question for Bee Bee...

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I've been reading over some of the posts and I came across one where you said the schools in Wisconsin weren't that great for kids with AS. We are just getting ready to move there next week! Right now we live in Kentucky. I have a 15 year old who was diagnosed PDD-NOS when he was 3. Now I'm thinking he may be AS, but the dx doesn't make a big difference to me I guess. I'm just scared now after I saw your post. What have you heard?

Another question I have is I haven't told my son about his dx I've always treated him the same as my other 2 kids. Should I sit down with him and tell him exactly what's going on with him? Are there any books out there that can help me out? He's in 9th grade, he is a very intelligent student (mostly A's and B's). He is just not good at all when it comes to socialization. When he comes home from school he is always in his room. We are working on that but it's a struggle.

I have so many questions! But that's a start for now. I'm so glad I found this place, I've felt so alone for a long time. Thanks for anyone's advice, I sure would appreciate it! I just happened to stumble across this web site today!

Sincerely, Angie
p.s. Does anyone have kids with AS or PDD-NOS that have their driver's license? My son wants to get his but I don't know if I should let him.

I don't remember making a comment on WI schools but I very well could have. If I did it would have been prompted by something one of the other mods said (as he lives in WI.) I've PM'ed him and asked him to look into this thread and comment. I don't have any personal experience with WI schools.

All three of your questions (How are WI schools? Should I discuss this with my son and do you have any books he should read? and What about a car?) would be GREAT questions to ask in the general forums. I hope you consider doing that.

I think I would mention the PDD to your son if you think he knows that he has trouble socializing. I'm assuming he does. So many people here have said it was so nice to know their brains were wired differently rather than them being just "wierd." It doesn't have to be a big discloure because its not earth-shattering, its just another detail about him. For what its worth, both my sons have grown up knowing about their nuerological differeneces but that's probably because I'm different too. Its just a normal thing in my house although we are all very aware that its not a normal thing in the larger society.

Re: the car thing. ! This is the third question/comment on this in two days! This question does come up often but not that frequently. The general consense answer is that it depends. Some people never learn to drive, some have no problem with it BUT as a general rule, PDDers do drive but its more difficult. It takes longer to learn and takes more concentration. This thread, http://www.wrongplanet.net/modules.php? ... pic&t=7415
is about learning to drive. I think you would find it interesting.

I'm glad you found us too!

uhh, Angie. If you get a chance and feel like registering, I'd like you to PM me. I have a question I'd like to ask.
Thanks

Hi,

It may depend on school districts.

I went through special ed in Milwaukee public schools and thought they were great. So long as I learned the teachers respected my space and quirks. In fact I learned a lot more schoolastically in special ed than my "normie" neighbors did

I have a coworker with an as daughter in school now in wisconsin (madison). She has to do lots of work with the school administrators and generally thinks she has to push really hard to get stuff.

Where in wisconsin are you moving too? How high functioning is your son.

I've written quite a bit about my time in school here on this site. In 1985 when I started in the public education system, the place where I went to school, as well as the society where I lived was woefully unprepared to deal with kids who had aspergers. To compound the issue, I fell through the cracks the two times I was given psychological evaluations because AS wasn't on the books.

Things have gotten better in the past ten years. I don't know exactly what schools here have set up now for kids and teens with AS, however, when I was in high school, kids who needed it, were asigned work-study aids who went around with the kids to each class and as well as worked with them during their spare time to help with their studies.

If your son needs special services, I assume at the bare minumum they would do something like that.

Hi,

My son is 10 and goes to school in Brookfield (suburb of Milwaukee). We actually
moved here from California three years ago because -- although our son was diagnosed
with Autism - they felt he was too high-functioning to get services (didn't matter that he
could speak well enough for someone to understand him, that he couldn't understand
social ques, follow instructions, was easily distracted and unable to focus) they literally
kicked him out of special ed. Hey, he can clearly articulate the word 'bird' can't he?
He's fine then...

Geez - even after 3 1/2 years just thinking about those evil bas*$&#*% gets my
blood pressure boiling.

Okay - so back to your question. As I was saying my son goes to school in Brookfield
and he's doing very well. The school district has been very good to him (& to us) --
very supportive. Even after the school district in CA sent them a letter (here goes
my blood again) saying that he didn't qualify for special education services there,
the school district here (Elmbrook) tested him anyway. And boy did they test him.
There was no doubt about it - the tests proved it - our son is high-functioning autistic.

But really, at the end of the day, it's the school district that makes the difference. I
don't know what other school districts are like here -- well, except maybe Kettle Morraine.
The Kettle Morraine High School is excellent and is very supportive of children with
Autism/Aspergers.

Hope this helps,
Michele