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9 yr old undergoing statutory assessment and diagnosis looking likely

Joltek

Hi, my son is 9 next week and I have suspected for many years that he was on spectrum but have had no cause to go for a formal diagnosis as I was happy with the help he was getting at school paid for by top up funding. This funding is now being scrapped and he is being assessed for a statement. As part of that process we saw a paediatrician today who  told me that she was fairly sure he had ASD and will put this on the statement and has given me a couple of questionnaires to fill out before I meet with her again to discuss diagnosis. 

I just have a few questions really. Can this paediatrician diagnose him by herself or is there lots of people he has to see before that happens? is the diagnosis likely to improve his chances of getting a statement? What, if any, other good things can come from having a diagnosis? Could it stick with him to adulthood and help him if he needs support to get a job etc?

Thanks for any help, I came home very pleased that it seems I won't have to battle for diagnosis but still a bit overwhelmed by it all. 

  • I think it may depend on the area you live in and whether they have a special unit for diagnosing children with Autism. In my area it used to be done by the peadiatrician but then the unit was set up and the peadiatricians now refer children to that.  The role of the ed. psych. is not in the diagnosis but in detirmining what particular educational need he/she has.

  • Hi - I think in these difficult times, financially, a diagnosis is helpful for getting a statement.  All the cost cutting means the bar is raised all the tim so a few yrs ago things could have been easier because there was more money in the system(s).  When my son was diagnosed (yrs ago now) we had a number of professionals visit + we went to see a paediatrician regularly. It took about 9 months.  I've read posts on here where some people seem to have to wait ages for a diagnosis, whereas others seem to get 1 more quickly + with fewer professionals involved.  It may depend on where you live.  If anyone wants to disagree with me on this (just what I've gleaned from the posts) then please do so as I don't want to give wrong info to anybody.  A diagnosis will allow you to claim dla + benefits later on when he is older, if he needs to.  It should also help you fight your corner if you have to to get him the support he might need at primary school + especially when he moves into secondary.

  • """I just have a few questions really. Can tpaediatric social diagnose him by herself or is there lots of people he has to see before that happens? is the diagnosis likely to improve his chances of getting a statement? What, if any, other good things can come from having a diagnosis? Could it stick with him to adulthood and help him if he needs support to get a job etc?"""

    Hi Joltek, I dont have the answers myself, but i will be very interested to see what others think. 

    I hope you get the answers you want and the outcome best for your son.  I am in roughly the same position with my daughter.  Its so hard, very frustrating and feels like you get no where fast....

    Thoughts are with you... Denise