Re: A diagnosis! and a question....

[Guest guest]

I remember reading McCarthy's book and I*think (it's been awhile), but she had that kind of same feeling too. I didn't have that feeling, but I know my husband did. I was just elated that I finally got a piece of paper saying YES there is something different, but everyone is different and to each her/his own! ((hugs)) How we finally got a dx was that my mom had said something to me after I had been saying something all along, but the ball didn't get rolling until after the teacher strongly suggested I "get her tested". She refused to say what because she was prohibited by the school from saying what, but even went as far as to write a list of her symptoms. I took it to her ped and got laughed at, but pushed to get her tested. HAHAHA on HIM. lol. A girlfriend of mine who's daughter is an aspie has had many struggles with their being no "educational needs", because Aspie's tend to be very smart. Madeline is good with concrete things. Excels at math when she puts an effort towards it, but English. Lord almighty..you'd think that English was a second language. lol. It's a struggle for sure getting the right IEP in place. ((((((Carolyn)))))

Mom to my 4 girls

Madeline, Cayla, Arabella, & Vincenza

"You are the TRIP I did not take

You are the PEARLS I cannot buy

You are the blue Italian LAKE

YOU are my piece of foreign SKY"

---Anne ----

( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

I'm glad you got your diagnosis, but it is sad even if you are prepared for it. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were hoping you were wrong or that your child had something "fixable," instead of autism. It's hard to accept and wrap your mind around.

I guess I understand what the school is saying - that your daughter doesn't have educational needs, meaning she doesn't need an aide, or remedial teaching to be able to do academic work at this level. However, since she does have a diagnosis, she should have some accomodations, even if they are not "educational". Such as sensory breaks, inclusion in social skills groups or speech therapy, etc.

What do you think she needs that they will not agree to?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

They will not let her have anything, since she is 4 (just turned four), they will not admit her into the preschool. All I want is for her to be in the preschool, with NT children, and to have a place where she can have a break if she needs one, and there to always be two teachers in the room (which there is anyway).... The preschool says she has no educational needs- yet she does not know her ABC's. I realized that maybe I was being misunderstood after our last ARD where I disagreed with the team and think they may think I believe that my daughter should know and recognize all of her ABC's. What I meant was she can't even sing the song.... She mixes it up and gets very confused. She also struggles with her counting, sometimes getting it right, other

times mixing it up completely, but apparently that is "normal" for her age....

Carolyn

From: Suzanne Markwood <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 11:58 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I'm glad you got your diagnosis, but it is sad even if you are prepared for it. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were hoping you were wrong or that your child had something "fixable," instead of autism. It's hard to accept and wrap your mind around.

I guess I understand what the school is saying - that your daughter doesn't have educational needs, meaning she doesn't need an aide, or remedial teaching to be able to do academic work at this level. However, since she does have a diagnosis, she should have some accomodations, even if they are not "educational". Such as sensory breaks, inclusion in social skills groups or speech therapy, etc.

What do you think she needs that they will not agree to?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Are there any other preschools in your area she can go to? I never heard of a school not admitting a student. Do they just not have room right now? What kind of preschool is it- is it associated with the public schools?Suzanne (in Mi)Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Sender: Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:16:25 -0800 (PST) < >Reply Subject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question.... They will not let her have anything, since she is 4 (just turned four), they will not admit her into the preschool. All I want is for her to be in the preschool, with NT children, and to have a place where she can have a break if she needs one, and there to always be two teachers in the room (which there is anyway).... The preschool says she has no educational needs- yet she does not know her ABC's. I realized that maybe I was being misunderstood after our last ARD where I disagreed with the team and think they may think I believe that my daughter should know and recognize all of her ABC's. What I meant was she can't even sing the song.... She mixes it up and gets very confused. She also struggles with her counting, sometimes getting it right, othertimes mixing it up completely, but apparently that is "normal" for her age....CarolynFrom: Suzanne Markwood <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 11:58 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question.... I'm glad you got your diagnosis, but it is sad even if you are prepared for it. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were hoping you were wrong or that your child had something "fixable," instead of autism. It's hard to accept and wrap your mind around.I guess I understand what the school is saying - that your daughter doesn't have educational needs, meaning she doesn't need an aide, or remedial teaching to be able to do academic work at this level. However, since she does have a diagnosis, she should have some accomodations, even if they are not "educational". Such as sensory breaks, inclusion in social skills groups or speech therapy, etc. What do you think she needs that they will not agree to?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Suzannesuzmarkwood@...From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!Carolyn

[Guest guest]

This preschool is through the school district. I am unable to afford a private preschool. They have plenty of room, but there are certain pre requisites she must meet in order to be admitted. She must have another language as a primary language (which doesn't apply), fall under a certain household income (which they don't take into account medical expenses- and we are just above), or be admitted with a disability and have an "educational need" in order to be placed in a classroom. It is a very frustrating situation- the team has fought me from day one, and I am not giving up, but I am depressed and frustrated at this point.

Carolyn....

From: "suzmarkwood@..." <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 12:31 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Are there any other preschools in your area she can go to? I never heard of a school not admitting a student. Do they just not have room right now? What kind of preschool is it- is it associated with the public schools?Suzanne (in Mi)

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>

Sender:

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:16:25 -0800 (PST)

< >

Reply

Subject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

They will not let her have anything, since she is 4 (just turned four), they will not admit her into the preschool. All I want is for her to be in the preschool, with NT children, and to have a place where she can have a break if she needs one, and there to always be two teachers in the room (which there is anyway).... The preschool says she has no educational needs- yet she does not know her ABC's. I realized that maybe I was being misunderstood after our last ARD where I disagreed with the team and think they may think I believe that my daughter should know and recognize all of her ABC's. What I meant was she can't even sing the song.... She mixes it up and gets very confused. She also struggles with her counting, sometimes getting it right, other times mixing it up completely, but apparently that is "normal" for her age....

Carolyn

From: Suzanne Markwood <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 11:58 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I'm glad you got your diagnosis, but it is sad even if you are prepared for it. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were hoping you were wrong or that your child had something "fixable," instead of autism. It's hard to accept and wrap your mind around.

I guess I understand what the school is saying - that your daughter doesn't have educational needs, meaning she doesn't need an aide, or remedial teaching to be able to do academic work at this level. However, since she does have a diagnosis, she should have some accomodations, even if they are not "educational". Such as sensory breaks, inclusion in social skills groups or speech therapy, etc.

What do you think she needs that they will not agree to?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Special needs kids are entitled to a public school education from the age of 3, so her age is not an issue. I guess they are just saying she is not special needs enough to qualify. I wonder if you could get an independent education evaluation on her, to see if she is academically on track. What about OT, PT and speech - does she need any of those? If so, ask the school for those services.

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Will she be able to enroll in the fall? Can you afford a few days a week at a private preschool? Is there a co-op preschool in your area?Just trying to think of ideas to help, sorry your options are so limited. Suzanne (in Mi)Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Sender: Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:45:07 -0800 (PST) < >Reply Subject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question.... This preschool is through the school district. I am unable to afford a private preschool. They have plenty of room, but there are certain pre requisites she must meet in order to be admitted. She must have another language as a primary language (which doesn't apply), fall under a certain household income (which they don't take into account medical expenses- and we are just above), or be admitted with a disability and have an "educational need" in order to be placed in a classroom. It is a very frustrating situation- the team has fought me from day one, and I am not giving up, but I am depressed and frustrated at this point.Carolyn....From: "suzmarkwood@..." <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 12:31 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question.... Are there any other preschools in your area she can go to? I never heard of a school not admitting a student. Do they just not have room right now? What kind of preschool is it- is it associated with the public schools?Suzanne (in Mi)Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...> Sender: Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:16:25 -0800 (PST) < >Reply Subject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question.... They will not let her have anything, since she is 4 (just turned four), they will not admit her into the preschool. All I want is for her to be in the preschool, with NT children, and to have a place where she can have a break if she needs one, and there to always be two teachers in the room (which there is anyway).... The preschool says she has no educational needs- yet she does not know her ABC's. I realized that maybe I was being misunderstood after our last ARD where I disagreed with the team and think they may think I believe that my daughter should know and recognize all of her ABC's. What I meant was she can't even sing the song.... She mixes it up and gets very confused. She also struggles with her counting, sometimes getting it right, other times mixing it up completely, but apparently that is "normal" for her age....CarolynFrom: Suzanne Markwood <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 11:58 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question.... I'm glad you got your diagnosis, but it is sad even if you are prepared for it. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were hoping you were wrong or that your child had something "fixable," instead of autism. It's hard to accept and wrap your mind around.I guess I understand what the school is saying - that your daughter doesn't have educational needs, meaning she doesn't need an aide, or remedial teaching to be able to do academic work at this level. However, since she does have a diagnosis, she should have some accomodations, even if they are not "educational". Such as sensory breaks, inclusion in social skills groups or speech therapy, etc. What do you think she needs that they will not agree to?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Suzannesuzmarkwood@...From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Hi Carolyn,

We went through this exact same thing with our school district last fall when my

son turned 3 and aged out of early intervention. They determined that he had a

qualifying disability (they actually listed the qualifying disability as ASD,

though at the time he did not have an official dx), BUT said that the disability

did not impact his ability to access his education, so he was denied an IEP and

services. It was horrendously frustrating! I have not yet gone back to them for

round 2, although I know I will at some point (when I walked out of that

meeting, in the back of my mind I was thinking, " You haven't seen the last of

me! " ). I am planning to attend a slaw IEP training session coming to my

area this spring before I wrangle with the district again.

Could you get an advocate to help you deal with the school district? Your local

chapter of the Autism Society should be able to help you connect with a free

advocate. Also, I am finding that there are a lot of parents who are very

willing to discuss their experiences with the local school district; I will be

much better armed next time! By the way, " educational need " does not just mean

academics. Roxanna explained some of this to me last fall - under IDEA '04 it

also covers life skills. Has your daughter had any adaptive scales done? If they

were low enough, it might help you show that she is not functioning like she

should be.

I also found that when we had the evaluation through the school district, they

looked for anything to point to that would show my son was getting by well

enough in preschool. We had an independent psychologist do the same observation,

and she came away with a VERY different impression, one which confirmed the AS

dx. I guess I would say to get independent testing whenever possible, and come

to the school district armed with your own expert reports.

Good luck!

Bridget

>

>

> >From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>

> >Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

> > " " < >

> >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

> >

> >

> > 

> >I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and

kind of lurking as well   On Tuesday we finally received as close to a

diagnosis as I have received so far: " Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with

sensory integration problems " .  I guess I can consider this a diagnosis

right?  Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the

diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being

on the spectrum?????  I have been depressed the last few days.....

> >The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school

tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was

a possibility of them not having educational needs???  I am fighting with the

school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that

there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't

have educational needs....  I am SO frustrated right now!

> >Carolyn

> >

>

[Guest guest]

They will not let her enroll until she has an "educational need". Unfortunately, there is not a coop that I know of in my area, and I am not sure she would be a good fit. Since I work such odd hours (7am to 7pm 3 days per week), it is difficult to get a good program for her, since her dad has so many disabilities and issues and isn't always trustworthy. Not to mention that I am paying SO much out in medical expenses at this point that it would be a huge strain on our budget to add anything else.....

Carolyn

From: "suzmarkwood@..." <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 1:54 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Will she be able to enroll in the fall? Can you afford a few days a week at a private preschool? Is there a co-op preschool in your area?Just trying to think of ideas to help, sorry your options are so limited. Suzanne (in Mi)

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>

Sender:

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:45:07 -0800 (PST)

< >

Reply

Subject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

This preschool is through the school district. I am unable to afford a private preschool. They have plenty of room, but there are certain pre requisites she must meet in order to be admitted. She must have another language as a primary language (which doesn't apply), fall under a certain household income (which they don't take into account medical expenses- and we are just above), or be admitted with a disability and have an "educational need" in order to be placed in a classroom. It is a very frustrating situation- the team has fought me from day one, and I am not giving up, but I am depressed and frustrated at this point.

Carolyn....

From: "suzmarkwood@..." <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 12:31 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Are there any other preschools in your area she can go to? I never heard of a school not admitting a student. Do they just not have room right now? What kind of preschool is it- is it associated with the public schools?Suzanne (in Mi) Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>

Sender:

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:16:25 -0800 (PST)

< >

Reply

Subject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

They will not let her have anything, since she is 4 (just turned four), they will not admit her into the preschool. All I want is for her to be in the preschool, with NT children, and to have a place where she can have a break if she needs one, and there to always be two teachers in the room (which there is anyway).... The preschool says she has no educational needs- yet she does not know her ABC's. I realized that maybe I was being misunderstood after our last ARD where I disagreed with the team and think they may think I believe that my daughter should know and recognize all of her ABC's. What I meant was she can't even sing the song.... She mixes it up and gets very confused. She also struggles with her counting, sometimes getting it right, other times mixing it up completely, but apparently that is "normal" for her age....

Carolyn

From: Suzanne Markwood <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 11:58 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I'm glad you got your diagnosis, but it is sad even if you are prepared for it. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were hoping you were wrong or that your child had something "fixable," instead of autism. It's hard to accept and wrap your mind around.

I guess I understand what the school is saying - that your daughter doesn't have educational needs, meaning she doesn't need an aide, or remedial teaching to be able to do academic work at this level. However, since she does have a diagnosis, she should have some accomodations, even if they are not "educational". Such as sensory breaks, inclusion in social skills groups or speech therapy, etc.

What do you think she needs that they will not agree to?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

She is currently receiving private OT and ST, but as they keep telling me, clinical therapies are "different, and more lenient" than educational therapies. In a 20 min snapshot they determined that she was not eligible for OT (the therapist is a jerk, sorry he was just really mouthy and nasty to me). And because she is just a little behind in her speech she doesn't need speech.... The whole process has been a frustrating one. Up until this week they insisted that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her and that I was nuts. My advocate got them to do a BASC2 and sensory integration assessment with her therapists (who are really the only ones that have had constant interactions with her, since she is not in school anywhere else), and that proved that

others, not just me, felt that she had a problem!

Carolyn

From: <jennywatson@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 1:51 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Special needs kids are entitled to a public school education from the age of 3, so her age is not an issue. I guess they are just saying she is not special needs enough to qualify. I wonder if you could get an independent education evaluation on her, to see if she is academically on track. What about OT, PT and speech - does she need any of those? If so, ask the school for those services.

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Hi Carolyn, so your daughter is in preschool now? How is she doing in the

classroom, any problems, even social?? I saw you mentioned not knowing ABC's

well, etc. Apparently that's fine with them, sigh. Will she be in kindergarten

next year or does she have another year before it?? Was just thinking that if

she is supposed to know them for K, then seems school would want to jump on this

now to get her ready.

I know with my oldest son (now 25, typical), he had speech problems with

articulation, saying some words/sounds. And school in Kindergarten was like

" well at his age, not having that sound is fine, he's not behind... " and I just

wanted to complain " well, why can all the others in the room say words with that

sound in them...? " that type thing. So they were saying he wasn't " behind " . I

guess all the others in the class were just " ahead. " Argh!

Schools do look at her everything affects education/learning. We don't live in

a large city, don't know if that is the difference or not, but our system wasn't

any help with socialization problems either; from what I read here and

elsewhere, other school systems offer help in this area.

Yep, was a bit sad with actual diagnosis but also felt...oh, I dunno, just that,

" yes, I was right! " because some others couldn't see it.

>

> I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and

kind of lurking as well   On Tuesday we finally received as close to a

diagnosis as I have received so far: " Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with

sensory integration problems " .  I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? 

Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even

though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the

spectrum?????  I have been depressed the last few days.....

> The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school

tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was

a possibility of them not having educational needs???  I am fighting with the

school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that

there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't

have educational needs....  I am SO frustrated right now!

> Carolyn

>

[Guest guest]

Thank heavens she has another year before kindergarten (she just barely turned four). She is not actually in the classroom anywhere, she went to a preschool class in the district for 4 days so they could "evaluate" how she would do. Now I am regretting that decision because all they have done is hold it against me! "She did fine in the classroom, she played appropriately, got in line, ate lunch, attempted to make friends with another child". Thing is, that yeah she will go up to another child and try to make friends ("will you be my friend"), but she doesn't ever follow that up with anything, like actually playing cooperatively!. She can parallel play just fine, but when it comes to playing a game or house or other simple games she will either opt out or get

upset in the "game" because she didn't win or get her way..... I have to initiate many of her contacts with other children, and she will just walk away in the middle of playing.... It is hard for me to watch, especially when her older sister is the opposite!!

Carolyn

From: <@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 5:13 PMSubject: ( ) Re: A diagnosis! and a question....

Hi Carolyn, so your daughter is in preschool now? How is she doing in the classroom, any problems, even social?? I saw you mentioned not knowing ABC's well, etc. Apparently that's fine with them, sigh. Will she be in kindergarten next year or does she have another year before it?? Was just thinking that if she is supposed to know them for K, then seems school would want to jump on this now to get her ready. I know with my oldest son (now 25, typical), he had speech problems with articulation, saying some words/sounds. And school in Kindergarten was like "well at his age, not having that sound is fine, he's not behind..." and I just wanted to complain "well, why can all the others in the room say words with that sound in them...?" that type thing. So they were saying he wasn't "behind". I guess all the others in the class were just "ahead." Argh!Schools do look at her everything affects education/learning. We don't live in a large

city, don't know if that is the difference or not, but our system wasn't any help with socialization problems either; from what I read here and elsewhere, other school systems offer help in this area. Yep, was a bit sad with actual diagnosis but also felt...oh, I dunno, just that, "yes, I was right!" because some others couldn't see it. >> I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel

totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....> The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!> Carolyn>

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[Guest guest]

My son doesn't have "educational needs" and is being very shortchanged by his school district. And they're right. Adam is way too bright. He tests ahead on every educational test they've given. Years ahead in reading, and just a year ahead in Math. He is on a 504 because the process of writing is keeping him from advancing as he should. But, it's not enough because he's getting older and has to take more notes. He can't keep up with notetaking at all.FawnFrom: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Thu, February 10, 2011 11:45:50 AMSubject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

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[Guest guest]

That is such BS!!! So your 4 year old ( i also have a 4yr old by the way ) does not know her abc's barely , has troubles with counting , and they dont think thats an educational need? lol I hate hearing " your son may not have an educational need" its like ummmm yes he does , education doesnt just stop when he leaves this classroom, i wish school districts would realize that we need to help these kids be as well rounded as they can be , at home and at school!! I am willing to do my part at home , i just dont understand why they cant do theirs at school!! I havent had to many problems yet with the school.... my son will start next year , i pulled him out of the private preschool he was at because it was a joke , and his sensory problems were to much at the time , and the teacher was

really horrible , i have heard great things about the public school he will be going to for preschool ( he will be an older one in his class) but right now its the start of all the screenings and blah blah , they have told me that after they do the testing that we may find he doesnt have any educational needs , but i just reply " mmmm no he does!!" and then they just start talking about something else , lol soooo i know i will have to battle just like you are sooner or later once school approaches !So just to make sure i have this right .... your son isnt in preschool even tho he is 4? And they wont let your son into preschool?Best wishes with everything for your son!! Keep fighting for him!! Meaghan :)From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Thu, February 10, 2011 12:16:25 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

They will not let her have anything, since she is 4 (just turned four), they will not admit her into the preschool. All I want is for her to be in the preschool, with NT children, and to have a place where she can have a break if she needs one, and there to always be two teachers in the room (which there is anyway).... The preschool says she has no educational needs- yet she does not know her ABC's. I realized that maybe I was being misunderstood after our last ARD where I disagreed with the team and think they may think I believe that my daughter should know and recognize all of her ABC's. What I meant was she can't even sing the song.... She mixes it up and gets very confused. She also struggles with her counting, sometimes getting it right, other

times mixing it up completely, but apparently that is "normal" for her age....

Carolyn

From: Suzanne Markwood <suzmarkwood@...> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 11:58 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I'm glad you got your diagnosis, but it is sad even if you are prepared for it. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were hoping you were wrong or that your child had something "fixable," instead of autism. It's hard to accept and wrap your mind around.

I guess I understand what the school is saying - that your daughter doesn't have educational needs, meaning she doesn't need an aide, or remedial teaching to be able to do academic work at this level. However, since she does have a diagnosis, she should have some accomodations, even if they are not "educational". Such as sensory breaks, inclusion in social skills groups or speech therapy, etc.

What do you think she needs that they will not agree to? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>Subject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question...." " < >Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Can he type Fawn?? Maybe you can have written int he 504 about a computer in school?? If he can't type, try to teach him to type, it worked for me:) Also, I would push for an OT eval, if he is struggling that much in handwriting then he may have OT issues

Carolyn

From: Fawn Kazmierczak <lostfranklingirl@...> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 10:14 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

My son doesn't have "educational needs" and is being very shortchanged by his school district. And they're right. Adam is way too bright. He tests ahead on every educational test they've given. Years ahead in reading, and just a year ahead in Math. He is on a 504 because the process of writing is keeping him from advancing as he should. But, it's not enough because he's getting older and has to take more notes. He can't keep up with notetaking at all.Fawn

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Thu, February 10, 2011 11:45:50 AMSubject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Search weather shortcut.

[Guest guest]

He types semi-well. He's still a hunt and pecker, but he's fast at it. The district right now won't allow him to have a laptop, even just a little netbook. I know he would have issues trying to type during lectures as well. It's best right now that he just be able to listen, and take his own notes later. It's still a process for us, and a very frustrating one. I'm trying to find an advocate right now. We've been buried under 2+ feet of snow this week, so I've had to put it off. Next week looks ok, though.FawnFrom: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Fri, February 11, 2011 6:54:12 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Can he type Fawn?? Maybe you can have written int he 504 about a computer in school?? If he can't type, try to teach him to type, it worked for me:) Also, I would push for an OT eval, if he is struggling that much in handwriting then he may have OT issues

Carolyn

From: Fawn Kazmierczak <lostfranklingirl@...> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 10:14 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

My son doesn't have "educational needs" and is being very shortchanged by his school district. And they're right. Adam is way too bright. He tests ahead on every educational test they've given. Years ahead in reading, and just a year ahead in Math. He is on a 504 because the process of writing is keeping him from advancing as he should. But, it's not enough because he's getting older and has to take more notes. He can't keep up with notetaking at all.Fawn

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Thu, February 10, 2011 11:45:50 AMSubject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Search weather shortcut.

[Guest guest]

Fawn, I remember the other accomodation I used to have in college and it made all the difference in the world..... I always took a tape recorder with me to class, taped the lectures and then took it home and could pause or rewind the thing when I needed to clarify! It worked WONDERS!!!

Carolyn

From: Fawn Kazmierczak <lostfranklingirl@...> Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 7:18 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

He types semi-well. He's still a hunt and pecker, but he's fast at it. The district right now won't allow him to have a laptop, even just a little netbook. I know he would have issues trying to type during lectures as well. It's best right now that he just be able to listen, and take his own notes later. It's still a process for us, and a very frustrating one. I'm trying to find an advocate right now. We've been buried under 2+ feet of snow this week, so I've had to put it off. Next week looks ok, though.Fawn

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Fri, February 11, 2011 6:54:12 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Can he type Fawn?? Maybe you can have written int he 504 about a computer in school?? If he can't type, try to teach him to type, it worked for me:) Also, I would push for an OT eval, if he is struggling that much in handwriting then he may have OT issues

Carolyn

From: Fawn Kazmierczak <lostfranklingirl@...> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 10:14 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

My son doesn't have "educational needs" and is being very shortchanged by his school district. And they're right. Adam is way too bright. He tests ahead on every educational test they've given. Years ahead in reading, and just a year ahead in Math. He is on a 504 because the process of writing is keeping him from advancing as he should. But, it's not enough because he's getting older and has to take more notes. He can't keep up with notetaking at all.Fawn

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Thu, February 10, 2011 11:45:50 AMSubject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

CarolynDon't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Search weather shortcut.

[Guest guest]

What problem do they admit she is having?

Secondly, request a full educational evaluation in writing. It is true that just because a child has a dx, doesn't mean they qualify for services. But they may not be considering all areas of need either.

Roxanna

“Our lives begin to end the day we

become silent about things that matter.†- Luther King, Jr.

( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

I also used tape recorders in a couple of my classes, ones that were 99% lecture. It worked well until I was able to teach myself type as I listened (a trick I learned from my mother). I'll have to see if that can be allowed.FawnFrom: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Sun, February 13, 2011 10:19:29 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Fawn, I remember the other accomodation I used to have in college and it made all the difference in the world..... I always took a tape recorder with me to class, taped the lectures and then took it home and could pause or rewind the thing when I needed to clarify! It worked WONDERS!!!

Carolyn

From: Fawn Kazmierczak <lostfranklingirl@...> Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 7:18 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

He types semi-well. He's still a hunt and pecker, but he's fast at it. The district right now won't allow him to have a laptop, even just a little netbook. I know he would have issues trying to type during lectures as well. It's best right now that he just be able to listen, and take his own notes later. It's still a process for us, and a very frustrating one. I'm trying to find an advocate right now. We've been buried under 2+ feet of snow this week, so I've had to put it off. Next week looks ok, though.Fawn

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Fri, February 11, 2011 6:54:12 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

Can he type Fawn?? Maybe you can have written int he 504 about a computer in school?? If he can't type, try to teach him to type, it worked for me:) Also, I would push for an OT eval, if he is struggling that much in handwriting then he may have OT issues

Carolyn

From: Fawn Kazmierczak <lostfranklingirl@...> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 10:14 AMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

My son doesn't have "educational needs" and is being very shortchanged by his school district. And they're right. Adam is way too bright. He tests ahead on every educational test they've given. Years ahead in reading, and just a year ahead in Math. He is on a 504 because the process of writing is keeping him from advancing as he should. But, it's not enough because he's getting older and has to take more notes. He can't keep up with notetaking at all.Fawn

From: Carolyn Weisbard <ccweisbard@...>" " < >Sent: Thu, February 10, 2011 11:45:50 AMSubject: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

CarolynDon't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Search weather shortcut.

Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Search weather shortcut.

[Guest guest]

They have done an extensive evaluation on her. However, their methods are questionable to me.... They used a teacher who had been with her for 3 hrs/day for a total of 4 days to fill out the BASC2. When we had her therapists fill out the forms, all the areas were elevated, as they were on mine. Problem we are having is that they seem to have a very low standard for a 3/4 yr old. I am not asking for a lot, all I want is for her to be placed in the preschool program with an accomodation or two. I personally believe that a 4 yr old should be able to sing her ABC's.... She just barely got the tune down this week, and still struggles with several of the letters. She also struggles to count, and if you switch up the colors or have her count while putting them in the bucket, she is liable to start skipping numbers. They have said things to me like "just because she has a sensory problem doesn't

mean I am going to bring her in and swing her in therapy, we don't do that here" (when I never said that I wanted that, I just wanted it to be something they were aware of). On all of her testing she scored either very high for a 3 yr old or very low for a 3 yr old. Problem is she was still three when the tests were being done so she was still "within range" for a 3 yr old..... They insist that she has no "educational need". Now, I did realize last week that they thought I was saying that a 3 yr old should recognize and recite and write their ABC's, but really what I was saying is to sing the song. Anyway, it has been a battle for 6mths now, and I am sure it isn't going to get better any time soon....

Carolyn

From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@...> Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 5:38 PMSubject: Re: ( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

What problem do they admit she is having?Secondly, request a full educational evaluation in writing. It is true that just because a child has a dx, doesn't mean they qualify for services. But they may not be considering all areas of need either.

Roxanna“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.†- Luther King, Jr.

( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Did you get a full educational evaluation?

Roxanna

“Our lives begin to end the day we

become silent about things that matter.†- Luther King, Jr.

( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

" " < >

Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

I am in the process of setting up an IEE right now, but have gotten the go ahead to do it :)Sent from my iPadOn Mar 1, 2011, at 8:58 PM, Roxanna <MadIdeas@...> wrote:

Did you get a full educational evaluation?

Roxanna

“Our lives begin to end the day we

become silent about things that matter.†- Luther King, Jr.

( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

" " < >

Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 9:45 AM

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Well, the OT will swing her if she gets an IEP and this becomes part of her educational plan. I get so tired of hearing, "We don't do that." The law says that they will. You also have to consider that getting her into that particular program with an idiot will not be all that helpful. I mean, I have fought to get my ds's what they needed only to find the same person who did a crappy eval did a crappy job in weekly therapy too. Not always, but you have to consider that part of it.

Whenever you disagree with the school's evaluations, you can get an outside evaluation done (IEE) at their expense. This is a great way to get an impartial opinion - make sure it is not anyone associated with the school system.

As for test scores, they can be interpreted in various ways. I once had a psychologist put the scores on a line chart with the numbers spaced in such a way as to make it seem like the scores were really all pretty close together. It was a nice little trick. She used numbers between two points to achieve a nice look. She also left out some of the more important scores. One time, they used the wrong age to score the test. I have a lot of stories like this over the years. But it just shows you that they can get rather creative in describing these things. I don't know if your team did these sorts of things or not. But you have to know or find out what test was given and what it scores. Then you have to determine if you should be comparing that score with her other scores or with her peers. You know, it's like grading on a curve - how many times do we get told, "All kids...." or "None of the other kids in the class can do that either." Comparing is a subjective business. So you have to figure out how best to use what you are given.

Kids with learning problems often have a very uneven profile. So they have a high score here, a low one there. Then when those are averaged together, you end up with a middle of the road score, which on the face of it, seems like a "normal" score. But it's not. You have to find out what the standard deviation is for each test and apply that to the scores. If your child has a set of scores of 15, 3, 9 and12 - just picking numbers here - you get an average of 9.75. So they might say, "Look, she has a nice average score here!" But if you look at the subtest scores, you see things are not looking so average. If the standard deviation is 3, then you have a major gap between the scores.

So there are often ways that these scores are presented that make us parents think we are nuts and there is no problem. But you should get someone not connected with the school to help you go over the testing or request an IEE. Also, look at what is being tested. I once requested an OT eval for handwriting issues and they came back gushing at what a high VMI score my kid had. But a closer look at the areas he was struggling with show that he was lagging behind in other important areas. So they can point to a really high score in an effort to sidetrack parents. You know, if his VMI score is in the 99%ile, he does not need OT!! That is the theory they promoted at the time. But he gets one hour of OT a week now.

So you have to question what you are told when it doesn't make sense. Ask to have things in writing. Or write a follow up letter to share what you are being told. (i.e. the OT who says he won't do a particular thing.)

Roxanna

“Our lives begin to end the day we

become silent about things that matter.†- Luther King, Jr.

( ) A diagnosis! and a question....

I have been here on the list, answering a few questions here and there, and kind of lurking as well On Tuesday we finally received as close to a diagnosis as I have received so far: "Most likely on the Autism Spectrum with sensory integration problems". I guess I can consider this a diagnosis right? Anyway, did any of ya'll feel totally sad when you received the diagnosis, even though you were already aware of your child's most likely being on the spectrum????? I have been depressed the last few days.....

The other question I had was whether or not anyone had ever had the school tell them that even though their child may be autistic or aspie, that there was a possibility of them not having educational needs??? I am fighting with the school district right now, I have finally got them to remit to the fact that there is an issue, but they still say they can't help her because she doesn't have educational needs.... I am SO frustrated right now!

Carolyn