It's finally coming together

After three long years of truly not having an "official" Autism diagnosis, we finally have one.  It's such a relief.  Now that he has been diagnosed everything is starting to come together,  I can start the long process of trying to get services for BP outside of the educational realm.  I have to thank thank his school for helping, but I think it was do to the fact that I contacted the local Regional Center here.  My phone call began it all and with the help of a referral from BP's doctor I might have not gotten anywhere.  So it begins:  more assessments, tests, etc.  I have IEP's up to my neck and I am swimming in paperwork.  About two weeks ago I met with a case worker and they wanted to bring BP so they could observe and ask him a few questions.  I was SO nervous because the fears of having to take Brendan out of his comfort zone would drive any Mother of a child with Autism anxious.  This was the first step of several to see if he will even qualify for services.  Isn't that a laugh, he is clearly qualified but of course they must deal with all the other parents who apparently abuse the system just to get services.  Anyway, that is another story in itself.

On Monday I had what I thought to be his triannual IEP.  Not the case, it served two purposes: first, this was just a LONG two hour addendum to his IEP we had in May. It also served as an excused to fax all the documentation I needed to detemine elgibility for the Regional Center.  Come to find out that they have recommended he be moved to a different school and of course a different class.  I will touch more on a future post. But I walked out of there truly brain-fried.  Nothing like putting a dent in your day, eh?