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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I knew DS had autism since he was little (no one believed me, initially). We paid a reasonable sum, in the hundreds, when he was diagnosed with ADHD by a developmental pediatrician at 6. His MCPS elementary school gave him an IEP due to extremely inattentive behaviors, inability to complete assignments on time, and write: he had group speech, a scribe/aide for writing, pull-outs to finish his work, preferential seating, repeated directions, etc. The works.

We paid Stixrud prices (thousands) for a full neuro when he was 10, because he needed updated data to qualify for MCPS' gifted and learning disabled program. ADHD was confirmed but we were told it would cost extra to explore autism. We chose not to, because he was getting everything he needed with the IEP, predicated on the ADHD. He got into the special program, which turned out great for him.

Only when he was 17 did we return to Stixrud to specifically ask for autism testing (and a reconfirmation of the ADHD), so we could request services and accommodations from colleges. His chosen college's Disability Office assigned him a single room with private bath on the strength of the autism diagnosis.

All this to say, OP, that:

A. You will need to budget money and time for repeated evaluations over the course of his childhood, because most institutions/programs require paperwork that is 4 years old or less. There are waitlists everywhere for testing and some of them can be very long. Make sure to schedule in advance.

B. You can be strategic in your diagnosis targeting, depending how you plan on using that label.

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This is not necessary. You can schedule repeated testing at places like Children’s. I was encouraged to schedule serial testing years in advance. You don’t need to pay that much for it. Although I’m sure Stixrud loves your viewpoint![/quote]

PP you replied to. You're right, but we have ADHD ourselves and scheduling years in advance is not our strong suit :-) Also, and this is important, not all neuropsych reports are created equal and we REALLY appreciated the doctor we worked with at Stixrud. The reports were extremely detailed, explained so much, and included a page in MCPS-speak of recommended accommodations that no elementary, middle or high school denied us. We had the same success for college accommodations, with the same doctor. It's not the label that opens doors; it's the way the doctor argues for accommodations that often clinches matters for institutions who need to be persuaded to provide those accommodations.

Of course I'm sure Children's and other hospital centers also have psychologists with good writing skills on staff, but they might be more pressed for time. We continued wth Stixrud because you don't change a winning team.
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If you have $20k to waste or are set on justifying an accomodation to keep up with the Jonses (eg extended time on the SAT) ok fine. But for those of us who have limited budgets and have to invest in services that our kids need (OT, therapy, tutoring) then no, we cannot pay uneccesary money. [/quote]

DP - what is the matter with you? Why do you think it's okay to speak to people like this?[/quote]

what’s wrong with YOU? or better asked, what’s wrong with “providers” who charge SN families $5000 for an incomplete evaluation (like the PP whose kid didn’t even get autism included) or that they could get for an insurance copay elsewhere. [/quote]

Are you trying to imply I'm a provider falsely representing myself as a parent? I'm not.

Please stop bashing other parents. You are literally achieving nothing.[/quote]

Obviously not. I’m not bashing parents. I’m bashing the bad advice that you have to spend $1000ss on testing. And I am also bashing the numerous providers happy to take our money, yes. [/quote]

LOL you implied parents are getting diagnoses to "keep up with the Jones". Stop being a toxic POS.[/quote]

it happens. I literally just heard about a friend of a friend who was instructed by their kid’s private school to obtain a dx asap. it would be helpful for people advocating lining the pockets of Drs Stixrud and Black to give more information about their financial status, diagnosis, and why they did not rely on school testing, IEE, and/or insurance covered services. [/quote]

All people on this board have SN kids. You need to do better to be kinder, this tone is out of line and unacceptable.

If you had a child with SN, you would know that 1) school testing cannot give medical diagnosis 2) w/o medical diagnosis a child with disability cannot get insurance coverage for any services 3) places that take insurance have 1-2 year waiting list for both ASD evaluations and full neuropsych.  In fact, families that go via private pay route to private providers to get a faster diagnosis don't crowd further the KKI and Childrens waitlists. So it's a good thing.

Schools and Infants and Toddlers have much lower standard for identifying issues too - in speech, OT and physical development. Their evaluations are low quality and services are scarce and frankly also not great quality.  People who can afford do private services.

And not that it's any of your business, but HHI is $280K, 5 yo ASD child diagnosed at 2.5 years in private practice. [/quote]

I think this is wrong about needing a “medical diagnosis” for insurance coverage. We got OT covered without any diagnosis - the OT did their own testing to show the motor skills delays. Also got an amazing course of behavioral therapy covered with no diagnosis. Possibly ABA would require a “medical diagnosis” but I’m not sure that it does. 
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