Aspies For Freedom

I just recently learned about autism rights, and I'm coming out of the cure mindset, so forgive me if I still use some of *those* terms and ideas.  
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We're being bullied by Child Protective Services to get our daughter officially diagnosed and into Dept. of Developmental Disabilities.  They are saying that NOT doing it is neglectful.  
For the past 2-3 years, I have researched and implemented therapies that I find ethical ( including Gutenstein, Greenspan, and Hanen Centre), and she has come a VERY long way, tho still not talking.  
I have very intentionally kept her off of gov't lists up till this point.  Call me overly paranoid or whatever, but I DO NOT trust them regarding the welfare of our AS children.  But now I basically have to, and I need to know about the least intrusive diagnostic test, and how to find a developmental ped. for it, and how to file with Dept. of Developmental Disabilites, yet not take their services.  I've checked them out a bit, and tho their website is pretty closed, they seem very mainstream, which is NOT what I have found to be in my daughter's best interests.

And anything else anyone wants to add, that I need to know/learn, please feel free, but please respect my choices for my family.

Ok, there are two or three abreviations that you may use on this site. They are AS, NT, and possibly an abbreviation for another PDD(or the term PDD itself). ND and DD are not in our lexicon. Take them out of yours as well. I also will not answer your question if you use the term yadda yadda in your post. Someone else will be more polite than I.

Subatai is correct, I will be more polite than he was.  :smile:

In any case, welcome to the forums, it's good that you're asking questions.  I'm afraid I can't offer much, but if you're in East Tennesse, I can recommend a doctor I started going to when I was close to your daughter's age.  He can recommend a center in Illinois, I believe, who diagnosed me as "Autistic disorder with speech."  My doctor here is the one who diagnosed me as Aspergers.  

I'm pretty sure autism spectrum is still a behavioral diagnosis, that is, no blood test, brain scan, etc. required, although they may or may not be done for research at this point.  Other people on here are better than I am at keeping up-to-date.  

I'd also like to add two abbreviations to Subatai's list: DSM-IV, and ICD-10.   :lol:

I suppose those two can also enter. But that's it. No more.

What the heck is an ICD-10?

Actually, there is currently a blood test for autism, although it is extremely inaccurate(it only detects about 3% of cases.)

I don't blame you for being paranoid.

If I were in your position, I would move out of their jurisdiction without leaving a forwarding address, and I mean that seriously.

Sorry, apparently it's ICD-9.  Don't remember where I heard 10.  It's like the DSM, another directory of diagnosable conditions.  

But it's not required for diagnosis of Autism Spectrum.