PDD-NOS HIGH SCHOOLS?

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Hi. I'm new to the site and this is the first thing I've posted.
My wife and I have a daughter - 14- who has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS, but that label never tells the whole story, does it. After years of misdiagnosis and working with several doctors, we realized that she does have splinter skills - unique and advanced ways of thinking combined with some Aspie social traits.
There was NO appropriate school for her in all of Los Angeles. (The Help Group, which is supposed to be THE place for Autistic spectrum kids, was awful and really damaged her.) We found a great all-girls school in the Pacific Northwest where her social awareness and self control has blossomed with the right environment and tools. She's funny and smart and working hard to sort it all out.
Here's my problem. Next year, she'll graduate, and we don't have any appropriate school choices for her. I would appreciate hearing of any good high schools - day school or boarding - in Los Angeles or the east coast (including Montreal, Canada) that you can recommend or have heard good things about.
Thanks for reading all this. I'd really appreciate your feedback.
Best regards,
HDSDB1

Hello HDSDB1,

Welcome To



Is there any likelihood of home schooling for her

There may be, but I don't think that would actually be good for her. Being around other people has helped her social interactions come up. Los Angeles is already a city where everyone is cut off from each other and we kind of feel like home schooling would only isolate her further.
You're my first reply on this site!
Thanks!

You could always homeschool and have her do volunteer work everyday.

Check out your homeschool community and see what it has to offer. Since your child is PDD, it would benefit her to be around people who share her interests. A lot of people who homeschool have clubs and activities that they participate in that is also educational that will give your daughter the social interaction she needs. See if there are clubs in the area, or volunteer opportunities that she can get social experience through. Where I work for example, they have homeschool theater where kids get together all winter long and put on a play a couple of times a year. They are a tight group, they share interests and for a PDD child it can give them enough of a comfort level to really be herself with a group of kids that know her.

Homeschooling does not have to be isolating. I wouldn't rule that out. Schools for these kids are few and far between.

Good Luck! I'm sure I'll be in your shoes in about 8 years.

My advice is you may want to look into a school that specializes in learning disorders. Most HS that specialize in LD, often also specialize in higher functioning autism.
There are boarding high schools that spefically specialize in AS and NLVD, but I am not sure if they are in your area. Franklin Academy in CT, and Orion Accademy in Moraga, CA come to mind, but I know there are a few others. These schools do require normal to high-iq, and the person to be on the higher functioning part of the spectrum, but I would imagine they would accept somebody with PDD-NOS.

Do not send her to a school with folks who have behavioral disorders or mental retardation. BAD IDEA.

I'm in a similar boat. I'm afraid high school for my son will be too traumatizing for him. I'm considering taking him to the community college for classes in his special interest (computers) which will give him opportunity to socialize and learn at the same time in what I remember to be a better environment (I went to community college for classes at 16 because I couldn't stand the environment at high school). I'm also planning to set him up to volunteer at a local computer club that builds computers for low-income kids. for the rest I'm afraid if I try to homeschool it will be a disaster, so I'm looking at alternative schools where he has a chance of not being persecuted all the time.

Thanks for everyone's reply. I'm going to look into all these suggestions, but if you read this and have something to add, I'm open. I think we're also going to have to hire a placement consultant because her profile is so particular. This is a really great website and I've already got so much perspective from the short time I've been on it. Thanks!

You might want to check out the Spectrum Academy its in North Salt Lake City, UT. They specialize in Aspergers and the other high functioning autism disorders. They are opening a high school next year.

My son is 13 and is a wonderful LD grade school through 8th grade. Today I was told that there are no schools in Los Angeles for him. I am open to hear about all schools that help children with PDD-NOS and related issues.

Welcome to WP!

The Pacific NW huh? :3 I went here: http://www.childrensinstitute.com/ (Mercer Island, WA) It was great! Best time I ever had in school. It only went up to 9th grade though, but it might have changed since then.