Lilypad Report post Posted January 29, 2011 (edited) Hello I recieved a letter this morning from the organisation that assesses children for ASDs in my area. They have given me an appointment for my son to attend in around 2/3 weeks. The letter says the assessment will consist of a speech and language therapist and a paediatrician. I am just really nervous about the whole thing and I need to know a few things such as: What will be involved? How long will it take? Will I be able to sit with him during the assessment? Will a diagnosis (if there is one) be made on the day? I am also worried that they might not think he has an ASD and if he doesn't, then what will happen? I know he has a lot of problems, but that could be anything( a family therapist mentioned to me once that he could have minor brain damage due to lack of oxygen when he was a baby). If that is the case, would they give me advice on this? Please could anyone offer some advice? Although I have been waiting a year for this,I am so anxious that I am shaking right now as I type this. Edited January 29, 2011 by Lilypad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted January 29, 2011 Hope the NAS guidelines can help you http://www.autism.org.uk/About-autism/All-about-diagnosis/Diagnosis-the-process-for-children.aspx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lilypad Report post Posted January 29, 2011 Thanks for the link trekster. Put my mind at ease...for the time being! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flappyfish Report post Posted January 30, 2011 I don't know what form the assessment will take for your son, but both times my boys were assessed using the ADOS/ASDAS schedule and we were given a detailed questionnaire to fill in beforehand. The feedback we got was incredibly detailed and helpful. With both of my boys, if you met them as a one off you wouldn't know they had any sort of condition, so they are both fairly subtle, although the ASD causes much angst especially regarding school, so we were very anxious that nothing would be picked up and that they would just seem 'normal'. The eldest came out as having Aspergers, the youngest with a 'broadly defined ASD' plus other complications. In both cases, though, it wasn't so much the label as thedetails of what was the issue and how that manifested itself that was useful. These people are experts in diagnosis and although some people have bad experiences of diagnostic services, ours (once we have managed to get there!!) has been very good. I hope you have the same experience. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
