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

Original poster

Hi ho! Hi ho! It's off to assessment we go!

68 replies

coppertop · 06/02/2005 13:09

Tomorrow is the start of ds2's assessment week at the CDC. I've spent the last week or so writing down everything I can think of and following ds2 around with a camcorder trying to gather evidence that he isn't the little cherub that he appears to be. I've also laminated some of his artwork to take along.

Tomorrow we see the OT. On Tuesday we see the Physio, and on Wednesday (I think!) we see the SALT and Psych. The case conference is on Friday where we'll hopefully find out one way or the other - although I've heard that they may possibly want us to wait another 6 months before giving an official dx.

It's weird to think that it's almost exactly a year since ds1 was dx'ed and we were sure back then that ds2 was NT. It makes me wonder where we'll be in another year's time.

OP posts:
JakB · 08/02/2005 08:51

BH, I should join you in the name game! JakBdrinkingtoomuchredwine... Merlot, CDC is Child Development Centre. Coppertop, glad the OT saw some of the behaviour you wanted to get across (it's a weird old thing when you WANT your child to demonstrate a certain behaviour!)

Original poster
coppertop · 08/02/2005 11:46

Beccaboo - Ds2 is a lot more sociable than ds1 was at 2. Ds1 was very withdrawn at that age and didn't really start to interact until he was about 3ish. Ds2 can be very happy, smiley and interactive when he first meets a person. If they are only with him for a short time they can see nothing out of the ordinary. After about an hour (sometimes less) it's as if he runs out of tolerance for all the things that annoy/upset him and he then just shuts right down. I think that's what happened yesterday. The noise, the lights and the stimulation all just overwhelmed him.

The Physio appointment went well with ds2 bouncing around the room. Ds2 displayed his usual deviousness (the Physio called it his "excellent problem-solving skills" ) for getting out of the things that he didn't want to do. He had a great time and the Physio has said that his physical skills are very good. Tomorrow is a joint appointment with the SALT and Psych.

OP posts:
Original poster
coppertop · 08/02/2005 11:50

That's so true, JakB! I find myself sitting at appointments thinking "Go on . Do X/Y/Z so that they don't think I'm making it up!" There's still a small possibility that they may decide he's not on the spectrum after all (unlikely though) but I'd rather they made their decision based on seeing him how he usually is IYKWIM.

OP posts:
Socci · 08/02/2005 12:11

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Original poster
coppertop · 08/02/2005 12:15

Aha! I thought that might have been you asking about private assessments on the other site.

OP posts:
Socci · 08/02/2005 12:16

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Message withdrawn

ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 08/02/2005 12:40

Oh where's that???

JakB · 08/02/2005 16:53

What other site?!!!!!!!! Iwannaknow...

Original poster
coppertop · 08/02/2005 18:08

I still can't do links (can't do them on the other site either!) but it's at www.krism.org.uk/asp

It even has its own Bat-Cave. I use a different name there but I'm not hard to spot.

OP posts:
Merlot · 08/02/2005 21:20

Glad the Physio went well. Good luck with SALT and Psych tomorrow

I'm off to snoop on that other site too now

ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 08/02/2005 21:24

Coppertop - Just been scouring the other site and didn't even find a sniff of evidence that you've been on there

Merlot · 08/02/2005 22:13

Feel like a nosey parker now , as I dont think the site is relevant to us, but it looks a good site doesn't it?

Original poster
coppertop · 08/02/2005 22:30

As long as my blue-rinse didn't dazzle you all!

OP posts:
ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 09/02/2005 07:27

Ohhhh ct I am going to have to have another butchers now

Original poster
coppertop · 09/02/2005 11:58

You'll find me lurking in the Bat-Cave with my harem of pensioners and generally polluting the atmosphere. If that doesn't give me away then nothing will.

The SALT/Psych assessment went really well. They saw through ds2's apparent sociability fairly early on and described his eye contact as "variable". Ds2 dazzled the Psych with his problem-solving skills and gave her a bit of a fright when he counted out the beads, named all the shapes and completed the puzzles in a few seconds. She said that his development is definitely disordered and that I was right to be concerned. His understanding of language is way behind but in other areas he seems to be at a similar level to a 3.5 - 4yr-old. Even if he doesn't get a dx on Friday she said that they will definitely be keeping a very close eye on him. The SALT and Psych have given me some really good ideas about things to do to help him so I'm really pleased with how it all went.

OP posts:
MrsFROSTgetful · 09/02/2005 12:14

That's a relief for you then1

Loved the "definitely disordered"....THAT describes me and the boys soooo well!!!

maddiemo · 09/02/2005 13:14

Wow, I like the way your cdc works. We have a cdc but it is nothing like yours. One half hour assesemnt per year for as many years as they can string it out is good practice here.

Hope all goes well for the rest of the week

JakB · 09/02/2005 15:32

CT, what a relief! Glad you've got some good advice, too

Original poster
coppertop · 09/02/2005 21:34

I think I would definitely fall into the "disordered" category too, MrsF.

The CDC (or CDU as it's called around here) is great. The Paed is very big on fighting for services. It was thanks to her that they've been able to set up a program for school-age children so that they get as much help and support as the pre-schoolers do.

It also helped that the SALT today was actually ds1's SALT so she's known ds2 since he was just a few months old. I just feel so relieved that it wasn't all just paranoia on my part IYKWIM. I'm so glad you lot all understand why I'm relieved to be told that there is definitely a problem.

The next visit will be the case conference on Friday when we hear the official verdict.

OP posts:
Saker · 09/02/2005 21:38

Really glad it went well CT, hope it continues to go well on Friday.

MrsFROSTgetful · 09/02/2005 23:01

CT- i bought the dictaphone today....its digital....and has this great function which is that i set it recording- then if there is no noise it goes on standby- then starts recording as soon as theres a noise....now the main thing i want to show the paed is how obsessive L is about his interest at the moment...so if every time he chortles on about something it starts taping- then i will get a good selection!!!!(usually he comes out- starts telling me- i then say pardon whilst i get the kids tape recorder going - so i can get him to repeat it on tape!!!)

also when they have a riot i can record that too!!!

Think it's illegal though to sneakily take it to school to record the conversations with teachers etc|!!!!!

records 120minutes too.....no tapes!!!!

HIJACK OVER!!!

Original poster
coppertop · 10/02/2005 15:16

I love the sound of that dictaphone, MrsF. I bought a dictaphone back in my studenty days and can remember having to switch the tape over after about 20mins or so.

I managed to make a short video of ds2 for the assessment and got some good evidence. It was only when I transferred it on to a video tape and saw it on the TV screen that I realised just how much of our clutter could clearly be seen.

OP posts:
MrsFROSTgetful · 10/02/2005 20:13

yes thats like when you get photos back- you see everything lying around!!!!

Jimjams · 10/02/2005 21:20

ct i missed this- good luck tomorrow....

ImuststopdrinkingBlossomhill · 10/02/2005 21:23

Hope it all goes okay tomorrow coppertopx