Let’s talk about diagnoses

I have written and posted a lot on my other blog about youngest son, J.

But this is a new blog, with a new direction, and maybe a new audience.  I meant to have a lot of posts queued up and ready to go before I posted.  As you can see, this blog is bare bones and basic.  I’ll be adding more bells and whistles soon.

However, someone posted something on Facebook that set me off, so away we go.

Let me tell you about my son.

He is the sweetest boy.  Never meets a stranger.  He’s kind and thoughtful and loves to learn.  He can tell you all about superheroes and comic book movies and Legos and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

When he was 2, he was diagnosed with a speech delay.

When he was 3, he was diagnosed with autism.

When he was 5, he was diagnosed with ADHD and a severe speech impairment.

And now that he is 7, we are playing “Wheel of Diagnoses” again.

J was promoted to the second grade.  He is at or above grade level in all of his subjects.  But he struggles in school.  He is not always the most kind friend to his classmates, and his social skills with peers need improvement.  So, I made an appointment for him with a psychiatrist to review his history and see what they suggest.

I don’t want second and third grade to be as hard for him as kindergarten and first were.

Last year, I wrote or responded to 347 emails about J.  I attended 4 in person meetings, fielded numerous phone calls, and cried countless tears.

So, why am I telling you all this?  Because I feel there will be other people in my shoes.  Other parents who have a mixed diagnosis, who are having trouble with their children in schools, who don’t know where else to turn.

The actual diagnosis doesn’t matter.  I won’t be able to stop fighting for accommodations, attending IEP meetings, or answering emails because he gets THIS diagnosis or that one.

But maybe, just maybe, one seven year old little boy won’t have to tell me he hates school and everyone hates him anymore.