Autism report

[Jambuttie]

DT1 was seen at autism clinic in April. On the day they said he doesn't meet the criteria for childhood autism dx and if he was older he would have been dx with aspergers, as he's only 4 we would need to perserver and hope things improve if not they will see him in a few yrs time WTF!!!

We have been living a bloody nightmare with him for 4 yrs. Don't get me wrong I love my son dearly and wouldn't change him for the world but FFS his behaviour etc is to much to cope with.

We have asked for a 2nd opinion on him.

Just received the report from the assesment clinic and I am LIVID!!!

It contacins things in it that neither me nor DH said I am furious.

Not sure what to do or think right now I am so numb. Meantime poor DT1 ontinues in his little bubble and only bursts out to attack us physically and verbally whne tings are changed etc around him.

Sorry to rant

jambuttie i dont want to ignore what you say about the letter making you mad, i dont know any thing about any thing.
i wanted to ask you though, if you dont mind some questions.
as your son is 4 and mine is also, please could you describe to me why you think that your son may have autism.

as i said i honetsly do not kow any thing about any thing and i dont want to google, because it will jsut frighten me.

Jambuttie - I am so sorry! This has happened to us several times and it really upsets me - in part because even my best efforts have failed my child! I can really appreciate that you need support now - not in x years when they are sure! I think misreporting is partly because the professionals just have not listened fully- I mean really listened and tuned in to our very different lives!
Can you write to them and point out that they have er misinterpreted/ misheard some things, (or perhaps got mixed up) and put in what is true in very simple (but not understated terms) calm matter of fact terms.
You have my sympathy - such careless incorrect reporting really stings. Ds was 8 before we got a Dx of autism (although all around him have known it for years)despite the classic warning signs etc and we had to find our own way too with behavior and communication. (A report once said ds had 50 words when he was at the time nonverbal, having lost the few single words he had before, that he needed help cutting up food, when he was completely unable to get food in his own mouth). I often think we did too good a job in managing meltdowns and keeping ds flexible - ish in those early days and people were too slow to catch on to his differences which become more obvious as the child grows with slower development in key areas.
Take care!!

Deanychip, not sure what info you might like about how a child might be diagnosed as autistic, but typical signs in young children might be:

Finds it difficult to play games with other children peacefully and easily
Doesn?t come up to you for a chat
Doesn?t enjoy/isn?t good at sporty thing e.g. catching a ball, balancing easily, riding a bike well, compared to children of same sort of age.
Doesn?t seem to mind not being part of a group. Other children find them hard work to play with.
Seems to notice small details
Takes things really literally
Doesn?t do much imaginative pretending ? tends to be the same thing with the same rules each time
Finds it hard to share a conversation ? tends to talk at you or not at all
Gets obsessed with particular interests
Seems to be very rude to people and doesn?t understand why it?s rude
Unusual voice ? maybe too adult, too flat, very monotonous?
Can remember things you are sure they?d have forgotten by now, or detail you never realised they'd even noticed.
Can?t make or hold eye contact for long/prefers not to.
Might rock, spin, flap ? any repetitive movement that is difficult to stop.
Tries to get others to fit with their rules, not the other way around.
Very sensitive to changes in routine or anything unexpected happening
Doesn?t like flickering lights/sudden loud noises/strong smells
Can?t cope that easily with changes of clothing or certain textures
May have very strange eating habits

Those are the sort of things that professionals look for, and the child really has to have most of them to 'qualify'.

My DS is only 3 and has DX of Aspergers from our austism assessment clinic (specifically for pre-schoolers). I think it's shocking how it varies up and down the country - you could ask them why they won't DX AS that young when other health trusts will. Here's a link to our centre if you want to namedrop them, they are a centre of excellence (so they tell me LOL).

Deanychip have a look at the checklist here. This is the one that got me to ask the GP for a referral.

Thanks for the replies folks. DH has just finished reading the report and he too is angry.

Usual story with them tho sent it so its delivered on a saturday so when monday arrives and they are back in the office parents will be calmer and may reason more

well this mummy is furious and will remain furious till somrthing is done

It all boild down to money i'm sure- the reason the don't dx

thanks for that info.
my son doesnt have these markers.
kind of knew it, just needed to rule it out iyswim.