Just had diagnosis

[katiewil]

DD 4 was diagnosed today with autism and referred further for a possible diagnosis of adhd.. even though I knew the diagnosis has hit me hard because I thought they would tell me what to do and where to go for more help but no.
DD has repetitive behaviours, is driven by a motor(doesn't stop from morning till night) and has social communication difficulties- she can speak and say what she wants (juice, dinner, biscuit etc) but has no actual conversations and she also just repeats songs, rhymes and cartoon programmes all day..
The ND team basically said speech and language will be no use to her but didn't offer any further guidance on how I can support her?
Anyone got any advice on what I can do to support with bringing her language on?
Thanks

I believe that echolalia (repeating chunks of language) is often a good indication that speech will come. Certainly for my own child he had lots of nouns but very few verbs, prepositions or pronouns for a long time. He is late teens now and talking. My own thought is that some of his repeating was just because he liked the words and some was triggered by a stimulus. In its way it became the scaffolding for learning to converse. TV (particularly rewatching things many times), music, learning to read and lots of activities helped ds learn to talk. It’s a different order to the norm (eg ds could read before he talked) but it isn’t “wrong”.

Diagnosis can be a shock even when you are expecting it.

Scope offer mentoring to parents of DC who are recently diagnosed if that’s something you would be interested in.

You could also look for a Earlybird course. Not everyone finds them helpful though.

SALT can help with social communication difficulties so I disagree SALT will be of no use to DD. I would push for a referral.

Not all ICBs commission sensory OT on the NHS now, but if your area does it is worth a referral to OT too.

Does DD have an EHCP? If not, you should request an EHCNA. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use. EHCPs can include therapies such as SALT and OT even if you don’t meet the normal threshold.

Is DD starting school soon?

She sounds like a gestalt language processor .. look up meaningful speech it helped no end to understand my child

Thanks both, yes she called it echolia.
DD can read and memorises words.. so if you tell her what a word is she will repeat it and learns that way..
she is already in school.. we are in wales so she's been in mainstream nursery and now moving up to reception. We have an IDP in place which I think is the same as a EHCP? She has a one to one and is moving into the nuture class rather than the mainstream class.. but ALNco is putting to panel for her to move to a specialist provision so fingers crossed the diagnosis helps that
She is a happy little girl and enjoys playing and is very busy.. she doesn't notice others around her so is quite happy in her own little bubble but the worry for future years is not something I've ever experienced with my NT daughter so this is all new

Thankyou, I'll have a look now

Yes the nearest equivalent of an EHCP is an IDP in Wales. If you haven’t already, have a look at SNAPCymru. SALT can be included in the IDP.

And apply for DLA if you haven’t already.

We have DLA she was awarded HRC but only a 2 year award, do I need to update and get award re looked at now she's diagnosed? She didn't qualify for mobility as under 5 but she's not safe outside (needs to use reigns or her mobiquip pushchair as she runs in the road etc.)

You don’t have to inform DLA DD has been diagnosed. Only if there is a change of circumstances.

If you think DD meets the criteria for HRM, which can be awarded from 3, you may want to request a change of circumstances. However, be aware awards can go down as well as up. While some 4 year olds receive HRM, it can become easier to prove DC meet all the points on the flow chart as they get older. You can find information about HRM here and see Contact’s booklet here.

Otherwise you should be sent forms to apply for mobility before DD is 5. LRM can be awarded from 5.

Thankyou

Your daughter sounds exactly like mine, she’s 4 in November. I’m in wales too, and same situation with the IDP, we have just been given a quote for a specialist buggy.
Your daughter is so similar to mine, can I ask how long you waited for an assessment and diagnosis? We are yet to be seen, been on the waiting list for over a year.

We got put on waiting list for neurodevelopment when she started rising 3s so January 2023 and had our appointment yesterday so 18 months all in we waited.. such a long wait! Hopefully yours will come through soon!

And diagnosis was basically done the same day (yesterday) by the neurodevelopment service but because she's under 5 to get official confirmation for both she now has to go to a paediatrician

@katiewil thank you for letting me know I’m hoping it’s not too much longer.
we have speech and language therapy soon as my daughter does the same as yours one words phrases for wants ie juice etc, but repetitive nursery rhymes and repeats 2 -3 word phrases, ie what’s noise? I think that means what’s that noise or where you going? But not aimed at anything if that makes sense; she also copies characters off tv ie miss rachel. She’s mute though in other settings, in mainstream nursery and if we visit grandparents, stands in the corner and lines up her toys. Worry sick about her really

There’s also no back and forth conversation and she doesn’t answer a direct question either, this will be our second sitting with speech and language we had block sessions beginning of this year