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Afraid of being bulldozed...again.

W

waxfingers cat

New Member
I have a 14 year old daughter that I saw aspergers/autism traits in as early as a few months old (with not smiling at me until she was 3.5 months old--problems just continued). I brought it up to professionals numerous times, but because she was connected to me and showing growth, they blew me off. When she was 8 I demanded she be tested for Auditory Processing Disorder because I knew she had trouble in many areas. She was diagnosed with that but the school just put her in speech therapy and called it day (she had problems with expression, but not speech, so it wasn't really helpful). They dismissed her at age 11 from her IEP. We moved a couple times and everything has gotten more pervasive. Every issue she's had since early childhood is now just in a 14 year old. I had an off record conversation with a licensed psychologist who said he believed she fit the scale for aspergers. I have sent in a request to the school (did that this morning) requesting specific testing for autism and an IEP review. I am afraid of getting bulldozed all over again. People think I don't know my own kid, yet I know her best. Is there some reason that professionals (doctors, educators etc.) don't want to call out autism/aspergers? Has anyone else had this sort of trouble getting help?
 
Where do you live? I live in the US and was told that the school only evaluates to see if they feel the child needs extra help. You (and I) have to go to a professional to have an evaluation done for autism.
 
In Michigan where I live, anyone can request an evaluation and the school must provide that within 30 days of a written request. Your child does not need to be failing to either be tested or receive services.
 
Also, in order to receive services from the school they must do their own evaluation and simply because they have a medical diagnosis does not mean the school will provide services. Truthfully you need both.
 
Wax fingers, it's great that the school is obligated to evaluate, but at this point, you need to strengthen your position. You are a savvy parent who knows what you are seeing needs a formal assessment, but the school is saving money by doing fewer assessments.

Go through your primary care doctor. Get a referral for a *neuropsychologust* evaluation for Autusm Spectrum Disorder. The wait may be three months. Once your daughter has her formal diagnosis, you as a parent have better leverage with the school.

Best of Luck!
 
I like your description of dealing with the bureaucratic hoops that you have to jump through, as being 'bulldozed'. It speaks volumes about the system itself.

I'm in Canada, and it's similar, although we don't have the exact same criteria for diagnosis. Nor do we have anything close to the infrastructure that aspies have access to in the US.

Diagnosing girls is often the most difficult part of the problem. They pass as shy or introverted, they fit 'in' by being quiet and few people see this as an issue. As one of my teachers said once, girls who are shy around others are acceptable.

But that doesn't help you to help your daughter. If she doesn't have visibly difficult issues that everyone can see, you are going to have to push hard. And that's what my girlfriend did with her daughter, who was shy, hardly spoke, had both auditory and sensory processing disorders that she hid when outside the home. Children learn early to hide unacceptable behaviors at school and in public.

Think that Warmhearts advice is good, find a specialist who is familiar with Asperger's and or autism, especially in females. With that diagnosis in hand, doors that were closed, will open.
 
The IEP process can be challenging and schools often resist parent requests for IEPs because special education services are so expensive. If you are having trouble with the school, look for an educational advocate experience in working with your school district. Advocates are not cheap, so if you can't afford it, you can be your own advocate by reading up on special education law at www.wrightslaw.com.
 
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