My daughter is officially diagnosed with autism. She was diagnosed in a time before levels, but having read them, I’d say she bounces somewhere between level 2 and 3. I don’t know if this is actually possible, but I feel it should be, as it is a condition that changes with age and therefore the criteria that she met for level 3 – e.g. being completely non-verbal – no longer completely fit, so she is more of a level 2 now? I don’t know. Is it like a car MOT, and what you get on the day is what you have until reassessment? As no one reassesses, this seems stupid.
I’m rambling. I do that a lot. She woke me up at 1am because monsters. I don’t know if they were scary monsters, or if they just wanted to chat, because all she said was ‘monsters’. With her, I think it may have been the latter, but it may have been the former.
Moving on.
Yesterday, her “short breaks” social worker called, to reassess her needs. Unlike her diagnosis, – probably because there is money involved and the local and central government is perpetually skint – they like to see if you still need the respite care.
I pointed out that, yes, she still had a high level DLA. And she now has a low level mobility DLA (which we need to appeal as it seems she should be on the high level for that as well – another post I think) and, yes, she still has a tendency to throw herself off high objects, and has a speech therapist, an Occ. health assessment, attends a special school, and is all-in-all my spicy little sunbeam.
The social worker asked if anything had been going well since last year, and I mentioned that we had joined our local David Lloyd gym, and that the Kids Team there have been essential for our sanity. Seriously: she goes 5 days a week during term time, and can be up there for 7 hours a day in the holidays. She loves the place, and luckily they love her too, and they have enough members of staff, enough space, and enough activities to manage her. When all else fails, they put her on a tennis court and let her run laps.
Having explained all this to the social worker, she told me how good this sounded and she would see if there was any chance that they could pay for some of her membership. I have to say, I’m overjoyed for this to be even considered, as she loves it but it’s one of our biggest expenses.
But it does bring home another point: I don’t care what her diagnosis says, the social workers are willing to pay her gym membership. I’m taking that as evidence that she has ADHD as well as the autism.
Now excuse me while I go throw her in the pool so she can hit the water for an hour to regulate some sensory seeking behaviours.
Raising the Modern Fae 