On our way to a diagnosis
Over Christmas break, I got a call from KU Med Center Childhood Development. We had an appointment set for March but over break, I got a call that there had been a cancelation and could we come in. YES!!!
So, of course, the day of our appointment was a huge snow storm. KU Med is an hour away on a good day. This day, it took us over two hours. And I was totally stressed out.
What happened was a total of an hour where they asked me about Little Man and "observed" him. What I was expecting, was to have something definitive or something I can now assign to him.
What I got was that he is NOT autistic. He's social. That's what ruled it out. He makes eye contact, he talks to people, he loves people. That is what ruled it out, the only thing that ruled it out. I guess, in order to be diagnosed with autism, you have to fill all three criteria. I don't know what the three criteria are other than the social one.
I'm kind of unhappy about it. Not because I want him to be autistic. But because I need something to hold on to. Something that explains him. His behaviors, his quirks, his needs. Something I can work with.
What I was given wasn't much but at least, it's something to start with. I have to get him cognitively tested at school. They refused to do it before, saying he was too young. I pushed back and they then gave me the results that apparently were on an old IEP. Which I have concerns about too because as his new IEP shows, he's changed so much in the 4 + months I've had him, couldn't his cognitive results? We go back in March for a follow up with a cognitive pediatrician.
I do have a referral to a behavioral therapist. I've been hesitant to do this because it's not covered under insurance but now that I'm going to be working, I can afford to pay the fee. And as things keep going, he needs therapy. I need therapy. We need therapy.
And I have to get him officially diagnosed as ADHD. I have to go to his pediatrician and get that official diagnosis. So we are taking steps. We're getting there. It's still scary and it's still unknown. But we're getting there.
All I know is that I'm certain that whatever I do with him, it's got to be something that follows him through his life. It requires consistency and structure. And if I do all this and he goes home, he will back pedal so quickly. So I need to keep my thoughts positive. Believe that, no matter what, this is what's best for him.
Because, sometimes, just knowing isn't enough. Sometimes we have to put things into action.
So, of course, the day of our appointment was a huge snow storm. KU Med is an hour away on a good day. This day, it took us over two hours. And I was totally stressed out.
What happened was a total of an hour where they asked me about Little Man and "observed" him. What I was expecting, was to have something definitive or something I can now assign to him.
What I got was that he is NOT autistic. He's social. That's what ruled it out. He makes eye contact, he talks to people, he loves people. That is what ruled it out, the only thing that ruled it out. I guess, in order to be diagnosed with autism, you have to fill all three criteria. I don't know what the three criteria are other than the social one.
I'm kind of unhappy about it. Not because I want him to be autistic. But because I need something to hold on to. Something that explains him. His behaviors, his quirks, his needs. Something I can work with.
What I was given wasn't much but at least, it's something to start with. I have to get him cognitively tested at school. They refused to do it before, saying he was too young. I pushed back and they then gave me the results that apparently were on an old IEP. Which I have concerns about too because as his new IEP shows, he's changed so much in the 4 + months I've had him, couldn't his cognitive results? We go back in March for a follow up with a cognitive pediatrician.
I do have a referral to a behavioral therapist. I've been hesitant to do this because it's not covered under insurance but now that I'm going to be working, I can afford to pay the fee. And as things keep going, he needs therapy. I need therapy. We need therapy.
And I have to get him officially diagnosed as ADHD. I have to go to his pediatrician and get that official diagnosis. So we are taking steps. We're getting there. It's still scary and it's still unknown. But we're getting there.
All I know is that I'm certain that whatever I do with him, it's got to be something that follows him through his life. It requires consistency and structure. And if I do all this and he goes home, he will back pedal so quickly. So I need to keep my thoughts positive. Believe that, no matter what, this is what's best for him.
Because, sometimes, just knowing isn't enough. Sometimes we have to put things into action.
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