My DS is finally being seen by the educational psychologist tomorrow

[Pinkchampagne]

He is in year 4 & we have been going through the assessment route with him for the last 2 years & are still no nearer getting a dx.
He struggles at school as it is hard to get him to focus on anything, he has problems socialising & is often the only child sitting alone in the playground, problems organising himself (never brings letters home etc) & I worry about him so much.

It is a positive thing he is finally being seen by the ed psych, but I am feeling all wobbly. I think it is just because it brings it all to the surface again that DS has lots of problems. I am not looking forward to the meeting tomorrow lunchtime. I am worried I will get emotional as I seem to be getting emotional more than normal just recently. I worry about him so much.

Sorry for repeting myself!

Aww PC,it is only natural to feel like that.DD recently had her ed psych assessment and I had tears rolling down my cheeks half way through,as it brought home how severely delayed she was.Felt such a twunt but as you say it is the realisation that things are not right.Hopefully,though despite the fact it is a painful process,it will result in your ds getting some help.

Big hug,Wrinkly xxx

The EP cannot make an official diagnosis (you will need someone along the lines of a developmental paediatrician to do that) but can advise further on his schooling.

Is he on any plan like School Action or School Action plus currently?.

I would also now look into applying directly to the LEA for a Statement. This legally binding document could also assist with regards to his schooling.

Your GP should refer your DS to the developmental paed particualrly if this has not already been done to date.

Hi PC, could have written your post myself. My DD also in year 4 and struggling. She has been under Paed for two years, has had assessments by Ed Pysch, SALT and complex communication team. Paed is also now considering CASBAT assessment. We have just been approved for assessment for Statement of Needs. It is all very emotional but you are going in the right direction. I agree with Attila that you should apply for Statement if you feel school is not providing all the help he needs. Good luck

Hi PC - Sorry to hear that this has taken so long to be sorted out. Sometimes I think the process is so drawn out as the powers that be hope the DC might grow out of whatever is causing the problems but they often don't and then you have the frustration of not getting the help you need.

I hope the appointment goes well. Don't worry about being emotional - I am sure they have seen it all before. It is a big thing to deal with.

Have you come to a dead end with the paeds etc? (You did see one a long time ago didn't you or am I completely wrong about that?)

Good luck to both of you.

Oh sorry, just worked out tomorrow is today!

Hope it went well.

Met with Ed Pysch at lunchtime after he had seen DS for an hour. I thought he would watch him in class, but instead took him into the SENCO's office & did some tests on him, which he apparently did quite well with. He was alarmed at how many assessments he has had with no clear answers as of yet. The next step is to arrange a multi agency meeting apparently. I am starting to feel a little frustrated with it all now.

The multi-agency meeting was where we got DS's dx so I reckon you are nearly at the end now.

YOu have to keep your wits about you at that meeting if our experience is anything to go by. We ended up with an unconvincing dx and I wish I had spoken up more and asked why they decided on the dx he has.

Hope you don't have to wait too long for the appointment.

I hope we get some answers soon - I am finding it so hard coping at home right now apart from everything else. I don't know how to deal with his behaviour sometimes...I don't understand him. I am sitting here in tears again this morning. The most simple things are such hard work & it's wearing me down.

Looking at DS at school or in a group, he screams ASD, but on a one to one, he is passing little tests (problem solving puzzle things), so we are getting nowhere fast. I am trying to cope on my own & doing a bad job - I need help but don't know how to get it.

Ds1 scored in the top 10% for his age for non verbal puzzle solving skills (eg jigsaws, colour matching, shape sorting etc). He is still on the spectrum. If you have been told that an ability to do these puzzles means your own child can't be on the spectrum then that is wrong.

This all sounds most frustrating for you, I hope that the multi-agency approach looks at how he is coping socially. When DS saw the ed psych last year at joint clinic she only really seemed interested in looking at his non-verbal intelligence too, it seemed to be SALT and paed who were more interested in overall picture re:behaviour/social skills.

This was us last year. Ed psych did assesments, spoke to parents and produced her report. All his assessment were broadly average, but they still showed unusual patterns of achievement eg. vocabulary 90th centile, understanding of language 35th - all normal range but abnormal pattern iyswim. This formed part of the discussion at a multi-disciplinary meeting about 3 months later with SALT, paed and teachers from school, and a diagnosis of Autism was confirmed.

Actually I agree with Niecie - it sounds as if you are nearly there.

Hope you get some answers soon.

I really hope so - it has all been going on so long now & as he is getting older the problems are becoming more noticable. He is always the loner in the playground, never remembers to bring home letters/books etc from school, needs nagging to do simple things like tuck in his school shirt or pull his trousers up (they actually fell down in the dentist surgery last week!), often comes home with his PE shorts on under his trousers or forgets to remove one pair of pants before putting on another, has no interest in anything (this includes all school work) unless it is to do with his latest craze, talks constant nonsence, as in really odd phrases (not sure if this is an ASD thing or just my DS!), still not confident using a knife, chews his clothing, appears in his own little world at times, appears lathargic & never sits up straight, cannot be reasoned with easily & still has the occassional tantrum...I could go on & on. He is 9.5 now & I can't see things getting much better. I have been told he is a complex child with complex difficulties. I thought we would have some kind of answers by now. As a single mum who hasn't a clue what she is dealing with or how to deal with it, it is bloody hard at times & I often feel I am struggling to cope.