Advice about autism

mmalaka

Hello,

I am trying to get my child to be checked for autism. we are not sure yet if she got autism. she got an assesment but they did not confirm anything.

After waiting for ages for the public health to get back to me. I am going for private

I am for a call back from those

http://www.listeningtherapycentre.com/welcome/

Any one here using them?Are they good?
Do you recommend any other centre?

Thanks

Nevyn

How old is your child?

mmalaka

she is 4 years old

Nevyn

My son was assessed by the educational physiologist in the hse child and family center
after a referral was made from his school. We had a first appointment with in a month and a dx with in 5 months and then a schedule was put together for him to learn socail skills and for some speech therapy as well.

It seem that to access the public system a referral has to come from a dr or school and for them to push it and the sooner a child is seen and then supported the better.

The program we took part in was the Incredible years Dina school program.
http://www.incredibleyears.com/products/products.asp

Dina Dinosaur Child Training Programs (Small Group Therapy) (ages 4-8)
Making Friends and Learning Rules; Understanding and Detecting Feelings; How to Do Your Best in School; Problem-Solving Steps; How to Be Friendly; How to Talk With Friends;

mmalaka

Thaedydal wrote: »

My son was assessed by the educational physiologist in the hse child and family center
after a referral was made from his school. We had a first appointment with in a month and a dx with in 5 months and then a schedule was put together for him to learn socail skills and for some speech therapy as well.

It seem that to access the public system a referral has to come from a dr or school and for them to push it and the sooner a child is seen and then supported the better.

The program we took part in was the Incredible years Dina school program.
http://www.incredibleyears.com/products/products.asp

thanks for your reply
we got a referral from the pre school and we had an appointment last november...they did not confrimed anything...they asked us to fill forms for more appointments....we got a confirmation letter that we are on the list...then they send us a letter last week saying that there is a delay on this...

Nevyn

That is usually how it goes, children who are in school already get priority as it interferes with their education. Also it takes several sessions and building up a a mosaic of several interactions and observances of the child before they can make a full and proper dx.

I know it nearly had my nerves gone as we waited after the first appointment to be told when the sessions will start and then the long process of attending the clinic and them linking in with the school until they finally make a call on the final diagnoses.

mmalaka

Thaedydal wrote: »

That is usually how it goes, children who are in school already get priority as it interferes with their education. Also it takes several sessions and building up a a mosaic of several interactions and observances of the child before they can make a full and proper dx.

I know it nearly had my nerves gone as we waited after the first appointment to be told when the sessions will start and then the long process of attending the clinic and them linking in with the school until they finally make a call on the final diagnoses.

she will be joining the school this Sept....we are so worry about how her progress will be.....

Nevyn

Once there is a dx then a lot of suport services will open up to her and to you and the school, it's just hard not knowing cos once you do you can start planning and dealing with it. I found my son's dx a relief as we had a name for it and then could start understanding and help ourselves to help him.

mmalaka

Thaedydal wrote: »

Once there is a dx then a lot of suport services will open up to her and to you and the school, it's just hard not knowing cos once you do you can start planning and dealing with it. I found my son's dx a relief as we had a name for it and then could start understanding and help ourselves to help him.

ur reply made me feel positive...thanks for that

How is ur son doing in school?is he in normal school? I was afraid that we are late....and yes it is very hard when yo do not know....

V1llianous

My son was diagnosed after a referal to the local Child and Family Centre.

Our GP referred him to both a Development Paeditrician and the local Child and Family Centre. In our experience the Dev. Paed consultant wasn't much use as they said he was too young to diagnose (just over 3 yrs). When we got appointments at the local Child and family centre he was evaluated by a speech therapist and a child physologist who made the diagnosis. After the diagnosis was made he had some more sessions with both along with visits from the nurse, and then was referred to Beechpark services for ongoing sessions and support. Now we have been taken under BP services wing he has been discharged from the local service.

We've had him in a special pre-school since May and the developments he's made are quite dramatic.

Hope this helps.

My 2cents would be to ask GP to refer him to local services as well as a consultant, if one comes up and is worthwhile first you can always cancel the appointment.

Just to note that if you apply for the home tuition grant or disabled child tax relief you will probably need a diagnosis from a pyschologist or a consultant and a report from a speech therapist or occupational therapist will probably not be enough.

Nevyn

Yes he is in a regular national primary school.

He has aspergers and he'd just been a bit odd and quirky as a child and I had learned to manage him pretty well but then he moved from jr school to sr school and it was too much change and nearly over night he went from a happy achieving child to acting out constantly and wanting to die instead of going to school and his behaviour and mood swings became extreme.

3rd class was a wash out, there was talk of keeping back but by the end of the school year we had a dx.
4th class he had an sna, learning supports and attended the 22 week program of Dina school, which has parents and teachers modules as well as it has to be a multi faceted approach with everyone singing off the same hymn sheet.
5th class it was like we finally slowly got our son back, being in a class wiht kids who had known him form jr infants was a real help.

He's now in 6th class and there is the worry of what the transition to secondary school will bring.

It's been a hell of a emotional roller coaster and a learning curve but a lot of it is focusing on what he needs and how he need things explained to him and how early intervention when he starts to get frustrated or too caught up in something means a lot of the 'storms' are headed off at the pass.

You are not late, as hard as dealing with this is you have become aware of this more then early enough and I am sure she will grow up to be a bright smart caring and socail little girl, it can be a lot of work at times but it's what parents do and our kids are worth it.

There are counseling and support groups for parents, both face to face and online,
I found that reading the online communities like spectrum parent on live journal to be helpful as I go to read about how other parents felt and coped when they were, where I was and how normal the range of feeling and concerns I had were.

http://www.autismireland.ie/detail.asp?ID=257

When you discover that your child, sibling, grandchild or other family member have autism, it is initially a huge shock which has life long implications for everyone involved. You need to come to terms with the diagnosis and face issues around health, education and long-term planning. You need to re-evaluate your expectations for the person with autism, and adjust to the impact these changes will make to yourselves.

Feelings of devastation, frustration and confusion mean parents are often at a loss at how to help their child, and how to help themselves deal with the news. Family and friends can lend support but sometimes you need to be able to discuss your emotions, concerns and achievements in a caring, supportive and non-judgemental environment.

Until now there has been no dedicated counselling service available to families faced with the challenge of autism. In September 2008 the Solas Centre in Clontarf launched a counselling service in tandem with regular Support Group Meetings for parents and families affected by autism.

This new service will fill the gap currently in the Dublin area for families and Irish Autism Action hope to expand the service in the future to other counties where the need is as great for families in need of empathy and support

The counselling service is open to anyone over the age of 18 who is affected by autism in some way - this may be a parent, someone with autism, family member or professional who works with people with autism - and provides a safe place in which to explore your problems in a supportive environment.

Email solas@autismireland.ie.

http://community.livejournal.com/spectrum_parent/profile

There is a lot that can be done for a child who is on the spectrum, it's not that they are as previously assumed retarded and slow, they just learn differently and process things differently so things that other kids pick up they have to be taught.

byhookorbycrook

If you need an assessment for behavioural rather than educational reasons, the school cannot refer you, it has to be done through a gp. Also a child under 5 has to be seen by the HSE ,whereas a child over 5 will wait and wait...Hope all goes well for you both.

cynder

My son was 2 when he went for a developmental, he wasnt talking and we went back 3 months later and he was referred to the Early Intervention Services where he had a number of assessments. they said he needs to be further assssed and is waitlisted for a full asd assessment.

he is now 3 and his word have come along slowly. he is still a year delayed. i am doing the hannan course to help him to talk. he also has speech therapy which i find isnt helping. he also sees a early intervention educator who is teaching him how to pretend play and to take turns. he is also waitlisted to see a pychologist for his behavoir issues (which in the last 6 months have improved) he had very bad comprehension but now that has improved so his behaviour has improved because he now understands me. the older he gets the less likely i think he as an asd a year ago i was positive he had an asd. he still lines thing up and has other little things going on but nothing major. if it is something its only mild.


if your child is 4 why havent s/he been referred to the early intervention services. ASK YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE FOR YOUR CHILD TO BE ASSESSED UNDER THE ASSESSMENT FOR NEED ACT 2005 and your child will be assessed within 9 months. thats what i did, he was assesed and it said he needed further assessment in form of a full asd (waiting time 1 year) and he was given services he needed - speech therpy and early intervention educator and pyscologist (wait listed). it all happens very quikly through the assessment for need BUT THE CHILD HAS TO BE UNDER 5.

we looked at private speech therapy and got quoted 280€ an hour.

LegacyUser

After waiting well over four years for an appintmen throught the school my son was in I went private. Professor Micheal Fitzgerald in Dublin is your man
Hope all goes well

Nevyn

doing online questionnaire to try and diagnoise is not recommended.

cynder

Just to say that questionnaire gives you an idea if you should persue a diagnosis or not.

I did that and printed it out and gave it to the child psychologist and she thanked me and said that was great, pity more people didnt, she went through every question in detail and even put some down as sever where i as them as mild. ( he was obsessed with water and i put it down as mild -she saw the photos i took of him trying to get to water and knew it was not mild it was obsessive - thankfully we have worked with him and he is no longer obsessed with water)

its there to give you an idea if you should be concerned, me fella scored 85 at 2 and now he scores 51 which is great.

if it wasnt for that info i got of that questionnaire i might not have persued his language delay and he would not be waitlisted for an asd assessment. in ireland the early intervention team dont diagnose pdd nos, however if he passes the asd assessment and we are still concerned there is a woman in dublin that diagnoses pdd nos.

pdd nos = pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.

that site for me was the best i have looked at, for answers to my sons difficulties.

CiDeRmAn

Just reading a magazine on Autism, for parents and families of children on the autistic spectrum, and it was shocking reading.
The whole thing was a propaganda piece for Dr Wakefield and his discredited notion that MMR and Autism are linked.
It really stinks, appearing to be a magazine of help and understanding for parents in crisis and instead making them even more frightened of the medical and scientific based diagnotic and treatment tools, pushing towards homeopathic and non-peer reviewed sources.
Very bad things I think, preying on the vulnerable and putting more children at risk by them not availing of the MMR jab.
Shame on you Autism File I say.

And as a parent of a 7 year old boy within the Autistic Spectrum I find it repulsive that there are these shiny, friendly mags out there, laying an alternative medicine trap for the parents of kids on the spectrum trying to make sense, and sometimes looking for reasons, for someone to blame for the terrible misfortune that has been visited upon them, or so they may feel.

Pick up the magazine in your local Easons and you may be delighted as the cover seems to promise all sorts of help, but inside it is full of pro-Wakefield articles, designed to tug at the heart strings, and ads for various "natural" remedies to "aid" people on the autistic spectrum, pure nonsense, even an article by a chiropractor!

Problem is, in our situation, there are few answers, many questions, and most of our energy is directed to solving the day to day issues that arise, the luxury of a long term plan is often not available, and the notion of there being some trigger, some cause of the pain is very seductive, but ultimately irrelevant to our work, which should be focused on the future of services, the availability of school supports, respite centres etc.

I would urge people to avoid this magazine at all costs, I shall not be buying it again.

V1llianous

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Just reading a magazine on Autism, for parents and families of children on the autistic spectrum, and it was shocking reading.
The whole thing was a propaganda piece for Dr Wakefield and his discredited notion that MMR and Autism are linked.
It really stinks, appearing to be a magazine of help and understanding for parents in crisis and instead making them even more frightened of the medical and scientific based diagnotic and treatment tools, pushing towards homeopathic and non-peer reviewed sources.
Very bad things I think, preying on the vulnerable and putting more children at risk by them not availing of the MMR jab.
Shame on you Autism File I say.

quite an opportune moment for raising this as "Dr" Wakefield has finally been struck off the medical register today - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8700611.stm

carrieblack

Go private every time. The state services are so slow and we are always being told that 'early intervention' is what we should be doing. We have had a very good experience with a great service psychoptions dot ie who have offices in most major cities. You can really get ripped off with assessment prices so shop around these are very reasonable and very good. they are set up by parents who have been through the system so understand completely the problems.

carrieblack

Go private every time. The state services are so slow and we are always being told that 'early intervention' is what we should be doing. We have had a very good experience with a great service psychoptions dot ie 01 5394222 who have offices in most major cities. You can really get ripped off with assessment prices so shop around these are very reasonable and very good. they are set up by parents who have been through the system so understand completely the problems.