Raising Children Network | Forums / Parents like me / Parents of children with ASD / Just diagnosed / 2 boys just diagnosed. So many questions I need answered! I hope you can help! / Latest Posts

RE: 2 boys just diagnosed. So many questions I need answered! I hope you can help!

Lois4Kent — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:26:17 GMT

Actually the pead didn't interact with the boys much at all, except during the physical examination. He pretty much made the diagnosis based on my reports of all the red flags I'd been witnessing over the last few years. He ordered a blood test for Fragile X sydrome, which my gut is telling me is what the boys have. I'm praying they don't though. But it just seems to fit with family history.
The multi disciplinary assessment team in my town is on hiatus ATM, but he said he's find out what was happening with them before my next appointment with him in May. They were already involved with the early childhood intervention service though, and will commence their first proper speech therapy lessons on Tuesday. They also have an advisor, but I'm not sure if she knows about the vast majority of autism therapies out there. I imagine an OT would be the one to know more about that.
There is a place called Noah's Ark, which provides speech therapy and OT services for special needs kids. I went to see them on Friday and am waiting for a call from them on Monday. Hopefully they can inform me more about what's available. I already know I want to do biomed though, and that is where I'm not sure who to ask. Maybe they can tell me who to ask?!

RE: 2 boys just diagnosed. So many questions I need answered! I hope you can help!

shaz74 — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:02:56 GMT

Welcome to the forum

It is perfectly normal to feel lost at the moment. The diagnosis is hard enough and then there are actual therapies to put into place. Plus having two diagnosed at the same time.

Your two boys may need different types of therapies to help each child. ASD is such a broad spectrum that each child has different therapies to help the different special needs.

With the dx of ASD that your boys received... did you get guidance from the assessor/s about what type of therapies they could benefit from, e.g. speech therapy, occupational therapy etc.?

I've found my son's paedeatrician helped heaps with working out what therapies were needed.

Get the boys' names on the various waiting lists for the therapies needed.

As far as specialised autism therapy equipment, that is usually recommended by the therapists.

RE: 2 boys just diagnosed. So many questions I need answered! I hope you can help!

Lois4Kent — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:35:33 GMT

Thanks for replying! Some good leads there. I'm thinking of going to one of those Early Days workshops. I'm really hoping to hear someone, who knows about DAN! Doctors, or even better, using one. I really feel biomed, speech therapy, and a combination of ABA and DIR Floortime are all things I want to incorporate into my sons' therapy. I suspect though, that a DAN! doctor would be impossible for me to both access and pay for. But I really want to know, and Autism Vic didn't seem the place to ask. Also I feel lost at what equipment would best suit them. I know an iPad has been highly recommended by many, but I'm looking for lesser known suggestions I might not otherwise hear about.

Thanks again for your help!

RE: 2 boys just diagnosed. So many questions I need answered! I hope you can help!

Rachael78 — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:47:35 GMT

Hi, Iam new to this as well, my son is nearly four and he just got diagnosed with autism last december. Autism Victoria should be able to help you with alot of your questions, they also have workshops that are free to go to that are fantasic and give you great insite. I see a psychologist in altona meadows and am also doing a program with a Occupational therapist which will teach me all I need to know about my child specific autism. Very helpful and you can use the goverment funding for this as it is quite expensive. Her name is Shelley L Green and her website is http://www.inspiringpossibilities.com.au/home.html she is just amazing and will help you with all those questions that you have like 'why is my son doing this?' and 'how can I get them to do that?' and a deep understanding of how they see the world.

But other than that Autism Australia is they way to go I believe they should be able to help you.

2 boys just diagnosed. So many questions I need answered! I hope you can help!

Lois4Kent — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:05:00 GMT

I have 2 sons, one 4 and one 2 1/2. They were both diagnosed with autism 3 weeks ago, and since then I have been reading a lot about therapies. The problem is, I have no idea where to obtain these therapies for my boys. They have just been approved for funding, and I'm ready to start NOW! I want action! I hope someone here can give me some guidance, because I don't know who to go to and what therapies are actually possible for me to access. Okay...Here goes...

Are there DAN! Doctors in VIC? If so, how long are their waiting lists? Do you need a refferal? Does the money come out of parents pocket, partially funded, or fully funded by the helping children with autism funding? How much would a visit cost for one boy?

Are there any ABA therapists in central VIC? How do I find them?

What are the most valuable pieces of therapy equipment from your personal experiences? A certain toy, a DVD, specialized autism therapy equipment, etc.

Hope to find some friends and support here, because I'm a bit lost in a sea of autism right now.