confused!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[reuby2]

We were told by Camhs 2 weeks ago that son was HFA and to look at information concerning HFA when looking at leaflets etc.The written report has now come through that states that he has an autistic spectrum disorder but at this point not enough to "meet the rigourous criteria for a diagnosis of childhood autism as per the International Classification of diseases" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What on earth does that mean???

Anyway I spoke to his SENCO who said that she had spoken to camhs and they had told her they were not giving a diagnosis of autism, whearas I had told her that they had said he was HFA.She kind of implied that the autistic spectrum disorder wasn't anything really and now i feel confused.They are getting the autism outreach team in to school but we are really getting conflicting views now, the senco doesn't class it as autism .

 

Can anyone help? it is all getting too confusing and they now want to do some kind of test with the pyschologist to see at what level he is functioning at.

I thought we were settled but now i am not sure.

[phasmid]

I think they are looking at this document. However the triad of impairments remains as the centeral means of providing the basis of a diagnosis. Either they are present - so diagnose an ASD - or they're not - in which case, don't. The third paragraph seems to be where the diagnostic criteria are set out.

 

They need to make up their minds. This paper was written in 1995! It hasn't just popped up in the last couple of weeks. But, hang on to the bit that says

 

The written report has now come through that states that he has an autistic spectrum disorder

 

The school should therefore react accordingly. I would suggest the following tests they are planning to carry out will confirm the diagnosis. Let us know hoe=w you get on.

[reuby2]

thanks, I just don't understand why they told us it was higher functioning autism but then in writing it says autistic spectrum disorder and isn't HFA part of that anyway?

It's all very confusing.

[Guest hallyscomet]

Yes Reuby,

 

HFA a level on the Autism Spectrum.

 

HFA integrate well whereas LFA Low Functioning Autism have a lot of trouble making any eye contact or reading facial expressions. However there is a lot of therapy that has been very successful in training LFA children to improve and medications can be very helpful as well. Look in the Resources section and books there is a lot of information there and some really good books they recommend you read so you understand all this terminology as you like all of us are not a rocket scientist. At first it feels very overwhelming as some books are too scientific for the average parent.

 

Take care and be gentle with yourself, remember there is a lot of support here <'> <'>

 

Regards

Hailey

[reuby2]

Thanks Hailey,

I rang camhs to verify the situation and to be honest she didn't sound as if she understood the terminology very well ! The senco said that an ASD isn't a dx of autism that's what confused me. I thought everything seemed to be going too smoothly after reading about other peoples fight for a clear dx !!!!

[pim]

I'm just as confused as you. I thought ASD and autism were the same thing. That HFA was a way of explaining roughly where a child/ person was on the spectrum.

 

DS has been dx as having ASD. The paeditrician said it's most likely HFA or AS but it's too early to dx this yet. But having the ASD dx was enough to get the help in place.

 

Is it because AS and autism are thought of as being seperate dx?

 

pim

[nellie]

Hi reuby2,

 

This booklet explains.

 

All About Autistic Spectrum Disorders, For parents of recently diagnosed child.

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=294

 

Nellie xx

[call me jaded]

The SENCO is using labelling as a way of removing access to services. This is a cynical manipulation of the diagnostic criteria. I would go back to CAMHS and get them to state what his educational needs are, regardless of the label.

 

Looking at it technically she is right - ASD covers more than autism. Under the US DSM-IV criteria if I've interpreted what your interpretation of the psych's opinion, you may be looking at the PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental delay, not otherwise specified) which is a catch-all diagnosis for people who don't exactly match the criteria. In the UK this could be called atypical autism.

[phasmid]

The senco said that an ASD isn't a dx of autism that's what confused me.

 

Ask the SENCo what the A in ASD stands for. I think she'll find its Autisum.

 

A (autistic) S (spectrum) D (disorder/s). Whether she like it or not your son is Autistic and they are going to have to react to the diagnosis. HFA (high functioning autistic) is still autistic as is AS. They are part of a 'spectrum'. Take a line, at one end you have the closed off from the rest of the world autistic (the public perception of autism). Then, as you travel along it the levels of ability to interact and communicate change until you get to the HFA/AS end of the line. Autisum can present anywhere along this line. The important thing is the 'triad of impairments' is present at all points of this line. It is how well the individual is able to adjust themselves to their difficulties that places them where they fit on the line.

 

I'd suggest your senco has a look at the NAS information for professionals from this link, that should help her understand!

[call me jaded]

This is the NAS definition:

 

Autistic spectrum disorders

An autistic spectrum disorder is a complex lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. The autistic spectrum includes syndromes described by Kanner and Wing but is wider than these two subgroups. Many people have a mixture of features from these two syndromes but do not fit neatly into either. The whole spectrum is defined by the presence of impairments affecting social interaction, communication and imagination, known as the triad of impairments. This is always accompanied by a narrow repetitive range of

activities.

[ceecee]

Thats really well explained in plain english.Thanks Phasmid.It seems much simpler to understand now.

[reuby2]

You're all fantastic <'> <'>

I love this site and the fact that people take the time to actually care.

Edited December 5, 2005 by reuby2