Asperger Child

[Greg SA]

Hi

We are currently looking into immigrating to NZ. I have a very good job offer in Auckland.
I have a son (Aged 6) with Asperger. We are just waiting for our passports and police clearance before we do the medicals. He is currently functioning normally in school, but requires his Ritalin every day. He is in good health otherwise, and if we didn't tell you he had Asperger nobody would notice.

Has anybody been through the process and what was the out come.

Regards
Greg

[lockstock]

Hi Greg - where are you from by the way? I'm particularly interested in your question because I work with children and families with Asperger Syndrome here in the UK and I'm looking into provision in NZ both in schools and family support. You are really lucky to have such an early diagnosis (I've got kids coming though diagnosed in their late teens) I'm a bit surprised at the ritalin though. I work mostly with social skills training and applied behaviour analysis. There are a few website about AS and autism in New Zealand - it's worth checking them out. I think awareness is in its early stages but moving very rapidly forward (not surprising with Tony Attwood, world authority, living just next door in Oz).

I get the impression the NZ ed system is trying to gear itself up to children with less obvious difficulties. I can't see why it should affect your application. Asperger Syndrome people just see the world in a slightly different way and all we need to learn is take a step towards their world rather than expecting them to fit into ours. Let us know how you get on.

[Greg SA]

Hi Greg - where are you from by the way? I'm particularly interested in your question because I work with children and families with Asperger Syndrome here in the UK and I'm looking into provision in NZ both in schools and family support. You are really lucky to have such an early diagnosis (I've got kids coming though diagnosed in their late teens) I'm a bit surprised at the ritalin though. I work mostly with social skills training and applied behaviour analysis. There are a few website about AS and autism in New Zealand - it's worth checking them out. I think awareness is in its early stages but moving very rapidly forward (not surprising with Tony Attwood, world authority, living just next door in Oz).

I get the impression the NZ ed system is trying to gear itself up to children with less obvious difficulties. I can't see why it should affect your application. Asperger Syndrome people just see the world in a slightly different way and all we need to learn is take a step towards their world rather than expecting them to fit into ours. Let us know how you get on.

Hi - I'm from SA. orginally the diagnoses was autism. We did alot of Early Intervention (ABA & RDI) with him. He is now a fully social functioning child. He attends school, has friends and really copes well in the accademic work. The school has stated that here is problem with him at all. But they haven't been down the long road which my wife and I have been.
The ritalin I refer to, is actual risperdal which is not known by most people. EVERYBODY knows ritalin. This was to just indicate the dependency on a medication and if it will affect our application in any way?

[lockstock]

You will probably find that any dependency on medication will reduce as he gets older and more able to understand our world more. Whereabouts in SA because I have a colleague who returned to SA who's an Asp/HFA specialist and I'm sure she'd be happy to talk to you. I suspect the meds are for AHDH behaviours which can lessen as his comprehension and coping skills develop - and of course people who work with him understand him better. Good luck with the process. PM me if you'd like to talk more.

[speckythecky]

My eldest's teacher has suggested that he may have aspergers. It hasn't come as a shock to us but, because of the time taken to get statements etc in UK we are not going to pursue it at this time.
He copes well on a day to day basis provided there is a routine, but struggles with change. We are a bit worried about the major change he is about to go through, although he says that he isn't and is more concerned for his friend that he is leaving behind.

[jdbob]

You might find something useful at http://www.asdin.org.nz/

[Sam B]

Your son's diagnosis may affect your ability to get PR. I have heard of instances where children with special educational needs have affected their parents' ability to get PR. Does anyone else know more about this? Once you are here, I think you will find the support in schools is generally good. (I say this as a speech and language therapist working for the Minestry of Education).

[JoanneG]

" Asperger Syndrome people just see the world in a slightly different way and all we need to learn is take a step towards their world rather than expecting them to fit into ours."

Oh well said Lockstock!!
Wouldn't it be wonderful is this sort of tolerance was taught in school!

[John Z]

For what it may be worth to you:

Autism will not "cure", but there are cases where the diagnosis Asperger Syndrome disappeared (they grew out of it). Not to give you "false hope", but to show Asperger is just something different. Long live diversity.

John Z

[incredible hulse]

Your son's diagnosis may affect your ability to get PR. I have heard of instances where children with special educational needs have affected their parents' ability to get PR. Does anyone else know more about this? Once you are here, I think you will find the support in schools is generally good. (I say this as a speech and language therapist working for the Minestry of Education).

My son has special educational needs (and some medical ones to) and it didn't seem to affect us getting PR. I had a job offer which was paying quite well and on speaking to the immigration people they stated that each case is taken on it's own merits and quite often comes down to a calculation on how much you put in versus how much you take out ! We arrived just prior to the medical criteria changing however and I think a lot of this change was to "tighten up" on special needs cases. Regarding support we are finding it OK; there appears to be a severe shortage within the medical field for physios, OTs and paediatric staff and often long waitlists due to this. Special ed services in schools are similar to the UK but again there is a real shortage of SL therapists and from our experience the budget for SEN assistance is very short (more so than the UK - from a "user" level)