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In Charlote, NC - Our almost 5 year old son was recently disgnosed wth high functioning Aspergers - had to really fight for the diagnosis, special pediatricians, neorologists, psychologists, etc. for a year we kept being told it was ADD/ADHD (which he also has) we luckily have had no sensory issues, he is a loving, happy, youngest of 4. He prefers to play on his own (video games and does not want to learn to write at all) But he does interact well with my kids and their friends. His biggest issues are in a pre-school setting. We have just started a therapy program at Cyzner Institute and I question every decision I make - is it the right choice??? He is not ready for kindergarten next year - want to do a TK somewhere just thought I would see if there is anyone out there with advice. Regular Tk with therapy?? Or start him at Hawkridge where I know of several Aspergers children with far worse issues than his. His testing scores were all well above avg so I am told to put him in public school he would 'fall thru the cracks' because he won't qualify for an IEP and he is TOO HIGH FUNCTIONING. I feel like there are NO resources for me locally. HELP i am just learning and reading all i can - worried and want to do what is best for him!
Last edited by pmaynard6; 03-03-2009 at 11:52 AM..
Reason: wanted to put location
In the NC school system, if he has a dx, he can have an IEP. High Function or not. DSS (hf-ASD) repeated kindergarden because of social devleopment.... not lack of intelligence. If you feel your child will be better served by waiting another year for social development or if a private school is best for him, then go for it. But I will say, that if you do not want your child to "fall between the cracks" communication is key. Get to know the teachers, the councellors, the other parents, the students. You can help your child learn. Aspergers and ASD require different learning strategies, patience, and repitition. But the kids can excell. DSS is straight A's.... just not as socially developed as his peers.
My son was just diagnosed with Asperger's a couple weeks ago, but he had a speech problem and has had speech therapy since he was 3 1/2, and he's 5 now. He is also now getting occupational therapy, which will help with his fine motor skills, such as handwriting. His is terrible. It will also help him with his behavior and other things. We needed approval from his pediatrician for an assessment to be done. I am also now looking into wraparound services, where someone would come to our house and help him with social issues. It's hard to find info, but as I mentioned on your other post, call around and fine your local autism support and early learning centers. There should be someone to direct you.
Chin up! As long as your are your son's advocate, he will get what he needs.
I have a son with AS too he is 7. This is our second year of kindergarten and he is still having problems in school. First he does not other kids we have behavior problems cause even if another child looks at him he gets upset. you can not touch him or his stuff the gas bit kicked and hit kids because the invaded his space. He still has not learn the ABCs yet or any of that stuff yet when I talked to the principal and teacher and the special education person there is nothing they can do for him because they have no classification for autistic children or asperger children! So all the can do is classify him as is developmently delayed! They will not do anything to help him learn the stuff he needs to know. I do not know what to do anymore I wish you better luck with your son!
In Charlote, NC - Our almost 5 year old son was recently disgnosed wth high functioning Aspergers - had to really fight for the diagnosis, special pediatricians, neorologists, psychologists, etc. for a year we kept being told it was ADD/ADHD (which he also has) we luckily have had no sensory issues, he is a loving, happy, youngest of 4. He prefers to play on his own (video games and does not want to learn to write at all) But he does interact well with my kids and their friends. His biggest issues are in a pre-school setting. We have just started a therapy program at Cyzner Institute and I question every decision I make - is it the right choice??? He is not ready for kindergarten next year - want to do a TK somewhere just thought I would see if there is anyone out there with advice. Regular Tk with therapy?? Or start him at Hawkridge where I know of several Aspergers children with far worse issues than his. His testing scores were all well above avg so I am told to put him in public school he would 'fall thru the cracks' because he won't qualify for an IEP and he is TOO HIGH FUNCTIONING. I feel like there are NO resources for me locally. HELP i am just learning and reading all i can - worried and want to do what is best for him!
Couple of things.
First of all, NEVER put a kid with Asperger's with lower functioning kids. Aspies tend to be natural mimics (it's that echolalia thing) and you need to choose what's being copied. Obviously, you want him to mimic appropriate skills as a way to learn them-- not the opposite.
Second...if your child has specific issues that need addressed by the school to help him succceed, he absolutely qualifies for an IEP. He can be a straight A student, but if his executive functioning skills, social skills, pragmatics, motor planning or any of a dozen other issues are off...he's entitled to an IEP. This is one of the biggest lies schools tell, by the way. Search "LI vs Maine School Administrative District 55"-- it's the federal court case that clarified this in (I think) 2007.
I always felt ackward for my spouse's son for her pushing his schooling, but always with a " RESOURCE " class. I even felt it unfair to label him in that regard. I do see his aptittude being a lot higher, and almost normal. It's too bad our teenagers these days are very judgmental as a whole, because it is this interaction that's needed to encourage him. He views himself as more apt. than then diagnosis, and ofcourse, is still in denial, but atleast it would make sense for his self-confidence level, to try and involve him in things more normal to HIS views. Still trying that though * snicker *
In Charlote, NC - Our almost 5 year old son was recently disgnosed wth high functioning Aspergers - had to really fight for the diagnosis, special pediatricians, neorologists, psychologists, etc. for a year we kept being told it was ADD/ADHD (which he also has) we luckily have had no sensory issues, he is a loving, happy, youngest of 4. He prefers to play on his own (video games and does not want to learn to write at all) But he does interact well with my kids and their friends. His biggest issues are in a pre-school setting. We have just started a therapy program at Cyzner Institute and I question every decision I make - is it the right choice??? He is not ready for kindergarten next year - want to do a TK somewhere just thought I would see if there is anyone out there with advice. Regular Tk with therapy?? Or start him at Hawkridge where I know of several Aspergers children with far worse issues than his. His testing scores were all well above avg so I am told to put him in public school he would 'fall thru the cracks' because he won't qualify for an IEP and he is TOO HIGH FUNCTIONING. I feel like there are NO resources for me locally. HELP i am just learning and reading all i can - worried and want to do what is best for him!
Something just hit me here. If he has no sensory issues and interacts well with other kids, how did you get that Asperger's diagnosis?
I wanted to tell you my grand daughter is in a public school and she was in the EIP program at the age of 6. She is now 11 and has high functioning asperger. At age six I noticed something going on with her so I had my own outside of school evaluation done on her. I was told she had difficulty sorting lots of informaton coming at her fast. This was called LD (learning difficulty). Any recommendations by a psychologist to a parent has to be withing the federal guidelines for the school to supply what you child may need at school. The school had to have a form filled out by her doctor stating her problem. This doctor put add and once that was written all doors open up for her. EIP and extra help was given to her. All of this was good. Then as she was getting older she had no interaction with her peers. She seemed shy and ackward. Not too many social skills. Two months ago I had another evaluation done and now it's social phobia, and high functioning asperger. She goes to group therapy twice a month. We will not and never will put her on any medications. She is very smart but different. I've learned that the public school will work with you very well but you have to educate yourself on what is going on with your child. The schools try very hard to not spend the money on your child but will if you get all your ducks in a row. She has two special ed classes on math and speech. Now day lots of kids go to different classes. Special ed now days is a smaller class which these kids needs. No one looks badly at the child anymore. Tomorrow we are having a meeting with all the teachers plus a evaluator from the middle school is attending to prepare and help her in middle school next year. If I have questions or concerns I ask for meeting and we talk about different ways the school can help her. She just wants to be socially like the rest of the kids. Because she is awkward it hard for her. You know kids can be cruel. We all want the best for them but we have to prepare them to accept who they are and to get on in this life without us. I hope I have helped you. Public schools have all the tools we just have to fight for them for our kids and grand kids. All the children are different and they all have strength and weakness. I tell this to my grand children that we just have to work on our weakness and we shine through our strength. Don't be afraid be strong. It will be all right.
Couple of things.
First of all, NEVER put a kid with Asperger's with lower functioning kids. Aspies tend to be natural mimics (it's that echolalia thing) and you need to choose what's being copied. Obviously, you want him to mimic appropriate skills as a way to learn them-- not the opposite.
Second...if your child has specific issues that need addressed by the school to help him succceed, he absolutely qualifies for an IEP. He can be a straight A student, but if his executive functioning skills, social skills, pragmatics, motor planning or any of a dozen other issues are off...he's entitled to an IEP. This is one of the biggest lies schools tell, by the way. Search "LI vs Maine School Administrative District 55"-- it's the federal court case that clarified this in (I think) 2007.
I am happy to hear your advice. I can't help second guessing all my decisions. I had a choice of having my 4 year old daughter at a mixed special education preschool or keep her at her current private K-3 school with a LAUSD behaviorist working with her there. I choose the latter but I have meet a lot of people with kids doing well in a special education school.
I am happy to hear your advice. I can't help second guessing all my decisions. I had a choice of having my 4 year old daughter at a mixed special education preschool or keep her at her current private K-3 school with a LAUSD behaviorist working with her there. I choose the latter but I have meet a lot of people with kids doing well in a special education school.
I think sometimes placement depends on expectations. I know a woman whose daughter was very very similar to mine up until about second grade. She chose to place her child in a different school than I did, and K went into self-contained because her mom liked the smaller classroom size and lower pressure. At this point, four years later, K is considerably less verbal and far less socially/emotionally mature. She might have ended up that way anyway-- kids don't develop on even timelines, and I think autistic kids even less so. But it kind of makes me think, in light of the things I've read about social mimicry, that I dodged a bullet with my own daughter by refusing placement.
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high functioning asperger
