Anyone BTDT? Autism/Not-Autism? Starting Kindergarten Next Year

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I'm just looking to hear from any parents that can relate to my current position and any advice/tips you'd suggest as we go through the process of figuring out where to place my son for Kindergarten next year. At 3 years old, my son had a significant speech delay (only occasionally combining two words) and was showing signs of autism (rigidity, meltdowns, and not really wanting to socialize or socialize appropriately with peers). He was diagnosed with ASD. Shortly after diagnosis, we discovered he had fluid in his ears which was affecting his hearing. After placing tubes, my son began to develop more speech.

At 4.5 years old, we finally got the speech explosion we were hoping for and this school year, we placed him in a reverse mainstream classroom (half typical kids, half kids with IEPs) where he is doing very well - making friends, initiating play, demonstrating empathy, following directions, engaging in circle time, demonstrating flexibility, etc. In other words, a lot of the signs of autism seem to have disappeared as my son's language has developed closer to typical levels. He still has some work to do on the language side of things but we no longer get any complaints about behavioral issues at school.

I've decided to take him in for a new autism evaluation with a developmental psychologist to see if she agrees with his current diagnosis. And I'm stressing about what to do about Kindergarten next year. I would like to see him mainstreamed and would prefer to send him to a small private school in our neighborhood but am concerned about how they would pre-judge him if they see the autism diagnosis.

Anyone been through anything similar?

[Anonymous]

You don't want to send him to a school that would judge kids for an ASD diagnosis on paper, without spending any time to look at the actual kid and his needs.

Also, if your child is doing so well in his inclusion class (in public, right?) I don't see why you'd move him. Keep the IEP, stay public. The demands of K increase a LOT for language (reading and writing) and with a strong IEP and good school, he could make a lot of progress.

[Anonymous]

OP does your inclusion class continue for K and beyond? Does he currently had additional supports like private speech etc?

[Anonymous]

^have

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP does your inclusion class continue for K and beyond? Does he currently had additional supports like private speech etc?

No, the inclusion class does not continue for K. If that were an option, that would be our choice for sure!

He receives speech pushed in to his class environment twice a week. He received OT until recently but has reached typical levels so we took that out of the IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't want to send him to a school that would judge kids for an ASD diagnosis on paper, without spending any time to look at the actual kid and his needs.

Also, if your child is doing so well in his inclusion class (in public, right?) I don't see why you'd move him. Keep the IEP, stay public. The demands of K increase a LOT for language (reading and writing) and with a strong IEP and good school, he could make a lot of progress.

I wouldn't move him if we had the same option for K. We don't. He is already reading and writing above typical levels now. They dropped OT because they said the next goal to reach would be for K levels. It's speech that is the real issue still.

Do you have experience with a similar child?

[Anonymous]

Also, I don't know that the school would judge him for his diagnosis. I'm concerned that they might.

Does anyone have a kid whose symptoms mostly disappeared? Did you get a new diagnosis or just keep ASD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't want to send him to a school that would judge kids for an ASD diagnosis on paper, without spending any time to look at the actual kid and his needs.

Also, if your child is doing so well in his inclusion class (in public, right?) I don't see why you'd move him. Keep the IEP, stay public. The demands of K increase a LOT for language (reading and writing) and with a strong IEP and good school, he could make a lot of progress.

I wouldn't move him if we had the same option for K. We don't. He is already reading and writing above typical levels now. They dropped OT because they said the next goal to reach would be for K levels. It's speech that is the real issue still.

Do you have experience with a similar child?

No, my kid is different. But I'd still be wary of going from a setting where he's getting a LOT of support, to a K with no support. Why would you prefer the private? (The whole ASD diagnosis is a bit of a red herring, although of course you should revisit it since it does seem like it was hearing related.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, I don't know that the school would judge him for his diagnosis. I'm concerned that they might.

Does anyone have a kid whose symptoms mostly disappeared? Did you get a new diagnosis or just keep ASD?

Happens all the time on the MERLD boards. I've met several of those kids -- when their language comes in, their "autism" goes away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't want to send him to a school that would judge kids for an ASD diagnosis on paper, without spending any time to look at the actual kid and his needs.

Also, if your child is doing so well in his inclusion class (in public, right?) I don't see why you'd move him. Keep the IEP, stay public. The demands of K increase a LOT for language (reading and writing) and with a strong IEP and good school, he could make a lot of progress.

I wouldn't move him if we had the same option for K. We don't. He is already reading and writing above typical levels now. They dropped OT because they said the next goal to reach would be for K levels. It's speech that is the real issue still.

Do you have experience with a similar child?

No, my kid is different. But I'd still be wary of going from a setting where he's getting a LOT of support, to a K with no support. Why would you prefer the private? (The whole ASD diagnosis is a bit of a red herring, although of course you should revisit it since it does seem like it was hearing related.)

Well, he's not receiving a LOT of support right now I don't think. He's in a class of 12 kids with two teachers. He gets speech twice a week pushed into the class.

I prefer the private school because they have a smaller class size, which is where he seems to be doing well. I'm nervous about him going to a class with 25+ kids in a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, I don't know that the school would judge him for his diagnosis. I'm concerned that they might.

Does anyone have a kid whose symptoms mostly disappeared? Did you get a new diagnosis or just keep ASD?

Happens all the time on the MERLD boards. I've met several of those kids -- when their language comes in, their "autism" goes away.

What are the MERLD boards? I would love to be able to chat with parents going through the same thing. Do you have a link you could provide?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I'm just looking to hear from any parents that can relate to my current position and any advice/tips you'd suggest as we go through the process of figuring out where to place my son for Kindergarten next year. At 3 years old, my son had a significant speech delay (only occasionally combining two words) and was showing signs of autism (rigidity, meltdowns, and not really wanting to socialize or socialize appropriately with peers). He was diagnosed with ASD. Shortly after diagnosis, we discovered he had fluid in his ears which was affecting his hearing. After placing tubes, my son began to develop more speech.

At 4.5 years old, we finally got the speech explosion we were hoping for and this school year, we placed him in a reverse mainstream classroom (half typical kids, half kids with IEPs) where he is doing very well - making friends, initiating play, demonstrating empathy, following directions, engaging in circle time, demonstrating flexibility, etc. In other words, a lot of the signs of autism seem to have disappeared as my son's language has developed closer to typical levels. He still has some work to do on the language side of things but we no longer get any complaints about behavioral issues at school.

I've decided to take him in for a new autism evaluation with a developmental psychologist to see if she agrees with his current diagnosis. And I'm stressing about what to do about Kindergarten next year. I would like to see him mainstreamed and would prefer to send him to a small private school in our neighborhood but am concerned about how they would pre-judge him if they see the autism diagnosis.

Anyone been through anything similar?

I'll be watching this thread with you OP. My DS situation is very similar to what you describe except for the fluid in ears /and tubes. My DS was diagnosed with autism at 21 months but largely due to speech delay, lack of empathy and not initiating play or making eye contact. All of these disappeared right at 4.5 mark. He has an early October b-day so I am considering testing for early admit kindergarten because he already reading and his teachers now consider him within typical range and he actually would no longer qualify for the special program he is in now for next year.

[Anonymous]

You don't need to give them the autism diagnosis if the report comes back with one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, I don't know that the school would judge him for his diagnosis. I'm concerned that they might.

Does anyone have a kid whose symptoms mostly disappeared? Did you get a new diagnosis or just keep ASD?

I know people who did both. Some kept it because their child still had symptoms that were autism-like and the insurance coverage was nice. Others thought the diagnosis was such a bad fit at an older age that it would just confuse the schools so they got new evaluations that said autism was no longer a diagnosis. I don't think there is one universal answer.

FWIW, an ASD diagnosis will help for a public school IEP but it sounds like you are going for a private K anyway.

[Anonymous]

I am sort of in your shoes, OP. Who made the autism diagnosis?

Our preschool's therapist thought our son had ASD at 2 but we pursued an eval from an excellent Autism Center, and they did not think he was autistic. A lot of his autism-like behaviors were social anxiety-based.

We placed him in private speech therapy and an excellent preschool that would help him with small group play, and he is doing great (also 4.5). We are sending him to a private K next year. We shall see.

Ours has caught up on speech but we are keeping him in therapy to make sure all his sounds develop properly and because his therapist is so good with helping reduce his anxiety (because he can express himself). That is what the Director of the Autism Center suggested.

I would probably switch to the private and supplement with speech if there is any reason at all to do so. Good luck, it is stressful trying to make the right choice.