Texas has a school label of PDD-NOS? Most states have Autism and include all the autism spectrum disorders under that label? In most places, the PDD-NOS label is the medical diagnosis and the school label, for educational purposes, is autism (whether the medical dx is autism or one of the other spectrum disorders).
My daughter had speech and occupational evaluations in Dallas. I took these results to a Pediatric Neurologist in Dallas for an official diagnosis (ASD), which he made by reading the evaluations, listening to me, and observing my daughter. No MRI, no genetic tests. I could pass along the name of the neurologist to you if you'd like, also the names of the places I got the evaluations, but I realize it's a bit of a hike from Fort Worth.
I think there is some terminology confusion going on.
Back in the 1980's the term "Pervasive Developmental Disorder" was the generic term to refer to the entire class of disorders that comprise what we now call "Autism Spectrum Disorder." These broad terms are used interchangibly to describe the collection of dx: autism, aspergers, retts, childhood disintigrative disorder and pervasive developmental delay not otherwise specified. Most people now use the ASD term to describe the spectrum and avoid the PDD term, because it is so easily confused with PDD-NOS.
I think that when your school is saying qualified under "Pervasive Developmental Disorder under the Autism Spectrum" they are basically saying generically that you child "qualifies under autism." I think your school is using both the old term and the new term together, which is confusing. In school parlance "autism" is a "disability category" that encompasses the entire spectrum. School evaluators may make broad statements like "he's on the milder end of the spectrum" or "he's high functioning" but they are not in a position to tell you where your child is officially on the spectrum. You'll have to go to a doctor (devped, neuropsych) for that.
I may be completely misreading this, but I don't think the school is telling you that your child is PDD-NOS. I think the school is telling you that he qualifies under the broader disability category of "autism, also known as pervasive developmental delay." That's my take on the language they used. It would be worthwhile for you to make a call to clarify.
Thank you for clearing that up, in the Autism assessment report it does say that his case is mild as you said they might tell you and that Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified best characterizes his disability. I am seeking a medical dx next mth, my ped. reffered me to a devolpmental ped. and I sent all testing and info from the school and they set me up with a psychologist. Should I request to see the dev. ped or see if they have a neuropsych instead?I don't know who exactly you should see--I imagine the neuropsych. Does
[QUOTE=tzoya]Texas has a school label of PDD-NOS? Most states have Autism and include all the autism spectrum disorders under that label? In most places, the PDD-NOS label is the medical diagnosis and the school label, for educational purposes, is autism (whether the medical dx is autism or one of the other spectrum disorders).[/QUOTE] His Full Evaluation Plan states that he qualifies for special ed services with Pervasive Developmental Disorder under the Autism spectrum but it also says that he meets eligbility for Special Education Services based on on his report of Autism. I know they told me of course that this was not a medical dx.So do other states just say this kid does have Autism and not tell the parents where they think the child is on the spectrum? Texas has a school label of PDD-NOS? Most states have Autism and include all the autism spectrum disorders under that label? In most places, the PDD-NOS label is the medical diagnosis and the school label, for educational purposes, is autism (whether the medical dx is autism or one of the other spectrum disorders). Yes, I live in the DFW area as well, and I got the PDD-NOS, (autism suspected) diagnosis (or I guess it's an informal diagnosis, but not a medical diagnosis?) from the school district at age 3, when they were evaluating for services...this was after a dev. ped. wouldn't formally diagnose at age 2 1/2, and told us to come back at 3. I was told that before age 6, if not before then, the school has to do another full eval, and then catagorize it as something more specific? Not sure what's meant by that?
the center have a standard autism eval protocol (i.e. you see specific docs,
therapists, etc.)? Our dd has been followed by a neuro (in Dallas) from 8
mos of age. He referred us out to a psych a few mos back, and that's how/
when we got the autism dx. At the same time, her geneticist also concurs
w/ dx, as does her neuro. But, for us, it was the psych who did the acutal
thorough PDD eval. That psych worked at the Child Study Center for years,
& highly recommended it to us, if we wanted to pursue ABA or see their dev
ped. Will you PM me--I'm curious as to your school district.
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