We got an official diagnosis for DS2.9 yesterday. High Functioning Autism with very high intelligence. I am looking for experience and advice ... what did you do with your HFA kids when they were around this age? In terms of school, therapies, etc.?
We received a laundry list of recommendations (continue with all his current therapies, add on behavioral therapy), get ABA therapy if we can, Autism school ... I feel overwhelmed and knowing my child, don't see all that together working form him. He works well when NOT pushed too hard. If you push too hard, he shuts down and that's it. I am worried that a lot of this intense therapy will make him go from being a very happy child to being irritable and a big mess.
My biggest two issues ... the ABA and Autism class ... would you do it or not? (he has at this point about 600-700 words vocabulary ... not just memorized vocab but words he can say/understand/read most of them, is slowly finally starting to communicate verbally more, eye contact has improved a lot the last couple of months, overall more engaging as of right now)
yes, I want him socialized and be able to communicate ... but I also want him be educated to his full potential (even during the evaluation they did mention that once he tackles the communication and social part, we'd most likely be looking at advanced classes and such, as we expected)
