Whilst Riley isn't ASd only sensory I noticed a big change when we removed 320 from his diet, it really effects him but most of the other failsafe stuff he didn't change much.
We have virtually no additives in food in this house so there isn't much to change. I'm allergic to a common additive so we make most of our food from scratch. Both the little monsters go monstrous when you give them lots of sugar, no surprises there. If we could work out our quirky little communication issues - something we the adults do need professional help with as it really doesn't come naturally, and I freely admit we have issues - we'd have the perfect child. She is otherwise quite well behaved.
The assessment process is slow, isn't it? We've gone from GP to a general counsellor (who was useless) to one paed to the second paed with some very cathartic venting to the child and youth mental health mob (who basically said 'you need to see someone and get her assessed properly'), and that process alone took well over a year. We sent back a bunch of forms and whatnot some time ago, both self-filled and from her teacher, and I have no idea what happens now. I assume they are going to get back to us next, this has all fallen by the wayside a little with the new baby arriving.
I used to be on another forum where I (mistakenly) vented before I really knew about aspergers and wanted ideas (some help, sympathy and support would have been nice too), I got seriously howled down and told how much I must hate her and to 'just go get her assessed' as if it would be an overnight thing where you just pop out to see a paediatrician like you'd see a hairdresser and get your kid pigeonholed and rubber stamped in a happy little hour long appointment. No, its a really slow process, and thanks for nothing ladies. It seems much more supportive here.
ETA: I think I need to hire Lulu as a translator. She seems to actually know where DD#1 is coming from. I've never really hit that in an adult before.
Last edited by deletedit; August 2nd, 2010 at 06:05 PM.
I am so frustrated at the moment at the education system, I have been trying to get extra help for the ASD boy in my class and have recently found out the missing link between me and the funding support occurred within my own school FFS! The woman from district office is great but because I have to follow a "chain of command" so to speak I get stuffed around.
Then I wanted to go to an all day inservice on ASD and the (insert swearword) boss said it was too much to replace me for the day and pay for the course. HOW THE F am I supposed to give this boy the best I can give if no-one will help me???????
Sorry for the vent but I think what happens next year when he has a teacher who has no idea about any of this. I am "lucky" in that heaps of the OT Riley does is relevant to school.
My book arrived from Borders today - Fun with the out of sync child, I am looking forward to starting it later when I get some peace!
Nah, Christy is the guru......but I am a good interpreter
RE - you can cut out about a year of head/wall/desk banging if you go straight to a Paed that specialises in Spectrum disorders. I't's been my experience (and well as a few others I've met) that anyone 'general' really doesn't have a clue. Tothe point we have been told our children are NOT on the spectrum when later (and proper) tests showed they bloody well ARE. Just like we thought.
Mrsmac - has Riley been fully assessed? I don't think you can write it off as just sensory until full testing has been done babe. I was nearly completely convinced Mitch was only sensory....until school started and then I KNEW those dorks were wrong.
Aspergers itself was only really recognised around 1994. It's not really a long time at all
Riley has only been assessed by 2 OTs who specialise in spectrum kids (and informally by Christy LOL) I sometimes think he definitely is then other days not. There is a great paediatric psychologist near here who has been recommended to me so I may take R to see him.
He starts speech next week, our early intervention teacher who has observed him thinks he might have verbal dyspraxia so I am interested in what the speechie says.
I know its awful to whinge but it all costs so much, we had to stop the 1st Ot cause she only did 1 hour sessions and they were $122, we got $55 back even with a healthcare plan, thank goodness the new OT works in 1/2 hours and is cheaper (and closer) She is lovely, I have known her through school and another mutual friend for a few years- she was actually on Come Dine with me Australia!! (she hated it, they portrayed her sooo badly she got hate mail LOL)
The first paed we saw was useless - and it was a very short appt - but he referred us to the other guy, who seems good, but I haven't heard back from him yet. Probably a busy man. He thought she had elements of aspergers and oppositional defiance whatsit but wanted us to do an educational assessment as he thought some of her 'problems' were to do with being gifted and wanted an IQ test etc. The midwife I have visiting said the second fellow is really good. She had a look in DD#1's room while she was there and boggled at her castle - it is this massive lego thing, and all the pieces have been meticulously sorted by shape and colour lol
Must be a bit better having one parent who is on the spectrum, even slightly, because you'd have more of a chance of seeing things their way. Self and partner are definitely not on the spectrum, but in hindsight my ex is seriously on the spectrum but has never been assessed. He's beyond weird. What little contact I have with him (and it is *very* little contact) is irritatingly frustrating, repetitive, nitpicky, verbose and generally is *exactly* like trying to talk to her, except she's a child and he's supposed to be an adult. I broke up with him in 2000 (yes, I realise she was born in 2001) and he only started getting access when she was about 3 so its nature, not nurture that gives them both the same quirks.
So Christy would have told you about all the cashola available if he did go through a formal process and was diagnosed?
Even if she has I will repeat it for the benefit of everyone because it's really important for people to know about it.
If you end up with an aspy dx, you get (for the under 6's) $12,000 to spend over the period of 2 years on ALL the therapists you will need.
I wish wish wish I had done it earlier (and $$$ was a huge problem for me), because now I can see all the things available to him, I can see what a HUGE difference it would have made. One year of the things I have only just started with him, could literally have been the difference between a slightly bumpy transition to school and where we are now. With me having to homeschool DS until we can 'catch him up' on the emotional side.
I'm pretty sure there is also a 'helping to get diagnosis' type medicare rebate available if you suspect Autism/Aspergers.
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