New Diagnosis | Autism PDD

When my kids were diagnosed I was sent from one specialist to another. SSI sent me to a family therapist who preformed a Baily and then proceeded to tell me my child would be a vegetable for the rest of his life and would never be able to walk or talk.He them asked if I wanted to commit my children to an institution. This was nearly 14 years ago. We were close to UCD Medical center and With one in a back pack and one in a stoller and pregnant, I spent the day researching my children's diagnosis. I have sent this Dr progress reports on my children every year. I have to thank him for being in the dark ages. He taught me how to fight for my kids. I have never let anyone tell me my children were not capable of anything since. I am pleased that you finaly got a diagnosis. You can only work on something if you are aware of what the problems are.

Good news that he is able to qualify for all the things he needs to help him progress and have a bright future. It seems odd to say congrats on getting an autistic diagnosis, but at least now that that part is done you can move forward. Best wishes to you!

Amber

Hello everyone. As you all know Adam's diagnosis has changed to Autism and his EI came by today to do his 6 month review and we talked a lot about some things. I also had a lot of questions for her that she was able to answer. He now will definately qualify for medicaid. He will qualify now for respite hours. He will qualify for money for certain things like gym classes or swim lessons etc. Also because of the change in diagnosis he now qualifies for the persons with disabilities program through our insurance and that will enable him to have a certain type of ABA that I was more interested in. See the lovaass method that I had tried with him I didnt' like so I was very skeptical about the program that they have here. Well his EI explained to me in great detail how this ABA program works here and it involves a lot of floortime along with other methods so I decided that once I get all this paperwork through I will give that method a try also. Can't hurt to try right? This would be implemented around his school hours so possible maybe just on weekends or something. I feel like I am starting all over here. LOL More and more paperwork. Lots of phone calls. All new questions for the EI. She mentioned more things that he qualifies for but I can't remember it all right now but those are the big things that stuck out for me. I know a lot of you have asked me how I am doing with this new diagnosis and thank you, I do appreciate your concern. I knew this was comming so it didn't just hit me in the face here.LOL I am actually very happy that he will now get other services that he didnt' qualify for with just a PDD-NOS diagnosis. I'm just stressed now because so much is going on at once. Just kinda wish they were able to give me this diagnosis in March when he was evaluated. Now I feel so pressed for time to get everything done (paperwork, phone calls) especially with the new baby comming so soon and him starting school in Aug.

Karrie

The wheels turn slowly. My son was first given a label of global DD, then PDD then ASD and finally autism.

I hope your child and you, receive the help and support needed. All we want is for our children to receive the help they need, to allow them to be the best they can be!!!!!!!

It took me 11 months, 3 weeks and 5 days to get the final report of my childs eval and dx. I am not lying! In the mean time, I had a paper they gave me on that fateful day (02-17-04) that had DS's name and the words autism on it, no signature. It was on the letter head of the University Infant and Toddler eval center. Everyone we saw, had only this to go on, for a year- it is disgraceful. You had better bet your last nickel that they would never allow their paychecks to run so far behind.

Anyway, I am off on a ramble, sorry! Glad you have the piece of paper in your hand!

Jean

I'm happy you are getting a little more clarity and hopefully it will help to get the right services!!

Welcome to the club!! bonnie

Hello everyone!! This is just an update. When I joined this site Adam had been evaluated by the Care Team in Charleston South Carolina and he made the critera for PDD-NOS and he was still pending a diagnosis of Autism depending on a Social evaluation. Well a few weeks back we sent in a video tape of him with peers to the Head Doctor for her to do the evaluation. Well today in the mail I got a packet from the Autism Division here in Columbia where I live and it said that he made the critera for Autistic Spectrum Disorder based on an Eval done on July 6th of this year and that they would now start providing specific Autism resources for him. They had denied him previously becasue of the PDD-NOS diagnosis he recieved in March of this year. This letter also said that I had recently been told by my Service Coordinator about him making the criteria. She has not told me anything. So getting this in the mail first was a little confusing because this is not paperwork to prove that he has been diagnosed with autism. So I called the Care Team and talked to the secretary there and she said that YES the paperwork is in the mail and I should be recieving it by this weekend and it does state that he does in fact make the criteria for Autism. She said that the report that I will get will be more specific as to whether it is mild or whatever. So anyway it is now official. So if you read my posts from here on out and I am not using the term PDD-NOS anymore it's because his diagnosis has changed to Autism.

Karrie