Initial Diagnosis
It is difficult to get any assistance for your child with autism until there is a medical diagnosis. Often this begins at the doctor’s office with a label of PDD, or pervasive developmental disorder. Often,this is a diagnosis that is a precursor to autism. Once your doctor has diagnosed PDD, you may be able to seek asistance from local agencies, the county and/or private facilities.
I was lucky enough to live in an area with a fantastic birth to 3 program, and both my boys qualified for the Early Childhood Special Ed Program after they aged out of B to 3. But there is little available in this area for those who don’t qualify for ECSE.
Bethany
September 4, 2008
So true, it is amazing how the states/counties differ in the services offered to our special children. And yet everyone agrees the earlier we get them in a program, the more sucess we have. In my program, we could pick up the children at age 5. My constant concern, as we began working with them was, where were they at age 3. In so many cases, I felt as if we wasted all that time when we could have been making progress, instead of playing catch up.
AA2Z
September 8, 2008