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Hello my name is and we only recently had our 12 year old son evaluated and got our diagnosis. We noticed his social difficulties when he was only 5, but the school just kept saying he was immature and just needed another year so we held him back. It was clear within the first couple of weeks that this was not the case. We went through several doctors visits etc.. and finally got a diagnosis of ADHD. To be clear we were told this is a classic case of ADHD and seeing as how both his Mother and Grandmother (very late in life) were diagnosed the same we thought wow how easy. Here we go life is going to get better for him and easier for us. LOL. We spent the next 7 years working with him and trying to determine how to best teach him to develop. So funny because as he grew he became the sweetest most lovable, respectful child who is affectionate and loves

to follow the rules. However he seemed not to grow emotionally. I would like to say that his academics are outstanding. Take out the fact he has a hard time spelling anything that doesn't follow the rules of phenetics and many times he can't even read his own handwriting his grades are well above average. As he was to make the move to middle school (in our town it starts in 6th grade) his teachers who just adore him were very nervous about his ability to adapt. We then took him to be evaluated at our local Child Development Study Center. His current doctor just kept wanting to increase meds and we were not comfortable with just drugging him more and more. Well anyway we have gotten the diagnosis and through research we have had many many enlightening moments. Talk about a description of a child read about Aspergers and there you have it. Zac does things that many other kids like him don't/can't do. He rides the bus, he has played sports and he has

adjusted to the middle school enviroment surprisingly well even to those of us who know him best, but he still needs to learn the social skills necessary to grow to be a happy well rounded adult. We have entertained the thought of a therapy group to help him learn these social cues, but have had some trouble finding anything local. Can anyone give us some advice on how to locate such group and if anone has experience with such groups? I have enjoyed reading many of the e-mails that have come across my computer lately and have found comfort it knowing that what we deal with has a name and we are not alone.

Thanks to you all.

From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@...>Subject: Re: ( ) great.... Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009, 1:15 PM

please, if you consider doing this, consult an attorney who specializes in sped first. There are requirements before you pull your kid out and place them somewhere else if you hope to file DP and get the school to pay for it. You have to follow a specific protocol in order to be successful. As the cards are already stacked against the parent/child in these cases, I'd be safe and make sure you are doing things the right way. Roxanna"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." E. Burke ( ) great.... Well, my son, Ian, 13, after having him home doing a virtual school for 6th and 7th grade, decided to "go back to school" for this year, 8th.We found a small parochial school with just 48 kids from K-12.They said they were willing to work with us, learn about Ian, AS, ADHD, OCD, and Tourttes.Ian even joined the small soccer team. It's been hard, but we're making it, academically. With no IEP and no legal means of enforcingthings, we

meet and chat by email and, like I said, they seem like they are on board. Well,,,,,,,lately Ian is getting points taken...."demerits" ....but "bugging" people, making noises, him and another boy talk and act goofy,,,,,,, ,,,,,and to top it off, if Ian is "called" on something and believes it's wrong, he argues. So,,,being a Baptist school, this is considered "disrespect" . He makes noises from time-to-time, Tourettes. But,,,,,,,,with him getting more "at ease", I think, with the kids and school, he is also getting goofy. So,,,,,,if he knows that his =20 noises, in his eyes, are funny, he makes the noise. The 2 gals in his class say, "knock it off" or whatever. So,,,,Ian does it again. They now, are saying, "You're so retarded"... ..or other not nice or acceptable things.They do this quietly or when the teacher is out of

the room for a second.This makes him more mad, so he makes more noises to tick them off.Here's the circle, ya know?So,,,then, because he doesn't have the "social" ability to hide his "naughtiness" ,,,,,he gets in trouble.Now,,,I honestly think he SHOULD get caught for trying to bug people,,,,,but I also think the other kids should too.SO,,,,here's the old stuff coming back to haunt. I'm not calling or showing up for my 5 or 8 year old......he' s now 13.At what point do I keep sticking up for him? That sounded bad. I will always defend him.I'm going in, in the morn., b/c no one should be called names.I guess I'm just sad cause I see it all happening again. Him getting sad,,,,then made.....cause knows no one wants to be with him.He's begging to come back home for school again. Saying that he just

doesnt' fit.It's crushing me. I remember how wonderful he felt and how much he socially changed when we brought him home for school. It was a fricken miricle.BUt,,,,now I see him 5 yrs from being an adult....and I'm panicking... ....wanting him to learn about the real world. Wanting him to learn that he has to just take some things...... .wanting him to see that if he would just stop the intentional noise-making, it may take a while, but they would move on and accept his UNINTENTIONAL noises. I hate this.