Re: High Functioning/Aspergers Anyone Relate???

October 2, 2004

I think a lot of the conflicting answers come from those who just don't know

that much about Asperger's. My kids make eye contact but it is brief. I make

very brief eye contact but I prefer to look past the person or at the chin.

MISSY

SAHM to some special kids!!!

All kid's are gifted; some just open their packages

earlier than others.

-- Carr

High Functioning/Aspergers Anyone Relate???

>

> This morning my son and I made a trip to see the psychologist to try and

> get

> an educational eval....when we arrived the psychologist claimed that she

> thought she was seeing another patient today and that she was

> unprepared...oh well

> but she saw us for a few minutes and offered some behavioral advice about

> some

> things we are already doing....Then she added her two cents that she

> thinks

> we need to reinvestigate his diagnosis because she doesn't see the autism

> because my son makes good eye contact somewhat and is social...I have

> accepted his

> diagnosis pretty much and in no way believe that it completely defines him

> as

> a person or means that he doesn't still have great potential...........I

> just

> can not understand why people keep saying conflicting things about his

> diagnosis....I mean I'm there to try to get an educational eval for school

> to ensure

> he is getting the proper services....It doesn't matter to me what the name

> of

> it as long as he gets what he should be getting......What's the point ???I

> came there for an educational eval ...Im not looking for diagnosis or

> clarification .....Does anyone relate?It makes me want to toss his dx out

> the window but

> I believe it is correct except I think he's aspergers and not pdd...I

> guess I

> shouln't be seeing an ex cobb county school psychologist....I just would

> like

> to try to get him more of the therapies he needs in school so I don't have

> to

> take him to so many outside of school..............Do I need to have to

> explain all this or just find someonelse?

>

October 2, 2004

ILOVEmySONshine@... wrote:

> ... she doesn't see the autism

> because my son makes good eye contact somewhat and is social

Neither eye contact nor lack of sociability are included in the

diagnostic criteria. The chief characteristic socially is that the

child is behind his developmental level in HOW he socializes. Many or

most children with autism eventually learn eye contact (at last

fleeting) with people they are close to, such as relatives.

Regarding the paragraph below: He will continue to progress in skills

as he gets older. While he will have a developmental delay in some

areas, he will make progress in those areas. In many areas he may be

on grade level or above.

Every autistic is very different from every other autistic. You are

the parent, with him all the time. People all have opinions, but they

are not educated to be diagnosticians of autism. Stick to your guns.

Smile and say, " Oh, you think so? " Heheh

> Do I need to have to

> explain all this or just find someonelse?

If the person provides the services you need, they don't have to agree

with you. If they don't provide the services, they need to be

replaced. Their opinion is beside the point.

You are doing just fine.

Patty

http://www.autistics.cc

October 3, 2004

Thanks that was very good advice Patty!

October 4, 2004

I can absolutely relate as my daughter would lose her label today too. However, at the time of her diagnosis it was appropriate but she was already starting to come back to us. What is your gut telling you? Do you think he's getting enough services? If not then fight with everything you've got with the diagnosis you already have. Don't look for the doctors or teachers to tell you - You do know better than they do no matter how much experience with ASD, PDD, ADD, ADHD kids or what degrees they have etc. They do NOT have the experience you have with YOUR child!

Good luck and God Bless.

Darla

-----Original Message-----From: ILOVEmySONshine@... [mailto:ILOVEmySONshine@...]Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2004 7:34 PMautism Subject: High Functioning/Aspergers Anyone Relate???This morning my son and I made a trip to see the psychologist to try and get an educational eval....when we arrived the psychologist claimed that she thought she was seeing another patient today and that she was unprepared...oh well but she saw us for a few minutes and offered some behavioral advice about some things we are already doing....Then she added her two cents that she thinks we need to reinvestigate his diagnosis because she doesn't see the autism because my son makes good eye contact somewhat and is social...I have accepted his diagnosis pretty much and in no way believe that it completely defines him as a person or means that he doesn't still have great potential...........I just can not understand why people keep saying conflicting things about his diagnosis....I mean I'm there to try to get an educational eval for school to ensure he is getting the proper services....It doesn't matter to me what the name of it as long as he gets what he should be getting......What's the point ???I came there for an educational eval ...Im not looking for diagnosis or clarification .....Does anyone relate?It makes me want to toss his dx out the window but I believe it is correct except I think he's aspergers and not pdd...I guess I shouln't be seeing an ex cobb county school psychologist....I just would like to try to get him more of the therapies he needs in school so I don't have to take him to so many outside of school..............Do I need to have to explain all this or just find someonelse?

October 4, 2004

I can completely relate. We have been through the spectrum of diagnoses. The first we received was PDD-NOS, then it was autism. We have been told recently (in the school setting) that the next time he is evaluated he will probably fall into the Asperger's category, which makes NO sense because to accurately diagnose Asperger's there is no history of verbal delay. But, noone ever said the school diagnosis has to be accurate. )

I am happy to see my son's progress. He is certainly more functional than when we got on this merry-go-round. There are times when strangers might not notice anything wrong with him....but then there are "the days". You all know THE DAYS... meltdowns, stimming, echolalia, the whole shebang.

I have come to accept the fact that my son on the Autism Spectrum. There are parents and professionals all over this land that may peg him into one category or another and that just doesn't matter. As long as the official diagnosis serves him, helps him, and most importantly...brings him back to me, I don't care what they call him. Call him SUPERMAN! That is what he deserves for fighting this beast called autism, and doing it so valiantly.

So, my advice would be to let them call it what they want as long as it supports what he needs in school. Make sure whatever additional services you request are educationally appropriate, and data supported. Don't tell them you want more school service so that you can back off of private services... you will get shot down in a heartbeat.

Good luck,