I think they will be able to address his advanced learning needs while we still get the special services, like language training, that he needs with the AS, free of charge.
So that's speech/language therapy? What other therapies, if any, do you have going for DGS?
The Dev Ped says ADHD, ODD, SPD, and maybe CAPD and thinks he will outgrow the AS! Both psychs said no ADHD or it was subclinical to the AS!
That's an interesting thing to say. Does this dev ped see a lot of people with AS?
Not to be a downer, but AS is considered a lifelong deal. One does not typically "outgrow" autism. One learns to live with it and develops coping skills over time.
I find this a useful reading on this topic, and my DS10 who has AS finds this approach helpful, too:
http://jerobison.blogspot.com/2013/01/can-we-outgrow-autism.htmlDo you have a behavior therapist (BCBA, board certified behavior analyst)? I would really recommend ABA therapy for learning social skills. Getting it started is a big job, but there are huge payoffs for getting and practicing these skills.
IMO the main reason so many people with AS are unemployed is that regardless of how good the academic skills are, social skills and life skills and problem-solving skills are also crucial to holding a job. In your shoes, I'd be looking to spend a reasonable but not excessive amount of time on academics, and pour the rest into helping him learn these other skills.
HTH,
DeeDee
