2007 challenge: get a diagnosis for my DD1

Savvy_Sue

AnnieH wrote:

Destroys things. Carved up her wooden bed and took a screw out of it. Ask her why she does it and she doesn’t know.

Oh, the battles we had when DS1 would destroy his brothers' Lego models! And I would ask him WHY, and how he'd feel if someone did that to HIS Lego models, and he was just mute! Of course he didn't know why he was doing it, or how he'd feel - although I knew he'd go ballistic if his brothers so much as BREATHED near one of his models!

Is there ANY way you can give her her own room? For some reason I sensed DS1 would not be able to share, and he never has. Well apart from a short period when all 3 of them were in one room, but there was no room for any toys then! :rotfl:

Which reminds me of when we moved into this house: who would have which bedroom? DS1 got the smallest bedroom, which didn't please him, because he wanted either the master bedroom (ensuite toilet and walk in cupboard) or the largest bedroom. He tried to tell me it was even smaller than his bedroom in the old house - it's about twice the size of that one! But I had to use concrete examples: "in the old bedroom, your bed was there, and it couldn't go against any other wall, because there was no room. But here, you could have your bed against any of the walls, so they are all longer than the walls in your old bedroom, which means this room MUST be bigger than that one."

He is much better now. We've all learned to cope. I think that taking the approach that they are special and different and unusual is good: sometimes things are very hard for them, and for us, and there are some things none of us will understand, but I wouldn't be without DS1 and his foibles! :rotfl:

AnnieH

Hi Savvy_sue. My HV asked if we could put her in a room on her own. I don't really see how it could happen though, as we have 3 bedrooms, and 3 children for most of the year: 2 girls and a boy. The girls have the biggest room, and the boys' room is the smallest. The trouble is, that at certain times of the year, my step-children come and stay. They are an 11 year old boy (well he'll be 12 by the time he comes back in the Summer), so we can't move her into a bedroom on her own, just to change things again when they come, as this would upset her even more. It upsets her anyway, when they come and go, ANY change affects her, so that would just be more for her to cope IYSWIM.

I wish I could giver her a room on her own. It would certainly make life a little bit easier. Might not stop her going into other peoples' rooms and wrecking stuff though LOL

sharronloves2spend

sorry annih havent read thorough everyones replies but heres my experience
ds1 is statmented but does not have a definiate diagnosis, we personally feel that it wont change the way he is treated or learnt in school. at the request of the school or you, you can request an ep to assess your child for statory assesment they have a certain amount of time to do this , sorry this is only a quck reply will read through later and if anything else springs to mind ill post later, i found ipsea and rathbone supportive, bye for know sharron

gushoneybun

AnnieH wrote:

By the way, someone recommended this little quiz to judge how "aspie" my daughter is. Apparently a so-called "normal" person would score in the region of 16 whereas someone with ASD would be more likel;y to score 32 or more. Well I tried it out and scored dead on 16! I sat with my daughter and we did it together for her. She scored 41 :eek:

Try it out:)
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

Just did this test on my 9 yr old son, he scored 29, there were some things though that he answered one way and i thought he should have answered another way. eg. I just don't think he realizes when he is boring people, or being impolite and I don't think it has ever been pointed out to him in an obvious way.

My 7 yr old daughter did the test and scored 19.

Gus x

gushoneybun

ps some things surprised me, like I didn't realise he noticed sounds, that others didn't, or saw patterns in things. He realed me out a list, like the wall paper, the classroom door, the carpet at school, the settee throw, so while there are obviously patterns there, I was surprised at how quickly he answered and how many things just rolled of his tongue that had patterns.

Also the question about not liking his routines disturbed, well I know he doesn't like change, but I hadn't realised that he had noticed he didn't like change.

Sobs his heart out when he changes class at school as he doesn't like leaving the old teacher. Got very upset about his violin being changed (went from hiring one to buying him one) They are the biggies but there are smaller things too.

I hadn't really realised these were not normal reactions till recently.

gushoneybun

Hi Annie/ all

We saw the paediatrician today, and I thought I'd update how we got on.

She is referring my son to either camhs (child + adolescent mental health services) or an educational psychologist to have an intelligence test.

She asked how he had done as school and I answered that despite his poor concentration and never finishing work he is still top of the class at reading and numeracy. (top table for literacy still, but writes very little). He just seems to be able to do well in tests.

I wouldn't have said he was exceptional, just very able.

She said ASD/ aspergers was the 'in' diagnosis, and that it is important for a child not to be labelled with this if it is just the case that they are very intelligent, and find it hard to relate to their peers. Which I totally understand.

I'm not sure really if that is the case with my son though, he has so many things about him, not doing well with changes, poor at going to sleep, not fitting in socially, gets obsessed about pokemon (was Harry potter, before that the channel tunnel etc). He's totally un coordinated physically etc. but am happy for them to test him and go from there.

The big plus is that we can warn middle school that he may have some issues that will require extra support without having a diagnosis, and this was my big concern, so that has eased my mind. (He goes in |Sept)

Gus x

AnnieH

Thanks for the update. We still haven't heard anything yet:(

I had parents' evening last night and H's teacher said that she will be deeing an EP in May and she will get her to do some tests on her because she thinks that one of her problems is that she is VERY clever. She also recommended a book by Tony Attwood called The Complete Guide to Aspergers Syndrome, so I might buy that. You can read some pf it on Google Books though and it looks very interesting and very up-to-date.

Savvy_Sue

We also have the Attwood book, very useful.

gushoneybun

Glad you have the next step mapped out Annie.

It's a slow process, but after years of uncertainty, I'm just glad someone doesn't think I'm mad and is checking things out for us!

I'll look up the book in the library.

Gus x

gushoneybun

Hi
Just an update on us.

No news on my sons intelligence test from camhs yet, but the school have moved him from 'cause for concern' to 'school action.' They are going to ask their Ed Psyc to look at him too, but are already over on their hours this year At least this way they can do him an IEP and help him with his social issues.

I got the book reccomended above from the library on Saturday, so will get on reading that! (Had to go on a waiting list for it!)

How are things for you and your dd Annie?
Gus x