Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

DS will be 3 at the end of November and he will switch from EI to the school district.

We live in NC and the budgets are really skimpy. DS currently gets OT, PT, ST, CBRS (play therapy) and then some special ST through EI for kids with hearing impairmets.

He gets these services because he has many delays. He is progressing and doing well but he still has delays-the most prominent being speech.

Our case worker and couple of his therapists have hinted that getting services through the school system is a battle and that I should prepare for a fight, especially because DS doesn't have a diagnosis beyond global delays.

Every 6 months since DS was 9 months old I take him for a checkup with his neurologist. We met today and I was lamenting about the transition. She offered to put a diagnosis in his file. She said she doesn't feel it really fits him and wouldn't move to slap a diagnosis on him except that she wants to ensure he gets all the services he needs and doesn't want all his progress to be undone because of a cutin services. She also said that the diagnosis she would give him is one that kids often "outgrow" and that if he continues to do well that would be the logical reason for removing the diagnosis later if need be.

I don't know how I feel. I'm not afraid of a diagnosis. And, I want DS to get as many services as possible. I guess I just feel like I'm doing him a disservice in some way. Like I'm somehow saying I don't believe in him. It's weird. I'm a little torn ethically but honestly I think I would do almost anything to make sure my son reaches his potential, whatever that maybe.

Thoughts?

Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

i personally would.

ill give you my own personal story.

when we transitioned from EI to CPSE the special ed director thought DS was PDD-NOS. we had almost finished with the meeting and i when i corrected her she looked at her notes and then checked his diagnosis and sure enough it said he was autistic and tacked on many more hours of therapies.

while PDD-NOS is still a spectrum disorder its a more HF "label" so to speak.

at 5 i am sure my DS was and always has been PDD-NOS, but i will not be doing a differential Psych, because i am afraid of loosing the therapies he gets now.

i took whatever services that were offered, because for me, the more they get now, the better.

just this year we have recently started to reject services offered (not by much, but enough not to look greedy). at 5 i think he will most benefit from school with the help of a few hours at home.

do what you feel is best and what you feel is right.

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

When I had DS evaluated for EI the psychologist was very straightforward with me about the PDD-NOS. Even if it is not the right diagnosis, better to have it and get services then not have it and waste valuable time without services (or to pay out of pocket for them). DS has been receiving services since 15mo and will be turning 3 in October. His speech is progressing, his cognitive is above average and overall he is a different kid. He certainly got more services from CSE because of his diagnosis and the way I look at it, whatever it takes to get DS up to where he needs to be to hopefully be mainstreamed come Kindergarten is what I'll do. I hope that he will eventually "lose" his diagnosis but if I am honest with myself he does have a Pervasive Developmental Delay.

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

Yes, I would.

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

I think I would too. i think there are certain things that if your child doesnt go into Kindergaten with the services, they are very hard to get later.

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

Yes. And believe me, if the school district doesn't think he needs the services, they will fight you on it. If he really needs the services, I would accept the diagnosis and wouldn't think twice about it.

I think the only way you can be doing him a disservice is by focusing on what he can't do, rather than what he CAN do. Accepting the diagnosis doesn't do that, it just allows you to get him the help he needs.

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

I get what you're saying.... I don't know. I would give them a relentless fight until they gave my child what he deserved. I can tell you that for sure.

I think you need to do whatever feels right to you.

Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

I dunno, my child didn't have a diagnosis until much later in life. He was just always "classified" as multiply disabled, and a diagnosis would not have changed what he received in terms of services. A "label" shouldn't matter. The district should be giving the child what he/she needs, and I would fight for that with or without a label.

Message edited 8/24/2012 11:16:57 PM.

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

yes!!!!! once services are taken away it is harder to get them back.

Re: Would you take a diagnosis just to get services?

Message edited 8/30/2012 5:05:53 PM.