All About Autism

[Blokus]

Fizz, can you apply exemption from Chinese for him?

[ImMeeMee]

Fizz:

The ST gave me a list of schools including childcares which may consider kids with special needs. They include the following among the rest:

- TOUCH Childcare (Hougang/Clementi);
- Mother Goose (Jalan Halijah in Bedok);
- Presbyterian Community Services (various locations)

The above ones looks more affordable than Eton, which is also in the list :evil:

The pre schools above offer the Integrated Child Care Program under the Centre of Enabled Living.

These pre schools are certified to have special needs children along with their NT peers in the mainstream enviornment.

You need to submit an application to the CEL and this can be done through the psychologist.

Check it out:
http://www.cel.sg/Services_Child_Integrated-Child-Care-Programme.aspx

[Fizz]

Blokus:

Fizz, can you apply exemption from Chinese for him?

The PD can write a letter to RECOMMEND Chinese exemption. Ultimately, it's up to the school if they can downgrade HC to Chinese, or if there is no such option, to exempt him totally from Chinese. We are encourage to try first before seeking the letter.

[mashy]

slmkhoo:

specialboymum:

[quote=\"mashy\"]Specialboymum


Yes, we got a psychological report from them last year, which I also submit to his school before he started primary 1. The report is prepared by psychologist and must be sign by doctor at KKH CDU in order to be valid.
I understand the report will not be valid forever leh. If I need to apply for any exemption, I will need to submit an updated one. Our plan is to let him go \"blur\" through lower primary, and when he still show that he couldn't cope when it is closer to PSLE, we will then apply for exemption.

That's so silly right? Didn't they say that autism is not curable? It's like shooting themselves in e mouth. Ok, I better ask the CDU dr when I see her in nov.

Are you referring to the limited validity period? I don't think it's that silly because the child's ability to perform andcope will change over time. That's why we are taking so much trouble with therapies and training, right? It also allows for re-evaluation because diagnoses can be wrong.[/quote]Yes, their abilities may change but it will not change the fact that they have autism and for those with language delays, it impairs their capacity to learn two languages. If diagnosis is wrong, then it shouldn't come up incidentally while trying to get exemption from Chinese. It's like those who tell u that u have a terminal cancer, then after that say u don't have it after u have spent all your money on your bucket list. If diagnosis can change then I can also declare that autism can be cured and not like what they insisted that autism can't be cured.

[mashy]

Regarding preschools, I guess I’m lucky in the sense that I didn’t get it diagnosed till end of k2. So nothing to tell. The teachers are also not equipped to handle special needs kids but they just managed it well. We had issues as well but we worked together to improve the situations.


So long as your kids aren’t exceptionally disruptive, it should be ok even if u don’t say. Nothing wrong with it. In fact sometimes it’s better not to say else the teachers will treat them differently in a worse sense.

[specialboymum]

Fizz:

specialboymum:

hi parents,


need your advice.
my son's case has been with KKH CDU since he was first diagnose with ASD. We did not go through any of the service they refer us to (all his therapies are at private practice) but we do go back there once a year for follow up and also get psychological assessment for school enrollment.

Now he is in primary 1, KKH has to discharge him since they only handle pre-school kids. The nurses at KKH told us that we could send him to Child Guidance Clinic at Institute of Mental Health. The nurses also added they could refer him to CDU but that doesn't mean they are transferring his case to CGU for continue follow up. . However, if I don't have any referral from them and if I need to go there in future.. I will need to go through the whole process of getting referral at poly clinic... do series of assessment to confirm he is ASD...

I'm a bit lost and don't know how to proceed from here. On one hand, I don't require any of the CGU service for the various kind of therapies, since I'm already making my own arrangement. However, at certain point of time, I may require some letters from the doctors or other recognized professionals to help him to get additional support at school for example exemption from oral exams or mother tongue (if it really get too difficult for him to handle).. where else can I go to get such help?

I just saw the PD this afternoon. I was asking her about the options after CDC KKH since he is going to P1 next year. She gave me the opetion of going private totally or being referred to CGC at Outram. I am still undecided. But I asked her for referral to CGC (meant for P1 to teens) due to cost and there is continuity (they will transfer his records there).

I guess you can still call up KKH to see if they can refer you there based on your prior records. My next appointment is June next year. I guess they will discharge him too.

Thanks. Think I will clarify again. It doesn't make sense to me that we need to start all over again i.e get referral letter from polyclinic, go through diagnose and be informed he is \"autistic\" again, when they could just transfer the file over to CGC

I'm also considering the private route, but is a registered psychologist's letter be sufficient for application for any exemption in future? Because the psychologist reports I got from KKH, are not valid without a medical doctor's signature.

[mashy]

I think for me, I will ask not to be discharged if that’s even possible. After all, he was just diagnosed 1 yr. How can they discharge him do quickly? Doesn’t discharging mean they are cured?

[Fizz]

mashy:

I think for me, I will ask not to be discharged if that's even possible. After all, he was just diagnosed 1 yr. How can they discharge him do quickly? Doesn't discharging mean they are cured?

Mashy
Discharging doesn't mean cure. In CDC, they are appointed to specialise in preschool kids. Anyone older will be under CGC. So in my case, although not discharged officially, they will refer him to CGC to continue his OT or ST. As he will still have a review with the PD in June, any issues after he goes P1, officially we can still call CDC back. It is like segregation of target patients within the public health sector, who will handle who.

[mashy]

But when he was first diagnosed, how come they didnt refer immediately to cgc? Since he was already going p1 this year. Instead they told me to go private therapies! If he was referred then, he could make use of the therapies at cgc? I have issues with the way they work. Totally not thinking for the patients.

[Fizz]

mashy:

But when he was first diagnosed, how come they didnt refer immediately to cgc? Since he was already going p1 this year. Instead they told me to go private therapies! If he was referred then, he could make use of the therapies at cgc? I have issues with the way they work. Totally not thinking for the patients.

Mashy
To be honest, I was pretty upset when the ST first broached the subject of looking a social skills group for my son privately. I felt that there was no accountability and continuity. She told me that apart from the SSG that he attended, there was no more of such groups. You are kind of left in the middle of nowhere. Yesterday, I told the PD outright that I did not feel that any direction was given. So I asked her the route for therapies that follow in P1. She stressed that EIP will stop once the child entered Primary school. This would be taken over by the AEDs and education counsellors, or/and private. As she focused mainly on my son's SSG, I asked her about OT and ST. I cannot afford to spend so much on OT, ST and SSG, all in private. Upon probing, then she told me the possibility of being referred to CGC.

But but but, when the nurse called me this morning to confirm the appointment at CGC, she said that CGC is only for behavioural management, no OT and ST. Till now, I have no indication what my son needs except SSG.

I feel that the public hospitals are lacking in such staff. So they are trying to direct those who can afford to private. But it's also true that private is faster. An appointment made with OT or ST in CDC will prolly see you 2 months later. Haizzz...KKH is a children's hospital. They should at least cater to 12 years...