son been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder DLA

Sarahsaver

THought I would update my situation maybe it will gove others of you hope. As I say NEVER GIVE UP!
Saw the consultant Paediatric Psychologist on Friday. He said that he DEFINITELY believes my son to have difficulties **it is official at last** (kind of )...
He is 'wired up differently...' (how many times have I said that.)
They are referring DS on for PROPER tests to assess his literacy and numeracy, away from the teachers who see DS as the son of the chair of governors and brother of 2 kids who don't have to try hard. He always gets the 'well I am sure he CAN do better' from the teachers
They strongly suspect a neurological disorder where DS finds it difficult to separate out all the stimuli around him - which would expect the rages and aggression/running away - he just cannot cope with it all.
DS is also being referred to have his bladder and kidneys scanned as he is still wetting in the daytime - not right for a 7 year old - and the consultant could not believe no one had referred him before for that (he has been seing someone at a clinic but star charts do NOT work)
We are finally getting somewhere.

sweetangel63

thomas is nearly 4 and showing no signs of potty training, now looking into Thomas going to a special school as i cannot see him coping in mainstream. so got to get him statemented now for special needs. one thing after another.

duchy

First I'll confess-I have had DLA forms sitting around for years and never put a claim in for my son. The forms did my head in and I keep going by focusing on the positives and didn't want to focus on the negatives which is what you have to do to claim. Stupid-yeah I admit it but I bet I'm not the only one.

PasturesNew-you have a great attitude-and you are right-stratagies are the absolute key in looking ahead so you can avoid those meltdowns. There are a few adult AS support groups around-you may find them helpful. My son is 16 and I hope he can have the same positive attitude to life that you have in coping.

SarahSaver The "overload" you talk about is really common with AS and autism. Even simple things like "carpet time" in primary school were too much for my son-yet simply allowing him to sit on a chair at the side of the carpet rather than ON the carpet with the other kids helped enormously. Noise and close physical proximity are simply too much for many AS kids but schools been aware of the triggers and thinking ahead can make a huge difference.

tarajayne

My son is 13, was diagnosed with autism at 3. Started mainstream school at 5 but could not talk. Recommendation was a special school but I refused, best thing I ever did. I could not see how surrounding him with others like him would encourage him to be the same as the norm (whatever that is).By the time he was 8 he had come on amazingly, very much down to the school. In july I started working 1 to 1 with a little girl in a school as I felt I wanted to do the same for someone else, she is already showing signs of massive improvement, started reading (they said she wouldn,t) and her confidence grows daily. Think very carefully before using a special school, which I am not knocking as they are amazing. But they are not always the answer. My son now fits in perfectly, although he will never be up with everbody and does not have any particular close friends he is extremely popular, one of the top in the year for mental maths but will not do so well in his maths exam as he cannot tell you how he got the answer! He is very laid back about life now and I really feel it was because we went out of our way to treat him as normal like his brother and sisters. Be very careful to put a label on your child as it will stick with them for life. I am very, very proud of him and everyone who meets him remarks on what a lovely young man he is, some girl in the future is gonna be very lucky.

Sarahsaver

Duchy do you think that the 'sensory/neurological disorder' may be Asperger's then? I suppose they are reluctant to diagnose that.

Sweetangel do not be too downhearted. Yes it is one thing after another but life is precious and these children need more protection forom the world than most. My 7 and a half year old son is still 'leaky' but I love him to bits. Keep a note of the things that make you laugh too (not for the DLA people!) Like DS ballet dancing in the nude around the bathroom, and eating whole chillies with not so much as a grimace.

wornoutmumoftwo

thomas is nearly 4 and showing no signs of potty training, now looking into Thomas going to a special school as i cannot see him coping in mainstream. so got to get him statemented now for special needs. one thing after another.

One of my big issues is toileting, my two are 4 and 5 and although they will have a pee in the toilet, neither of them will do a number 2.

It's causing lots of rows in the house too as hubby seems to think it's my fault.

I'm seeing the educational psychologist today for some advice.

Apart from that I have found the influence of mainstream children a big plus and believe they are learning from their peer group, my 5 year old does attend a communicatin center 4 times a week as well though which helps address some of his issues and they both get a lot of support from nursery teachers and assistants.

I'm in Scotland and they are both being deferred from starting school until they are 6.

Sarahsaver

Not wanting to poo in the toilet can be to do with attachment to the poo :eek:

What you have to do is wave it bye bye;)
This worked with my DS a;though you may have to do it yourself too :rolleyes:

wornoutmumoftwo

Not wanting to poo in the toilet can be to do with attachment to the poo :eek:

What you have to do is wave it bye bye;)

Thank you I will try this. I've just seen my psychologist who has suggested it is worked into his daily routine with a visual card as he is very strong visually, so I got a one page story from his special school which he seems to understand, just need to put it into practice now.

For my 4 year old in nappies he suggested I place on potty/toilet with nappy on until he gets the idea

No luck yet but I shall persevere

...and I have finally started filling in the first claim form...

tarajayne

I use a visual card with little girl I work with. She calls it her now and next card. I made it from pink cardboard and laminated it, then found some simple pictures on computer of playtime, storytime, numeracy, lunch etc, then cut then out and laminated those. We use blutack and change them every time the activity alters so that she always knows what's happening next, also what she is expected to do without me having to repeat it, once I've asked her once I just point at the board. It has cut out 90% of her tantrums.

D&DD

Sarahsaver wrote: »

THought I would update my situation maybe it will gove others of you hope. As I say NEVER GIVE UP!
Saw the consultant Paediatric Psychologist on Friday. He said that he DEFINITELY believes my son to have difficulties **it is official at last** (kind of )...
He is 'wired up differently...' (how many times have I said that.)
They are referring DS on for PROPER tests to assess his literacy and numeracy, away from the teachers who see DS as the son of the chair of governors and brother of 2 kids who don't have to try hard. He always gets the 'well I am sure he CAN do better' from the teachers
They strongly suspect a neurological disorder where DS finds it difficult to separate out all the stimuli around him - which would expect the rages and aggression/running away - he just cannot cope with it all.
DS is also being referred to have his bladder and kidneys scanned as he is still wetting in the daytime - not right for a 7 year old - and the consultant could not believe no one had referred him before for that (he has been seing someone at a clinic but star charts do NOT work)
We are finally getting somewhere.

Hi Sarah thats exactly what they said about my son at his first diagnosis when he was 3..his brain is wired differently he has auditory processing disorder..he hears noise but cannot process it properly or seperate out background noise from speech..highly noise sensetive..
He was finally diagnosed with Autism at 6 (even though I just knew at 2!!) with a few more bits and bobs in between the two.
How is he coping at school with the processing probs??Are they aware how important these difficulties are? Let me know if I can be of any help