sam5886

Thanks Lizzie He already has supposed S&L input!!! but she is about as much use as the proverbial chocolate teapot. BUT he does have a LEA Key Worker and Specialist Teacher. PLUS the Senco at his pre-school is absolutely fantastic. I help support other mums with their statements etc at our school (not specifically ASD) but you know how it is - easy to support other people but can't always get your head round your own pile of poo. LOL Sam x

Lizzie DS1 is very intelligent - but his intelligence shows in his ability with the PC, numbers, letters etc. He is not very good socially, either being unsociable OR totally over the top. He never quite gets it right - but doesn't really appear to be bothered by it at the moment (but then he is only 6). He behaviour has always been quite good - ie. the passive one. He had speech albeit a little disordered but can get by - he also has dyspraxia which slightly affects his gross and fine motor abilities. DS2 on the other hand has minimal speech and language - he bites, spits, head butts, growls and screams at everything and anything. It appears that he is soooooo angry and frustrated at the whole world. He has some extreme behaviours like licking and sniffing everything (including my brother's dog's rear and the pavement) he watches the world from under a chair - tries to bite everyone that comes into my house and loves vibration. He even dislocated his elbow last week whilst throwing himself on the floor in a tantrum and trying to smash his head on the floor. He did say 'hurt' a couple of times - but apart from that, tried to carry on as normal and only got more and more frustrated that he couldn't get his arm to work He barely even noticed when the doctor at A&E put it back in. He has huge sensory issues with smell, touch and taste (his diet consists of chilli crisps, xtra strong mints etc). Has started poo smearing and removing his clothes whilst saying 'ouch' at every opportunity. On the other hand, he is very very loving to me - loves his baby sister and can sit with me for hours watching DVD's - can climb and run like the wind and is a wonderful little boy (WHEN HE ISN'T SCREAMING). The Pead said that for a 3 year old, his S&L is at 18mths, his concentration span is minimal BUT they say that his social development is normal FOR AN 18 MONTH OLD???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I said BUT he is 3 years old - how can his social development be right if it is at 18 months old - but they said that S&L directs the age at which they assess him :(......... surely that can't be right. I suppose it is just all getting too much at the moment. My Dr is trying to put in on drugs - my hubby is fed up with me coz I'm not happy and smiling all the time and my mum (who is my main support) is suffering from huge stress over it all and I am very worried that she is gonna say she can't deal with it any more. And to finish it all off I went into school today to speak to DS1's teacher about his IEP and promptly blubbed all over her LOL The perfect end to a couple of 'perfect' days. NOT Apologies that this turned into a rant but I really really need to get some of this off my chest. Sam x

Lizzy, thanks so much for your reply - makes me feel slightly more confident about the whole scenario. I have an older DS who has a dx of Aspergers - even though he didn't tick all the boxes - so I don't know why it should be such a problem with DS2. DS2 is 10 times worse than DS1 and I am really beginning to lose my hold on the whole situation. Sam x

Went to have meeting with Pead today:( DS has severe speech and language delay - severe behavioural difficulties - basically a severe development delay blah blah and a list of autistic traits as long as your arm. BUT he has relatively good eye contact and doesn't tiptoe and does not tick all the boxes for your stereotypical classic autistic child - and she will therefore NOT give him a diagnosis of autistic. BUT she has agreed to a second opinion and has referred him to Guys. Does anyone have any experience of this or can give me an idea of what happens there.???????? Sam x

Found it.............phew. Thread title is "The myths surrounding ASD 'S, "Theres no way they're autistic " Sam x

I am sure somwhere on here I saw a whole thread about AS/ASD misnomers - or reasons why people have been told their children are not on the spectrum - whereas others have had a dx for the same reasons. My youngest son's pead said he wasn't on the spectrum because he doesn't tiptoe and has good eye contact.!!!!! (what a crock) On the other hand, my oldest son has a dx of Aspergers and neither tiptoes and also has pretty good eye contact. I have a meeting with the Pead tomorrow and I just wanted DH to read this thread so that he understands the extent of the dx confusion and what sort of ###### she is going to throw at us about why our son is NOT on the spectrum whereas we know HE IS. CAN ANYONE POINT ME IN THE DIRECTION OF THIS THREAD???? Thanks Sam x

Ultramum - you interested in a copy of the complete article?? Sam x

Ultramum - just wanted to let you know that I emaild Mr Oswald and he sent me the fully transcript of his document. Not sure exactly how much it will help my cause as I can't see the hospital changing their diagnostic tool on the word of an Americal Prof. - but at least I can prove to the pead that I have done my research and am prepared to fight my corner. Sam x

Thanks Ultramum - I can feel yet another 'essay' coming on. Problem is, I still need to find an Autism Diagnostic checklist that I can also throw at the Pead. Sam x

Errrm thanks Ultramum (I think... ) Am I being really thick or are these study quotes basically suggesting that the GARS, although widely used as a diagnosis tool, actually doesn't work!!!!! So I can go back to the Pead and say I dont' agree with your dx (or non-dx)?? Sam x

Thanks Baddad My Pead is using this Gars questionnaire as their dx tool. Basically it is a load of nonsensicle qestions and she kinda waved it under my nose at the meeting BUT didn't actually let me see a copy. She then sent me a 'crock' of a report to which I sent back a four page reply telling her 'politely' that the fact that my son had eye contact and did not tiptoe didn't actually mean he wasn't on the spectrum!!! Anyhoo, she has asked me back for a meeting and I wanted to go prearemed with some actual responses to this questionnaire that I didn't have to come up with suddenly in a meeting whilst trying to stop my son from smashing up her office or trying to bite lumps out of other members of staff Sam x

Can anyone let me know where I can find a copy of the GARs ASD questionnaire?? Many thanks Sam x

Hi Col, yeah - you too ..... been on here for ages but too embarassed most of the time to post as I feel very thick - (this site is an absolute font of knowledge).... I see Tensing is also on here. Sam x

In G's statement (dated 21.11.05) he gets 17.5hrs support PLUS ?In addition to the above support, the local authority will also provide 5 hours support on a term by term basis for his school to address specifically his self care needs. G?s school will provide a termly report to enable the authority to determine the ongoing need for this support.? I argued for these extra hours due to G?s toileting needs (ie, can?t wipe his bottom etc and inability to change clothes for PE etc). G?s teacher has just sent a report to the LEA stating these needs were ongoing (which they still are) and the extra 5 hours were still needed. I now get a letter from the LEA stating that the request for the additional 5 hrs of learning assistant support to continue has been considered and agreed for the Summer term 2006. It then goes on to say:- ?However this will cease from September 2006 and school should now look at planning for the Autumn term without the additional 5 hrs. From September you will be receiving 17.5 hrs of learning assistant support per week for G, which is over and above that which the school should provide from its delegated budget.? I was under the assumption that as it actually says in his statement that the additional support will be assessed on a term by term basis ? it is NOT OK for them to turn round now and say we can?t have it in September - although we don?t know at this time whether he will need it or not? Your thoughts and opinions PEEEEEEEEEESE... Sam x

I have a family tree (so far) of around 1,080 individuals - and still going.