Very long, please take the time to read

[GraceLuvsWDW]

The diagnosis is important for so many reasons. How many adult Aspies are out there having spent their lives misunderstood, confused, depressed, and feeling like outcasts? There are boards full of these adults that with a diagnosis comes the aha moment where they realize there is a reason they feel different, a reason they have not quite "fit in" with the "norm". I agree you do not want the school to do any diagnosing-#1 they're not qualified and #2 they have their own agendas. Do what you feel is right as a parent. Get the help you feel is right. Denial doesn't help anyone. Help at a young age is where true change, acceptance, and adaptation can occur. IMO that's better than being frustrated, sad, feeling helpless, and not knowing where to turn (which is where I spent way too much time and energy!). Knowledge is power.

A good Neuro Psych is where you should go, or at the very least start with a Dev. Pediatrician and see where that leads.

Good luck!

 

[2luvmickey]

I can completely relate to everyone. My DS 18 was finally diagnosed with Asperger's and anxiety. Since he was in 2nd grade, we were actively seeking school and private psychologists help. How can you look for something if you don't know what you are looking for?

Well, after the diagnosis this summer, all of our puzzle pieces fell into place. He has adapted pretty well (an admirable trait!), but we are now understanding how he views the world.

I have to recommend this terrific book I just purchased: Quirky, Yes - Hopeless, No: Practical tips to help your child with Asperger's Syndrome be more socially accepted. The book is by Cynthia La Brie Norall

This book has become my "go to" reference guide for my son. It's been a long road, but he's a wonderful son with a lot of potential.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

I am sorry I didn't read all of the responses so if I repeat what others say please ignore me. Your dd sounds a lot like my dds. I have two dd's who both have sensory processing disorder they are 4 and almost 3. Have you read the Out of Sync Child?

That book helped me out a ton and explained my dd to a T. I don't really know what else to tell you but I sympathize what you are going through. I hope you are able to get answers

 

[WheeledTraveler]

If organization is a problem and continues to be so along with all the other issues, I actually think getting her tested would be good even if she's not having any major academic issues at this time.

I've always been messy and at least appear disorganized (often I have some sort of organizational system that only makes sense to me and doesn't involve neatness). As a kid, I could clean up my room/desk/etc. and 5 minutes later it'd be a mess and I wouldn't know how it had happened. I was also really smart. I got good grades in advanced classes. And then I hit college and things started to fall apart. It was really originally only obvious in things like science classes, but somewhat spread to all my classes over time. At 21 someone finally said "I think you ought to see a neuropsych for testing as I think you might have a learning disability". At 22 I was diagnosed with LD-NOS with executive processing problems, auditory processing problems, and other relevant problems. The only reason I didn't walk away with a Non-Verbal Learning Disability diagnosis is that I'm very good with maps. The neuropsych told me that if I hadn't been really incredibly smart, I'd have been in for testing by the time I was 8 due to the level of difficulty her tests showed.

The good news at 22 was that I had an answer. The bad news is that at that point it was in a lot of ways "too late". I only had a year left of college (for unrelated reasons I went on leave from college twice so finished over 6 years instead of 4) and was an English major so a lot of the recommended school accommodations didn't even apply to me. And as someone now out of school and living as an adult, it's made working hard. I also have physical impairment and the two combined mean I'm struggling in a job that I should be having no problems with. The extra mental energy it takes to work through the executive functioning problems and the extra physical energy it takes to move through my day make things exceedingly difficult. And I'm still doing much to create my own coping strategies because no one really knows how to teach them to adults who weren't diagnosed with learning disabilities as a kid.

So, while a diagnosis might not make much difference now for your daughter and it sounds like may not lead to an IEP, it might be a way to bring in at a younger age some of the coping strategies which will make her life easier down the road.

 

[Schmeck]

Also to point out - even with a diagnosis from a doctor (or a gaggle of specialists) a school does not have to issue an IEP if the child shows measured improvement in the academic standards tested by the school. You can have a child diagnosed on the spectrum and have that child able to meet all tested school standards - and have nothing to put on an IEP.

 

[treehugnmama]

wow your post sounds just like my dd 5 She is not dionosed with any "problems" but I have been struggling for a long time now. I work in with young children with special needs and I think I am too close to my dd.


Good luck