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A whole new world

NAS77901

This week we finally got the Autism diagnosis for my 17 year old son, after years of him being dismissed as an anxious child or shy. I am going between pure anger that my concerns were dismissed for so long by schools and GPs and that he was alienated by children his age, and happiness that we have a diagnosis.

My question is what now? He sits his Alevels in May but has barely attended college for months. His college tutors keep emailing him asking where he is and I've been explaining for months that he is being assessed but also has OCD. I feel like nobody understands what I've been saying. He is incredibly bright so will pass his exams but actually sitting them could be a challenge. His GCSEs didn't happen because of COVID.

My mind is confused- what do we need to do re his future. I'm just lost :-(

  • I'm glad your son has finally got his diagnosis, you must all be so happy about that. I know how stressful it can be so hope he's doing better now.

    Because he's been diagnosed they should make reasonable adjustments for him to make things easier and less stressful. It might be worth seeing if the GP will write to them, explaining about his diagnosis and how he is and what he needs. Hearing it from a GP might make them more understanding.

  • Im retaking my GCSE as an adult. You've missed the cut off date for the SEND department at his college/sixth form to make reasonable adjustment however you can arrange a meeting and an try and get those reasonable adaptations made. My reasonable adaption's means i do my exam at college instead of traveling to external building on college campus. it also means that i am able to take breaks during the exams, I get to use a computer because of dyslexia. my exam is printed on coloured paper and i have additional time 1/3 extra to allow me to process the information.

    Your son is kind of lucky because he is still young the college/school may allow him to retake his A levels again next year or resit the exam.  

  • Hi There! I see many people have sent you some wonderful comments. I wanted to send you think link incase you foudn it useful - The following page contains a lot of helpful information about education for a child with an autism: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/education This includes information regarding getting extra support for your child in their education setting. 

    Best,

    SarahMod

  • in reply to Leah D

    You have described my house perfectly. I remain calm but need to rant sometimes. It's so incredibly hard. Good luck to you and your teen x

  • in reply to Homebird

    I am so cross with the whole education system and zero support even when I asked for it. Thank you :-)

  • in reply to Martin

    This will be my first step after half term. I think I've been thinking long term but this answer has massively helped me to focus! Thank you :-)

  • Congrats on your son's diagnosis!

    I'm still wading through with my teenager who's 16. We are struggling daily, it's like the Gaza Strip in this house most days to be honest. In fact, as I was reading what you had written, I thought I could be reading my own autobiography lol.

    Hope things become a bit easier from here on for you.

    Best wishes,

    L xx

  • Just wanted to say congratulations for getting there. Experience here too of school and GPs dismissing our suspicions. Hopefully the college will now work with you to provide reasonable adjustments.

  • Now that your son has a clinical diagnosis, his college is mandated by law to review how your son can be accommodated so that his disability (and autism is classed as a disability) does not disadvantage him relative to his non-disabled peers. The college should put accommodations in place for him to sit his exams in as stress-free a way as possible. This should include being in a smaller room by himself, or with a few other students with similar difficulties. The expectation that autistic teenagers can perform to their best in large halls filled with other anxious teenagers is not reasonable. If the school/college has to provide extra invigilators, then it just has to, otherwise it is being discriminatory.