All Communities > Autism/Asperger's/PDD Awareness > My son has an appointment with a Psychologist in a couple...

My son has an appointment with a Psychologist in a couple of weeks, any tips????

Karina - posted on 03/28/2010 ( 4 moms have responded )

48

26

Hi! My son is nearly 5 and he has been diagnosed with global develoment delay, but I am pushing for an autism assessment, because it is just him in every way. Plus his teachers have had a lot of experience in this area and truly believe he is too. He has every characteristic except for self harming. He use to head bang when he was about 2 but it was very rare. He has an appointment soon but I am so terrified im not going to answer things correctly. I also wouldn't have a clue what questions he's going to ask. He has seen one pediatrician 3 times and that was a dead end, but now he is getting older and the signs are becoming more obvious, I'm hoping this time we might be lucky????

Would so love if I could rack all those marvelous brains of yours out there lol If you need any extra info to help answer better will be happy to share whatever i can! Anything you can think of that might help would be SO so appreciated!!! :-)

Join Circle of Moms

Sign up for Circle of Moms and be a part of this community! Membership is just one click away.

Join Circle of Moms

4 Comments

View replies by

Ashlee - posted on 03/31/2010

14

11

Answer whatever question is asked honestly, if a question comes to your mind ask it then or write it down and don't leave until you ask it. Just remember you have to be the advocate for you child and if you don't like or understand what they are saying theb make them explain it better or seek out someone else. No one knows your son as well as you do.

Heather - posted on 03/31/2010

156

21

Testing can be an all day process with breaks in between. make sure to bring a bag of snakcs, some lunch and a few of you child's favorite toys or books or a favorite stuffed animal. My sone was starving and tired when he had his breaks. Having food ready and somethign familiar and comforting should help. As for you, relax. Your his mom you know your child better than anyone else. Just tell the doctor what you see and everything will be fine.

Amy - posted on 03/28/2010

7

4

I am going to be bringing my son in a couple of week also. He is now 10 and first fought his dad on allowing me to get outside "help" as I had to put it but now that I am single I put the wheels in motion and a year later the appointment is coming up. I do to feel that I might say the wrong answer as before the doctors just referred to him as a spoiled child and I was a bad parent...

I know that there is something different with my son and talking to others and seeing other children I feel more confident that it is nothing I have done or there is nothing I can say wrong..

Renee - posted on 03/28/2010

621

28

First, the list of symptoms of autism is very long, but your son doesn't need them all to be diagnosed with it. Do not be nervous. Answer truthfully, there is no wrong answer. Here is an example - "is your son potty trained?" You son IS potty trained if he can go into the bathroom alone, pull down his pants/underwear, go potty, wipe himself, pull up pants, fasten snaps, etc., wash hands completely, dry them and leave the bathroom as it was. He is not potty trained if he still needs help with those steps. Just FYI.



Also, this is a test about your son, not you and it's not a judgement of your parenting skills, although it might seem like it at times from the hundreds of questions they ask LOL. Also, an OT once told me do not sugar coat things, "is your son talking?" they are referring to two way conversation not singular words or repeating dialogue from a TV show. So, relax there is really no preparation for this other than note down what peculiar behaviors he has that are not always apparent.



Good luck to you!

Powered by RESPECT not THUMPS

Want to find out the opinions of this community?

Add Poll