What privates take high functioning Aspergers kids?
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Anonymous
| If you are looking for a school that caters to kids with Asperger's, I have heard absolutely wonderful things about the Auburn School. They have one in Silver Spring and one in Herndon. |
Anonymous
| I believe Diener also has some kids with Asperger's but again, I am not sure if you are looking for "mainstream" privates or the private schools specializing in special needs kids... |
Anonymous
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22:40:
As a professional who works with kids on the spectrum and a mom, I must say that you ROCK. We have a family member that has a son who has autism, and she did not take her child for an evaluation for fear of being "labeled." She is in Baltimore, for crying out loud, home of Kennedy Kreiger, and could have easily accessed services for her child. Finally, at age 3, she took her son for an eval, and was given a label (oooohhhh....) and services. He is doing WORLDS better, but the family could have been supported even earlier if it were not for fear of labels. |
Anonymous
This was my post. We never applied to the Lab School since it did not seem to target twice exceptional students and many with asperger's qualify for GT programs in public schools. The key is finding/applying to schools that [1] meet the academic needs of your DC since this is their major asset [2] will treat the DC with dignity and respect as an individual [3] will overlook minor behaviors and not punish -corporal or emotionally - simple things [4] enforce no bullying/hazing by students AND staff. If the DC is capable of sitting in class and can do the academics I'd apply based on academic fit. Privates do have greater quality control over staff . Apply where you want , have the DC interview, then see what happens. Don't limit apps to special ed schools since they might not have academic peers and the ability to perform academically is a main asset of AS. |
Anonymous
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9:20 I agree with everything you said except I have to gently disagree with your statement that the ability to perform academically is a main asset. While this is true for many of our kids it isn't true for all of them. There is a myth out there that the hallmark of AS is brilliance and that isn't always true. There are plenty of children who do not have sky high IQs (though the diagnosis is ruled out if they have an intellectual disability). And there are also many who are perfectly bright even exceptionally bright, but who have a lot of trouble performing academically either because of LD issues, or because they can't make the leap to abstract thinking that comes in the high elementary years (very common for kids with AS) or because of co-morbid ADHD and executive function issues, planning issues.
We probably don't disagree on this and I do agree with everything else you wrote. |
Anonymous
Executive function issues are a problem. All the people with AS we have met have major intellectual strengths [and deficits] if channeled into an area of interest. So I guess that is an ability to perform academically- ability to hyperfocus. Abstract v concrete thinking is shown on an example in Wrong Planet [site my DC with AS told me about]. "Take apart your computer" meaning with a screwdriver v reading the manual. medicine.yale.edu/childstudy/autism/.../asdiagnosis_tcm339-34860.pdf Article from Yale on iq /add/executive function: http://opac.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=6698 |
Anonymous
I think WES has changed. We recently withdrew our DC with special needs. They were awful and actually increased my DC's anxiety tenfold. |
Anonymous
I'm sorry to hear that PP, we had thought of it as a possibility for the future. |
Anonymous
| WES has many transitions during the day, even for kindergarten. For example, my DC in K had 5 different teachers on one day of the week. It's not a good place for a child with special needs. As a matter of fact, I don't think that many transitions is good even for a neurotypical K child. |
Anonymous
| All the schools will if you are loaded |
Anonymous
| hmmm I have some different thoughts on this. I think the label is helpful for the parents getting services and also being candid with school but to everyone else..nope not helpful esp if this is a child that has high functioning. Why? It will will hurt socially..it's the dirty secret but true. I have friend whose dd is on the spectrum and with several years of services..you would have no idea..I only knew because we are very close. If she had broadcast this..that would be something people talked about..oh you know Joanie has problems and kids can be brutal. This is not a war children need to fight..they don't. So I completely understand if a family doesn't want to talk openly about this. Let's not judge..everyone is trying to do the best for their kids. Frankly..if it isn't your child..it's not your business. |
Anonymous
It is my child and not yours and I think you are completely wrong. Treating AS like a secret only perpetuates a sense of shame about it. My DS doesn't consider his diagnosis to be a big deal. he will mention it if it comes up but he doesn't feel defined by it. No one has been brutal to him, he is not fighting any wars. He has never been hurt socially by it. He's just being honest when its appropriate. He is very comfortable in his own skin. Maybe you feel more comfortable when your friend doesn't speak to you about her son's diagnosis because of your own discomfort with it. But in this case you have no idea. |
Anonymous
| Oh god..this is not true. I judge no one.. My friend told me in privacy and asked me to keep it so and I did. If your son has no issue with it..great..good for him but this can affect kids socially and there are a great deal of kids on the spectrum who with therapy turn out very much the same as the rest of the kids. Big surprise NT kids also have quirks and some social issues. I realize this is a sensitive area for PP..I get that and I am not trying to be insensitive and I am talking about the kids who are high functioning who will and do fine with therapy. Sometimes I think parents amplify issues and I am not convinced it makes things better. Maybe I don't get it because I haven't walked in PP shoes..that could be possible but I am trying to be honest as I see it. |
Anonymous
PP and my DS is very high functioning. Why keep it a secret unless its something you are ashamed of? Your friend's child is probably young but as he grows he will know he is different and everyone around him will know he is different. Having a word for it treats it like another characteristic of who they are. Telling them to keep it a secret tells them it is a shameful thing, a bad thing. If you tell your child that you don;t want people to think there is something terribly wrong with him if the truth comes out, you are telling him that the truth is that there is something terribly wrong with him. Kids who are on the high functioning end of the spectrum can do extremely well, but they won't be "very much the same as the rest of the kids." My DS is doing extremely well. I could even argue that the diagnosis no longer fits. But is is not at all the same as the rest of the kids. In fact the teen and young adult years are particularly difficult for these kids while the later elementary years can be the golden age for them when everything appears to be all gone. People with AS have elevated rates of depression and suicide. I do not want that to be my son so he is being raised to think he's just fine as he is, AS and all. I hope your friend realizes this eventually because if she keeps telling her son that he has a diagnosis that must be kept a secret she will be telling him that he something terribly wrong with him. (Those are the exact words from a friend of DS whose parents approached it in this way). And if she hasn't shared his diagnosis with him, she really needs to because he knows. He may not have a word for it, but he knows. I realize you mean well but you are making pronouncements about things you don't understand. |
Anonymous
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Keep it a secret if you want to get in. Sta and St.Anselm's.
How many Harvard grads have I met in Ny with this disorder?.....many! We have family member with similar diagnosis, DC in top NE. Boarding school...a math phenom... Parents advised not to disclose. They have offered what child needs to do best. Numerous professionals have told parents not to disclose label to DC. The diagnosis has explained a lot, but need not limit DC unless you let it. I assure you, DC would never have been admitted to current school. DC is viewed as different no doubt...like many Math nerds...good luck and do not listen to people who bring you down...and do not lower bar,your DC will most assuredly reach it. |