New to this forum

[andy54]

Hi- Not only am I new to this forum but to web chat generally! Sorry if haven't got the conventions correct!

Feel that we have finally got something worth celebrating- we have got a Statement for our 15 year old which ,we hope, will give us what we think will help! But of course we have got to hope it'll also do same for him!

Not diagnosed with ASD until he was 14.5 years old and had been refusing school for 6 months. Made sense of the previous 14 years where I'd been saying that I felt sure that there was a known 'condition' that would describe him. Can't think why neither I nor anyone else thought of it before! Trailed round speech therapists, ed psychs, SENCOs, doctors, the lot but as he never made a scene at school I think everyone just thought it was us!

 

Anyway, hopefully we're getting there, although it's been at a big emotional price to everyone.

 

Have felt so shattered about it that have felt bad about sharing with others.

 

We live in NE London- and have been impressed by the help we received from LA etc once problem got spelled out. Interested in hearing from others in similar situation.

 

Also does anyone have experience of "notschool" ?

 

Cheers, Andy

[Kathryn]

Welcome Andy!

 

My daughter also had a late diagnosis (aged 15) but our LA wsn't as cooperative as yours when it came to getting a statement. But I'm sure it's encouraging to others on the forum in a similar situation to hear of "late" statements being issued.

 

I hope the statement has what you want in it. What kind of education do you envisage for your son now?

 

K x

[sadie]

Hi and welcome.

[Stella63]

Hi Andy,

 

Welcome! I know you'll find so much info and support here, it has been an absolute life saver for many of us!! My eldest,AJ, was dx'd Aspergers at 14 and ADHD at 15 (which is the more problematic one for him and everyone else!) He has been a nightmare at school since Reception and school refused for virtually the whole of Year 11 - he did go in for Maths and Science GCSE but wasn't entered for anything else - managed to achieve a level 2 literacy online qualification through the Youth Justice Service (yes, he has been arrested and up in court several times - couple of times because we have had him busted for drugs).

 

It has been and still is a roller coaster ride with him - he isn't working or figuring out what he should be doing - just treating life as a game which to us is becoming extremely 'not' funny.

 

Anyway, welcome on board - hope you get some help and answers.

 

Stella x

[dana]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

Dana

[NickyB]

Hello Andy and welcome

 

[smiley1590]

i had late diagnosis of AS at 14 years old! as doesn't normally show so vividly up to that point can in some cases if spotted early enough can be assessed and diagnosed but quite common to be diagnosed around there and even in late adulthood! like you my parents especially my mum believed dysprxia wasn't only thing around making me 'different' to others she always felt something more hidden with that medical condition years later found a common connection/link of AS! hooray finally recognised and there after so many professionals involved STEPS, OT ,peadtrician SENCO'S list endless none of them added up more to the bigger picture going on amazing really but only just beginning to understand SEN as a term in itself not conditions in it especially ASD's and AS a newly diagnosis term in ASD world! but even so makes you wonder why! makes bitter and angry at years went by without nothing said ....

 

paeadtrician and SENCO denyed that ovious classic signs i had for dyspraxia they felt my parents too overprotective made it up basically to make themsleves feel good about themselves be better parents don't know how that quite worked though they did more for me than every services have ever done for me! how dare they question the long list my mum wrote! -disgusting

 

if wasn't for them fussing around throwing assessments made around to keep diagnosis from happening maybe happened much sooner so blame lays on them fully not my parents hideous professionals rubbish the whole thing blown up to suit them make their life easier at the time so didn't have to look any further to me not using up resources time and energy i was nusiance they couldn't handle or explain and answer! so fully personally understand how you feel towards this situation! i feel strongly as you can see in there yourself! i see get angry,bitter defensive my life they had right to negatively impact my childhood sacfrice it did they! they treated us in such bad way looking bad they didn't want to know understand it SHUT UP put up! and go away even though we suffering etc they didn't care! negative labels attached to me didn't help my self-esteem grow nurture as child just lowered in to point of nothing there!

 

i was shy ,quiet just let it happen to me so sometimes think i was only little girl yet wish i stopped it my parents tried to make them open their eyes small minds and worlds to accept more but wouldn't have it eventually my mum's fight with paeadtrican and SENCO my mum won! and officially diagnosed with CCS at the time now know as dyspraxia! but then i always felt 'not right' nothing ever added up properly seemed 'normal' i knew in my own way i was 'different' to others growing up that hurt alot knowing it not having name to it answers there to go against to explain and reason with people to be helped and supported way i should have been!

 

i hope to god the professionals never have someone in their own family suffering years in way me my family did for years in secret and guess what pay back time eat words time because i'm working helping little children in local nursery find their way with guidance something ui craved for never true had sense of though! want to give back to SEN kids not feeling so scared.lost ,confused,worried,hurt etc but feel happy with themselves and their lives whatever that may be!

 

good luck with your daughter-pleased and glad you both found some sense of her world and some answers to fill missing parts to the signs going on!

 

take care

XKLX

 

 

[chris54]

Hi- Not only am I new to this forum but to web chat generally! Sorry if haven't got the conventions correct!

 

Your not alone, When this lot start using abbreviations I'm completely lost. There are one or two who even use text talk from time to time .

By the way, welcome to the forum.