to him, but doesn't seem to bother initiating interaction. He just looks funny/different to other children when he does interact with them.

He is the reverse with adults. He would go off with anyone who seemed friendly. He has been known to hug strangers in the street.

There seems to be no doubt that he is very intelligent. I think he is copying and learning how to behave that way. He seems to lack natural instinct in many of his behaviours.

Shame I can't write essaya for college that easily.....

OP posts:

bonkerz · 21/01/2008 21:56

sounds like my DS and we have a diagnosis of ADHD and they are assessing for PDD and autism.

Original poster

TheodoresMummy · 21/01/2008 22:15

Today we had two ladies come to see him.

He was so excited and got so overwhelmed that he got his mouth full of milk and spat it all over the sofa (luckily not the one they were sitting on ).

OP posts:

yurt1 · 21/01/2008 23:01

Sounds like a mutlidiscplinary meeting. We had about 10 people in the room for ds1's dx.

Goos luck with it all!

Original poster

TheodoresMummy · 21/01/2008 23:59

But the spitting milk isn't 'normal' for a 4 year old, is it ?

A 2 year old yes, but 4 ????

He didn't mean to be 'naughty', but knew darned well that he shouldn't have done it...

Does that make sense ?

OP posts:

yurt1 · 22/01/2008 08:36

seeking a reaction? ds1 does that all the time.....

Original poster

TheodoresMummy · 22/01/2008 10:46

Yes.

I think the reason he spat was because he was over-excited/overwhelmed.

And the look afterwards was to see what we were going to do, esp as different people were there.

DS1 is autistic isn't he yurt ?

This morning Theo was screaming, hitting, deliberately pushed my drink over (slowly and deliberately, not lashing out) all because he had to get dressed.

I don't know if it's showing off, control issue, doesn't want to go to nursery ? (He really likes nursery tho). I ask why he's cross, but he doesn't seem to understand/be able to tell me.

OP posts:

sphil · 22/01/2008 12:20

He may not know why he's cross I guess. My DS2 is autistic and I find it calms him down sometimes if I just name his feeling, eg. 'Oh, DS2 looks sad/cross' etc. If I know why I'll say 'because the TV has been turned off' etc. but if I don't know I just say the first bit.

It does sound from your description as if Theo may have some autistic behaviours - but I think his awareness sounds very encouraging. DS2 (5) is only just gaining a very very limited awareness of right/wrong and the effects of the things he does on other people.

Peachy · 22/01/2008 13:17

It is worth remembering that the autistic psectrum is hugely wide. have a look on the national autistic society website, you'll see Aspergers (no language issues); hfa (high functioning, which in itself is everything from a very able child with a few mild language issues to my ds3 who has a good IQ but is fairly severe- incontinent etc) and then ASD, which neeeds (IIRC) a ower IQ to be diagnosed.

It amy be worth looking at the triad of imapirments as well to see if you feel it 'fits'.

Please don't fret if it does- I know it is a huge shock, but ASD kids can achieve huge things and be very happy indeed, the most important thing is to access help early, which you are doing.

This of course is if it is asd!

May also be worth a look at www.bibic.org.uk, you don't need a diagnosis for that.

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