ps - did the school mention the example you cited above (the ODD suggestion) at a team meeting or did a teacher mention it in a private conversation? I think that might be something I'd personally send back to the school in the form of an email - restate what was stated (at whatever meeting or conversation it was stated in), outline why you believe it is due to vision challenge rather than a behavioral issue, and send it to whoever was present when it was said. I've found in working with our school that when I did this type of documenting, issues like this sometimes disappeared and the school staff was much more willing to agree to my point of view
I actually kind-of did this. When I sent in his last report from the vision doctor which contained several tests DS did, observations of DS and it explained in detail the obstacles facing DS due to the vision problems, how it affects DS and what he needs. I went on to say the following:
"It was very disheartening to hear the psychologists attribute it to various behavioral/psychological issues (that he is "so rigid he just can't see others' perspectives" - so not DS at all!), anxiety and to hear and read in various reports people 'hinting' that he is on the spectrum or has ODD or ADHD - when I KNOW what "on the spectrum" looks like and I know he is not (anyone who takes some time to get to know DS can see that he is not on the spectrum.") And I KNOW what ADHD looks like and I also know that is not DS. I said to the the various psychologists involved in this that when I observed him taking the test it seemed really obvious to me that he has a learning disability or some sort of vision problem and they sort-of treated me like I was crazy. And here we are. I am so glad I valued my observations and suspicions over that of the "professionals" with the "checklists" and pushed the vision and learning disability testing. I am not glad that he has these vision disorders (on the contrary, I am heartbroken) but I am glad I am finally getting accurate labels and diagnoses rather than him being labeled with (and possibly medicated for) various disorders that he does not have. It frightens me how easily that could have happened and would have happened, if I were not the way I am (as annoying as "the way I am" may be). "
I know. I kind-of went off. But this was all so heartbreaking and just very frightening. Someone had to say it and I don't care what people think of me so I said it. Plus I am the ONLY Ds has got on his side.
The "psychologists" I am referring to include her and she knows it. I think that is why the report is so much more favorable than I expected.
