Diagnosis Autism Final Assessment

So the time has come. The decision will be made. What will that decision be? Diagnosis Autism ?  Will there be any going back? How much will it change things? Tomorrow we attend a social clinic. There they will film my son. And me. Playing. They want to analyse whether he has imaginative play and what his relationships are like. And well I don’t know what they are doing. Probably  for the best. But from this they will finally decide whether my son will get the diagnosis Autism. Or not. See my previous post about This is My Child: Undiagnosed.

Diagnosis Autism The Emotional Rollercoaster

I am riding a massive emotional rollercoaster. I’m not good with emotions myself. Maybe that’s the problem. He does not need a diagnosis Autism. Maybe he just needs better support than I can give. But the more I wish this was the case I just can’t accept it this time. My son has special needs. I wish it were even less obvious. I mean it doesn’t even matter – he is happy! He is supported. He is loved. I do not even know what I’m scared of. He has made new friends at school and is settling well. The school are supportive and have put in place full time 1:1 support. They accept he has additional needs, whether or not he gets a diagnosis Autism. They do not think I am doing anything wrong.

Diagnosis Autism or Not and Impact on the Statement of Special Educational Needs

When a child receives a Statement they must have a Primary need in one of the 3 areas. Basically there’s behaviour, Cognition and Learning, and Communication and Interaction. To attend a Communication and Interaction Centre (as suggested was the most suitable place for our son) then the child MUST have Communication and Interaction as their PRIMARY NEED. The Communication and Interaction team usually see the child for a lot longer than they have seen my son so far (the delay is a whole other story) and because he doesn’t have, but is awaiting to see if he is going to get, a diagnosis Autism they felt it wasn’t worth arguing against the fact that his Statement has his primary need as identified as being Cognition and Learning. That the panel who decides if a child can go to their Communication and interaction centre would be most likely to turn him down too, as there’s not enough “evidence.” But the communication and interaction team stayed with him because I wanted him to go to this centre (where most of the children have Autism). But what if it is not diagnosis Autism? Then what? His statement will not be changed and he will not keep the team looking after him. The switch sounds like it will then be harder to get the hours on his statement.

Diagnosis Autism realising how lucky we are

Maybe I am just panicking. I keep being told how lucky I am. And I know there are children who need so much more care, I do. My son is lucky and I am lucky to have him, that I do not deny. And to have a Statement in place before he even started school too. But that doesn’t stop me worrying about my little boy and wanting to do the best by him.

So we shall wait for tomorrow and see what it brings.

Here is a help page by the NHS

This is not a sponsored post.