So, what I'm trying to say is that whenever I ask for an accommodation related to his ASD diagnosis I get a lot of "You don't really think he needs that do you?" I frequently get outright disbelief and even indignation when talking to people about his diagnosis, especially at the school.
He has a diagnosis from qualified medical professionals. That same diagnosis has been verified by several independent medical professionals. You're not making spurious requests for giggles.
Yes, he needs the intervention. End of discussion.
If there's an alternate accommodation that serves the same function, but is easier for the school to provide, I'd say consider it. Is the school not providing the accommodation, and it's reasonably medically indicated? That's a violation of 504 rights and discrimination on the basis of a disability, which requires escalation.
In this kind of case, you may have to be a hard*ss to get what's due. That's ok! Stand in your power and be firm in your requirements. Maybe bring the BSC into the discussion as an ally to build bench strength. Don't entertain discussion if this is what your medical team is saying your son needs. Negotiation is for implementation logistics, not the decision of need, itself.
(And you're more than welcome to debate and consider here among friends. It can be so difficult to disentangle the different components of these needs. Parenting kids like ours truly is a hard job. Just be ultra-steely when you're going into the school.)
