Borderline ASD: How to get services (DCPS)

[Anonymous]

We got our youngest child privatedly evaluated earlier this year for ASD -- diagnosis was borderline ASD/Aspergers.

Our child has an older sibling with clearly diagnosed HFA, so when our youngest had a difficult transition to PK-3 we were fast to act.

We do not think our youngest needs much in the way of school-based support, but would like to see an IEP with some social skills-related goals, and maybe 1-2 hours/week of special edu (essentially, we'd like some active monitoring of our child). Plus, when our child has meltdowns due to transitions, we want the teachers/school to know that they're dealing not just with a difficult child, but that there are some underlying developmental issues.

My fear, though, is that DCPS will argue that our child functions at too high a level to merit services. Any advice on what we should do if the school says no. How do we make our case?

FYI: The child in question has NOT been evaluated by DCPS, or even officially referred. In contrast, our older child (with greater needs) was an Early Stages child and entered school with an IEP in place, so this is somewhat new territory for us.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

It may not be as difficult as you fear (it could be though). Special ed services at 3 (and beyond) should be addressing far more than academics, and so a deficit in social skills, social interaction, ability to learn in a classroom (transitions, group work, following the general expectations, etc), anything behavioral (again transitions, attention, following through with routines or direction, those sort of things) - all of these could merit support and show that his disability impacts his education. The "autism" disability category is different from a medical diagnosis, but if you have an evaluation with an aspergers diagnosis (which should call under the autism disability category) and clear evidence of how it impacts him in the classroom, you might get what you're looking for. If the eval doesn't connect the dots, I'd see if you can get whoever wrote to to do so more explicitly - it will help and may avoid some issues with early stages.

That said, if his current teacher says everything is a-ok, you might have some trouble (sounds like it isn't though).

[dancingsunflowers06]

Hi there,

I haven't been in your shoes but wanted to offer encouragement and support. It's great that you are taking so much time to figure out the best scenario for your child. Bless you mama!

mommato2lilmonkeys

[Anonymous]

The diagnostic criteria that may have put your child on the borderline could be the sibling w/ ASD. What services do you think he needs? In your shoes I would initiate the special ed process, request an evaluation, and see how the school proceeds. They might find that he is (or is not) impacted in an educational setting. You can pull out your diagnosis then, but the diagnosis doesn't ever drive the services.

[Anonymous]

We had no trouble getting various pull-out services from DCPS in PK4/K even before our formal HFA/Aspergers diagnosis, although the neuropsych report did really get their attention and prompt a second round of thinking about what else they could/should be doing. Our experience was that they recognized the issue well before we did (not uncommon with Aspergers) and were eager to do what they could for him. (This was at Brent).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had no trouble getting various pull-out services from DCPS in PK4/K even before our formal HFA/Aspergers diagnosis, although the neuropsych report did really get their attention and prompt a second round of thinking about what else they could/should be doing. Our experience was that they recognized the issue well before we did (not uncommon with Aspergers) and were eager to do what they could for him. (This was at Brent).

Have you been happy with the services Brent has given your HFA/Aspergers child? We live on the Hill and have sometimes thought of moving inbound.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by "borderline ASD/Asperger's"? Go get an ADOS or neuropsych eval. My kid got an Asperger's diagnosis by 1-2 puts on the ADOS, you either have ASD or not. There is no borderline.

If your child is having meltdowns with transitions are there other issues? Does he engage and play with other kids in the playground and classroom? Can he keep up with peers when the kids lineup and move as a group? Can he sit and pay attention during circle time? Does he have friends?

If he needs help in these things, you need a diagnosis and an IEP.

[Anonymous]

Re: the question about Brent. We were very very happy there through preK 3/4 (in the same classroom, and the continuity was really nice for him), but it got more challenging for him in kindergarten when the class size jumped from 17 to 26 and the expectations went up. We loved the team and they clearly loved him and were doing everything they could, within the bounds of what is realistic in that environment. I wanted to buy them all a car, like Oprah. And he was surviving, and learning. But he didn't really develop friends and was having trouble on the playground. We decided to go to Maddux so that the social coaching would be full-time, the classes smaller, and he would be around more kids like him. And it has worked out just as we hoped, or better. Maddux is a remarkable little school, and he is happier and has really made friends for the first time. But we do miss the Hill, and Brent. A big classroom public school environment is just inherently tough for an HFA kid I think, but they have some wonderful professionals there and are trying hard. You might talk to EV Downey, who is an educational consultant and lives on the Hill too and knows Brent special ed very well. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: the question about Brent. We were very very happy there through preK 3/4 (in the same classroom, and the continuity was really nice for him), but it got more challenging for him in kindergarten when the class size jumped from 17 to 26 and the expectations went up. We loved the team and they clearly loved him and were doing everything they could, within the bounds of what is realistic in that environment. I wanted to buy them all a car, like Oprah. And he was surviving, and learning. But he didn't really develop friends and was having trouble on the playground. We decided to go to Maddux so that the social coaching would be full-time, the classes smaller, and he would be around more kids like him. And it has worked out just as we hoped, or better. Maddux is a remarkable little school, and he is happier and has really made friends for the first time. But we do miss the Hill, and Brent. A big classroom public school environment is just inherently tough for an HFA kid I think, but they have some wonderful professionals there and are trying hard. You might talk to EV Downey, who is an educational consultant and lives on the Hill too and knows Brent special ed very well. Good luck!

Thanks. I really appreciate your sharing your perspective. My kids are actually at Peabody now, which has worked out well, though I still have longterm placement questions. (My child with the clear HFA diagnosis will be in K next year, so that will give me some perspective on needs after Peabody.)

Sorta an aside, but I'm surprised Brent's K classrooms are so big. (they're smaller at Peabody.)

As for my youngest--she definitely has a range of HFA traits. Just not clear if she will warrant a diagnosis over time. In the meantime we are pursuing an IEP.

Thanks for everyone's advice and input!

[Anonymous]

P.s.: I may check-out Maddux. And I know E.V.

[Anonymous]

OP- take her in for the ADOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- take her in for the ADOS.

+1000

Once your child is 6 yrs old or entering K, you cannot get an IEP under "developmental delay". You need a diagnosis that will fit into one of 13 categories under IDEA. If she has ASD, the correct educational category will be "autism" to get an IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- take her in for the ADOS.

OP here. I should clarify: she's been evaluated twice -- first by Children's, then by Dr. Shapiro. Childrens (Dr. Mintz, who's quite good) said she had ASD traits that fell short of a diagnosis. And Shapiro diagnosed her with borderline HFA/Aspergers. We are satisfied with his report, which was a thorough as they get.

Anyway, we are pursuing an IEP.

[Anonymous]

P.S.: and she's 3.5 -- currently in PK3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- take her in for the ADOS.

OP here. I should clarify: she's been evaluated twice -- first by Children's, then by Dr. Shapiro. Childrens (Dr. Mintz, who's quite good) said she had ASD traits that fell short of a diagnosis. And Shapiro diagnosed her with borderline HFA/Aspergers. We are satisfied with his report, which was a thorough as they get.

Anyway, we are pursuing an IEP.

So no one referred you for ADOS which Children's does?