Moondog - are you around?

[nikos]

As I mentioned on another thread, ds is going for an ASD assessment tommorrow. I've been writing up his history so I'm pre prepared. I've thought for some time that he is showing more signs of language processing delay than ASD (he has no obsessive interests or tics, no rigid routines) and his behaviour has improved rapidly as his language has improved.
Will the assessment be able to distinguish between these? Will they just think I'm a mum in denial if I bring this up? Will it be obvious to them? Just feeling a bit nervous that we won't get the right diagnosis and therefore the right treatment.

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Hi nikos (i'm not Moondog sorry)

I have just been through assessment and got dx last thursday of Autism, i'm sure we have had convos on threads before. I worried about the same stuff as you, i was so sure they would miss something and give wrong dx but they really do know what they are doing. Talk to them about how you feel, they won't think you are a mum in denial at all. Yes it will be obvious to them if he is ASD. They know what they are looking for, try to keep telling yourself that. I know how you must be feeling right now and it's completely normal, it's awful but hang in there not long to go! Good luck tomorrow. Do you get dx tomorrow too?

Thanks Fanny. I met with the speech therapist and the paed. They didn't actually interact with ds much, but more questioned me and the brief report I'd sent them. His behaviour has improved hugely and his social skills in just three months. They do not want to make a formal diagnosis yet as he is still young (3.5) and progressing rapidly. They didn't however rule out he may be asd and want to see him again in October to do more detailed tests.
In the meantime the speech therapist will visit nursery again and do some analysis of his language.
Feel a bit still in limbo but have lots of help lined up for ds so dx is in a way irrelevant at the moment. Still not sure myself if he is on the spectrum or not.

nikos glad you're feeling better about things, fantastic that they agree your DS is improving rapidly. Make sure they do see you in Oct even if you think it's all ok, just to be on the safe side.

Hope everything works out for you and DS

I feel extremely proud of ds and the work we have done together. I do still think there is 'something' wrong so it's a bit of a mixed emotion at the moment. We're kind of not NT but not severe enough for a dx. In a sense we are no further forward, but I think I've got all the services in place that I would have had if we did have a dx (ds has support for early years next year).
Feel sort of happy and flat at the same time

Hi Nikos.
Haven't been online for a bit.
Glad it went ok.
it is really hard to get the whole diagnosis thing sorted.
I know it is important for a lot of parents (and can be a means to accessing services0 but in my work, a diagnosis is almost irrelevant. I look at the person and their needs and strenghs rather than their label. Sounds facile but it is true.