ASD or aspergers

[jinny]

Hi I'm new to the forum so hi all!

Just wanted to know for my 6 1/2 yr old diagnosed Asperger(privately) & ASD(NHS) in July 06.

Is it true one of these diagnosis will get more help than the other.

We've been referred by NHS consultant for an educaional psychologist assessment to the Education board.

His school say he has no obvious problems but have done a very basic IEP. They feel I shouldn't concentrate too much on assesment as it may not change IEP or give any extra help.

Don'y wan't to give private diagnostic report if it means he will get less help or influence assessment.

What do you guys think from your experience?

[Elanor]

Hi Jinny, and welcome to the forum.

 

Autistic Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term that describes a very wide range of autistic conditions, and is rather vague as a specific diagnosis.

 

Asperger's fits firmly within ASD, but Aspergers describes a specific range of behaviours shared by these children. I think it is a much more useful diagnosis, and my instinct is that you should always use this as your description of your son's problems.

 

My son had a private diagnosis first, which an NHS specialist was happy to confirm. I wonder whether the NHS specialist you saw was aware of the private opinion - if so, he'd probably confirm it, as doctors really don't like to disagree with each other in public. It might be worth going back to the NHS and clearly asking for a (written) view as to whether they agree he has Aspergers.

 

I suspect the school might react more positively to this, and I certainly found it more useful for claiming benefits - Asperger's essentially explains where your child is on the autistic spectrum, which ASD doesn't.

 

Elanor

[baddad]

Hi jinny -

 

TECHNICALLY the dx should make no difference at all - Needs should be assessed and responded to Individually, as the 'I' in IEP suggests!

Having said that, there is this perception that 'AS' is somehow 'less problematic' than ASD and i think it can influence how people working indirectly with the child perceive them. Though I hate to say it, there does seem to be a bit of suspicion around about Private dx's too these days, and while that is hugely unfair for those genuinely effected who have been forced into that route by Service Lotteries etc, I've gotta say that i've personally met some kids (usually with ADHD rather than AS/ASD) who's private dx's have surprised me ... However small that minority might, LEA's will LEAP on that sort of thing and generalise it out of all proportion, with horrible consequences for everyone....

What the school have told you is simply ridiculous... 'Don't concentrate on the assessment'?? What else other than professional input are they and the LEA going to base provision and support on?

It's not up to the school or the LEA to define needs - that's the job for the paediatricians and ed psychs and Salts and therapists being consulted. The school/LEA role is to provide for those needs, once they've been established...

 

Hope that helps

 

L&P

 

BD

[MichelleW]

In my area the different diagnosis does make a difference to the help you can get from social services. When J was first diagnosed at 4 and a half with Asperger's, I was told that I couldn't get help if it was Aspergers and not Autism. As J had specific speech and language delay, I did feel that the diagnosis was not quite right (going by the leaflets I was given by the same consultant). A few weeks ago J was seen by another consultant who agreed that J was not Aspergers but "moderate" autistic but prefered to use the term ASD. He said it shouldn't make a difference whether it was Asperger, High Functioning Autism or ASD. But it does sometimes. I think social services see Aspergers as being "mild" and therefore do not offer support. I have yet to find out what support they can offer me now J is diagnosed as ASD.

Edited January 9, 2007 by MichelleW