Autism Testing Part 3 - The ADOS Assessment

Excited.  Nervous.  Scared.  Fear of the unknown.  Just to name a few of the emotions that were playing yesterday.  We were finally able to get Hunter his ADOS Assessment yesterday.  We almost had to wait until the middle of October to get the ADOS done, because the Children With Special Needs Health Clinic rescheduled our appointment from September 22.  I couldn't wait that long!  When we met with them back in June, they were adamant about getting Hunter into a 4 day school week (preschool kids go 2 days a week).  Waiting until the middle of October isn't going to get him in.  With Gunnison Valley Elementary, the only way a child can go from a 2 day school week, to a 4 day school week, is with a "life-altering diagnosis".  So, after days and days on the phone trying to find someone certified to administer the ADOS, I finally called South Sanpete School District.  Immediately I was put in contact with someone.  YAY!!!!


For the last week, I have been telling Hunter, he and I get to go to school.  He LOVES school!  Hunter was so excited when he woke up yesterday to go to school.  He was a little confused as to why we had to go up to Ephraim instead of his "new shkoo-O" (that's for another post later in the month when school starts and Hunter gets to go to the new Gunnison Valley Elementary School).  Once we were in the doors and and the classroom, Hunter was all about learning, playing, exploring, being naughty, not wanting to listen to me  (which is all stuff she says is good for her to see because it helps out with the assessment)or the woman doing the ADOS!  Not surprising, I deal with it daily.  After visiting with me for a while, giving me TONS of paperwork to fill out (a bazillion questions about what Hunter does, how he acts, reacts to certain stimuli), I was taken into her classroom, while she took Hunter to another room to do the assessment.  I never realized the assessment is full of play.  She had a HUGE suitcase packed full of different toys for different scenarios to "play" or assess Hunter with.  It was amazing to me!  She had wooden puzzles, little kitchen tea sets, a remote controlled car, BIG HUGE fabric, rock and wood, blocks, matchbox cars, books...everything you could imagine a child playing with, even things you wouldn't even think a child would play with.  With all of that, and asking Hunter tons of questions, from "can you find this toy?", "what do you do with that toy?", "Can you find the green ball?", "what do use to eat soup with?"...it was truly amazing to me.


Once she had finished her assessment and I had filled out my TONS of paperwork, we visited for a few minutes.  She did inform me with just the assessment, she knew Hunter indeed has a Spectrum Disorder.  She told me it would take her a couple of hours to score his assessment.  Once we get that score and she has had time to do her internet assessment, we will know exactly what disorder he has.  Today, I talked to her, since she didn't call me back last night like she said she would, she reiterated he does have a Spectrum Disorder.  She would have the findings of her assessment typed up and ready to review with me as to where he falls.  She also informed me that Hunter definitely has Sensory Processing Disorder/Sensory Integration Dysfunction, as well as ADHD.


Now that we have this done, once I get her assessment on paper, we can work on getting my favorite little buddy into a 4 day school week.  Preschool starts on August 30th, so hopefully by then we will have everything worked out.  Since finding out a little more about what is going on with my little Hunter, I have been reading EVERYTHING I can find on Sensory Processing Disorder/Sensory Integration Dysfuntion, ADHD, Asperger's Sydrome, PDD-NOS...as much information as I can get my hands on.  I came home yesterday with 3 different books to ready.  It's giving a whole new insight on what I can do to help my sweet boy, different things we can do to keep things that over-stimulate him away.  There is A LOT to learn, but I am okay with that.  It is all for my sweet boy!!!