DS 2 assessment so far

[joybed]

Hi Piers one of my twins is undergoing assessmant at the moment and if I thought getting Marcus diagnosed was hard it was a walk in the park compared to this. Piers has caused me concern from very early on. As a baby he was colicky, lactose intolerant and a poor feeder. He lawys needed far more attention than his twin sister. As they got older Lydia remained placid but Piers became highly strung and at times very nasty. He would bite and scratch got easily frustrated and took it out on his sister and older brother. i asked my health visiotr who politely told me i was paranoid because of Marcus dx. The worry was always in the back of my mind and i confessed my fears to my friend who is a health visitor she said she suspected aspergers I didn,t think so as he is very loving and very intuitive about peoples feelings even if he doesn,t alwyas reesond appropriately for example he may notice you are crying hug you bet then headbutt you and run away laughing. Telling him off doesn,t help. When they started school (same class), Lydia quickly left Piers behind academically she is very keen to learn he has no attention span at all and no interest in learning. He also has obsessions with things but mainly with people other children in his class. He tantrums easily and cannot be cajoled into complying. He knows none of his letter sounds, key words and very few colours, he cannot colour in properly and only occasionally recognises his written name.

I asked my GP for a referral he was reluctant as he said he didn,t think their was a problem (in the five minute we were in his office he decided this). We saw a paediatrician and she decided he was naughty and attention seeking and i needed a parenting course, Marcus ed psych thinks he shows classic signs of ADHD but the ed psych for his school believes he has attention problems but is passive rather than hyperactive, she is coming to assess him at home next week but has so far said he appears to have developmental delay, his teacher thinks he is just immature, his Dd thinks he copies the behaviour of his older ASD brother. Why can,t these children present themselves the same to everybody it is so frustrating. On the day the ed psych went to see him he was passive and appeared very shy bu that afternoon when I went to collect him he was laid on the floor kicking the NTA and refusing to cooperate with anything. Anyone else had this problem.

[JsMum]

Firstly I have a friend who has a son with very severe ADHD with AS her other older son went throw all his childhood with his AS undaignosed he is 18 now and just recently diagnosed and in real need because his needs were not met as a child so siblings can have ASDs ADHDs.

 

 

Sometimes you really need to keep to your guns and insist they at least do the assessment, when J was four his ADHD was really bad but what was worse is I didnt have the knowledge of what I know now, and he was undaignosed so couldnt get him the help he desprately needed.

 

I would keep a detailed diary, ask the Nursery/school to keep a diary too, and just keep collecting evidence.

 

In the mean time note down the symptoms and raise these concerns to the schools senco, GP and just insist that they look at your sons needs as an individual.

 

The fact there has been concerns raised is enough to ensure he gets support, the concerns can be anyone, a teacher, proffessional and even the carer.

 

The afternoon behaviour is very interesting what you noted, one of the reasons J was part time was because he just couldnt manage in the afternoon, even in lessons he enjoyed.

 

There is also ADD for passive Children as well as spersific Learning Difficulties such as Dyslexia and look into Central Auditory Prosessing Disorder as well as Sensory Processing Disorder.

 

I dont think from what you have described in your post that he is copying, when a child has ASD it is 50 percent higher risk of a sibling having an ASD too, ADHD its even more.

 

I wouldnt go back to when J was four, ever, it was hurrendous time for us.

 

JsMum

 

Edited February 11, 2009 by JsMum

[bjkmummy]

hi, im in a similar position to you - have a 8 year dx with asd and have reception age boy/girl twins. girl twin fine but boy twin having no end of p[roblems. for 3 years weve been seeking help for him and have been fobbed off with different reasons for his behaviour so i really do understand how frustrating it all is

[joybed]

The ed psych came to see Piers at home today and he was his usual hyperactive, awkward self so she got to see him warts and all. I mentioned to her that some days he is very good and i wonder if i have got it all wrong and he is just a normal little active boy but on other days I am sure their is something amiss, she replied that she is sure their is something and i am not just imagining it, I asked her what she thought the diagnosis might be and she said that although she knew in her mind she had to discuss him with the other professionals invoved and i would get to know at the meeting whenever that is. Why can,t she tell me i am his mother but i have waited this long. I can,t help but hink she will go away and change her mind anyway.

Whilst she was here i mentioned we were having a difficult time with DS1 (she saw him in the past as well) and she asked me in what way, I explained about the school problems and trying to get him into a special school and she said we were being treated unfairly and Marcus should be in a specialist placement she is going to have a word with Ms ed psych to see if she can get things moving. so hopefully it is all coming right but I won,t hold my breath. Will keep you posted

[shaz71]

The ed psych came to see Piers at home today and he was his usual hyperactive, awkward self so she got to see him warts and all. I mentioned to her that some days he is very good and i wonder if i have got it all wrong and he is just a normal little active boy but on other days I am sure their is something amiss, she replied that she is sure their is something and i am not just imagining it, I asked her what she thought the diagnosis might be and she said that although she knew in her mind she had to discuss him with the other professionals invoved and i would get to know at the meeting whenever that is. Why can,t she tell me i am his mother but i have waited this long. I can,t help but hink she will go away and change her mind anyway.

Whilst she was here i mentioned we were having a difficult time with DS1 (she saw him in the past as well) and she asked me in what way, I explained about the school problems and trying to get him into a special school and she said we were being treated unfairly and Marcus should be in a specialist placement she is going to have a word with Ms ed psych to see if she can get things moving. so hopefully it is all coming right but I won,t hold my breath. Will keep you posted

 

Hi that sounded like a good supportive ed psych i could do with one of those, mind you couldnt' we all. Glad it went well for you and you are finally being listened to as there is nothing worse feeling like you are banging your head against a brick wall Nice one <'> Sharon x