Autism!
 

Hey guys
Me again........
One of my little ones has autism, does anyone know if this will be a problem when applying for residency?
Thanks again
Jenni

Re: Autism!
 

I would expect so. If Autism doesn't count as excess demand on the state I can't imagine what would. Can you lose that diagnosis or get it changed to something like "spectrum disorder, ADHD"?

Re: Autism!
 

We have been told his diagnosis my be down scaled to aspergers as he no longer shows all the rigidity of autism. He is'nt on any medication at all and doesnt have and medical needs!

Re: Autism!
 

See if you can get that lesser diagnosis. There are posters here (names escape me right now) who have immigrated with Aspie children without problems. I think a disgnosis of "Autism" would set off alarm bells.

Re: Autism!
 

Thanks for the advice :D
We have an appointment regarding this in a couple of weeks so fingers crossed!
Any personal experiences would be greatly recived :D

Re: Autism!
 

I don't know that changing his diagnosis to Asperger's it will make a difference. In Canada, Asperger's and "Autism" are both part of the Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Having said that, I have no idea if that will hinder immigration.

Re: Autism!
 

A very broad spectrum spanning "mildly eccentric" or Asperger's and "dysfunctional permanent burden on the state" or Autism. It would be as well not to suggest the latter on one's immigration application.

Re: Autism!
 

The inadmissibility stems from what is termed "excessive demand". They define it generally by estimating if your child will need medical care costing above the per-capita average (arounf $5000 per year I believe).

Visa officers are instructed to assess each case individually and not simply reject applicants based on the name of their condition.

If you think its going to be an obsticle you really need to be making a case that there would not be excessive demand. For example a record of all treatment/care needed thus far over the last few years and potentially expert opinions on future treatment/care required and the likely cost.

Re: Autism!
 

i know a family that has this and they are going through PR, make sure that you get your records sorted, does he need extra help, what help do you get in uk and would you need any help here, i am glad that you came on here and asked, if you also look at the blue bar above and use the advanced search, the topic has been discussed before and as long as you can prove no extra help is needed then you have a strong case.

:thumbsup:

Re: Autism!
 

'excessive demand' costs include medical, educational and social services, so costs incurred through any extra help at school (1-1 support etc), respite provision, CAMHS etc, as well as medical.
allegedly.
but it's possible, if you're willing to jump through a few hoops and prove that there are no (or minimal) costs that Canada will incur. Of particular interest might be the Designated Medical Practitioner Handbook, which details the questions you will be asked about your child, including details of any developmental delays etc.
How old is your little one? The pre-school scales are very specific as to age appropriate developmental milestones.
My daughter has missed them all, but we still have our fingers crossed and know that she will be referred for specialist medical after we have submitted all of the additional medical reports etc :)

Re: Autism!
 

Wher my kids go to school for example there are a number of autistic children. Generally the policy of the school board is that these children are provided with a 1-1 EPA (Educational Personal Assistant). Given that a child in this area would be entitled to that level of care it would be almost impossible to argue there would be no excessive demand. Generally it seems they dont accept that if a service is available that you would choose not to access it.

So you would need to have a case to show that your child would not qualify for this level of care in the area you are planning to settle in my opinion.

Another consideration is that the rules are relaxed for Business Class applicants (Investors, Entreprenuers etc) who demonstrate sufficient "ability and intent" to personally cover the cost of care or additional services needed.

Medical inadmissibility is a complex area though and there seems to be a slight lack of consistency to the way applications are treated so it could go either way.

Re: Autism!
 

Mm. My daughter isn't on any meds and has no medical 'needs', but she still has 'cerebral palsy' stamped all over her files. It's enough to make any immigration officer take to the hills, despite the fact she'd walk in and have a chat with him, and read him a chapter or two of Virginia Woolf if he was bored... (she's 5...) ;)

Like Paul said, it's a very grey area and there are no guarantees, but all you can do is try. And buy lottery tickets.

Re: Autism!
 

Hi

I also posted a couple of weeks ago regarding ADHD and a lot of people have also said that I will need to get as much information to support our case regarding PR.

We are just at the beginning of our journey. So could be a couple of years away until PR becomes an issue.

Good luck:confused:

Re: Autism!
 

The spectrum is called "The Autistic Spectrum". ie...if a person is anywhere along the spectrum, they have autism.

(FWIW, I don't like the term autistic, nor diabetic, nor schizophrenic etc etc....as all of these describe the person AS a condition.....the preference is for "a person WITH autism, or WITH diabetes etc etc") :)

Re: Autism!
 

Nonetheless, in popular parlance "autism" is finger twiddling, car scratching, semi-human, while ADHD, Asperger's and so on are conditions with which people live successfully. To choose a label which carries a stigma is to shoot oneself in the foot when negotiating with a bureaucracy.

I expect you know that autistic people prefer to be called autistic people as they feel that the autism does define them. In much the same way as some deaf people define themselves by deafness. However, don't hestitate to impose your small minded preference on the world. What those of dealing with autism most need is your condescension.

Re: Autism!
 

I think that is what Ozzidoc meant. Refering to someone as an autistic person, a deaf person is fine, but just saying that they are an autistic, or a spastic, or a deafie isn't. Though I do call myself a deafie!

Re: Autism!
 

Generally "person with autism" is desperately PC for "autistic person" in any context. Obviously few auties are able to express an opinion. In fact, we might say that the ability to have an opinion on the matter is disproof of being autistic (or being with autism).

Re: Autism!
 

I think I understand. You can use the word autie, but anyone who doesn't have a close connection would be wise not to I think. Sometimes the PC phrases work, ie a "person with MS" is probably better than an "MS sufferer", but "a person with deafness" is just plain weird and clumsy. You could say that I am a "deafness sufferer" but the Deaf person would argue strongly against that. I think its OK to say that I am hearing impaired, but again a Deaf person would hate that description. Also Deaf people have told me that I shouldn't describe myself as deaf.

MOH is the real deafness sufferer, especially over the next 4 weeks when my very very deaf mum is visiting. I have bought him so ear plugs....

Re: Autism!
 

I wouldn't ordinarily use that expression. It's a reaction to being offended by Ozzidoc's assault on the language. I've never heard anyone actually say "autie" but autistic people sometimes use it to describe themselves on discussion boards. The formulation preferred by the politically correct in Ontario is non-NT, which derives from the idea of describing most people being NT, neurologically typical, as if that was a problematic condition with autism being the default state of being. There's quite a funny website out there somewhere describing to autistics how best to deal with people with neurological typlicalism.

Understand that I'm usually quite careful to attempt to use the terms people prefer to describe themselves, gay, Black, aboriginal, whatever. However, autistic person vs. person with autism, is hair splitting and it's nonsense since the people being described necessarily do not care. It's not political correctness or politeness in the sense that describing someone as "gay" rather than "queer" is an attempt to avoid offending that person. This is describing the gay person as a person with gayness in order to please a straight third party. It's patronising bollocks.

Re: Autism!
 

We're on a bit of a learning curve with our son. He's autistic (sorry "with autism") and at age 4 he's showing some advancement but cannot speak and is not potty trained. The up side is he's a lot less destructive than he used to be and is quite manageble. And we love him to bits despite the challenges for everyone concerned.

Still, my only point in contributing here is the little anecdotal story we have of when he was first diagnosed. He was described as being somewhere on the autism spectrum and having developmental delay. We didn't realise that developmental delay is the new term for mentally retarded. I mean I know that it's forced us to learn a lot and to understand a lot more about mental retardation and developmental delay and what it all means blah, blah, blah. It's all these terms and being careful about how things are said and not to offend and political correctness. It does help to get completely lost in translation.

Re: Autism!
 

stepnek... about being lost in translation...

... developmentally delayed isn't the new term for 'mentally' retarded. It merely means a delay in one or more areas of development (which may or may not include a learning disability). My daughter has developmental delays and is cognitively not impaired at all - what she does have are physical delays - ie a motor condition (cerebral palsy).
Global developmental delay, however, is generally accepted to mean across the board, and this would of course incorporate a learning disability, or 'mental retardation'....

dbd33 - the non-NT thing I find VERY confusing - my daughter isn't NT either, but isn't autistic, or 'with autism', so glad we're not planning on shipping to Ontario ;)

Re: Autism!
 

...although I think paediatricians make up the definitions as they go along. I know ours does, which is why I take her attempts at explaining cp to me with a pinch of salt. I've kept the letter where she made a valiant attempt to attempt to explain 'the three types - spastic, hypotonic and hemiplegia' and then went on to explain that spastic cp always affects all four limbs...
ummm... except for spastic diplegia presumably, or monoplegia, or triplegia...

Fortunately she's the fourth in a row, and the other three have been eminently more sensible. Not planning on getting her to write the report for the Immigration medical to kick off the burden investigation...:blink:

Re: Autism!
 

What on earth did I do to upset you? I was simply sharing my experiences, and certainly those of the many patients that I meet. I constantly hear parents and patients guide me as to how they wish to be described in a healthcare setting. I always wait for them to use their preferred term....and then reflect this in my conversation.

Secondly, how is my opinion offensive yet yours is not?

Re: Autism!
 

Plainly not patients with autism, or autistic patients, as the essence of autism is not knowing that you form a description of those patients.

I suppose all opinions are offensive to some NT person somewhere. Yours, on the proper manner of describing people with autism, offends me because it puts artful wording ahead of clarity. The head patting manner of the delivery was particularly irksome; it's not as if I haven't heard that idea 1,000 times before. Feel free to be offended by my converse view.

Re: Autism!
 

In practise there really isn't a problem, use "autism" when you want to convey an impression of disability (perhaps when claiming a grant) and "spectrum disorder" when you want to convey the opposite idea (such as for immigration). No one can actually know much about your child without spending time with her so you can play with perceptions just by juggling the description.

Re: Autism!
 

I will do.

Meanwhile, I like your blog....we'll the pictures - no time to read! I prefer the big print wallpaper, but maybe it depends on the size of the room? :)

Re: Autism!
 

No, no, wrong end of discussion, sorry! She's not on the spectrum at all, but she's definitely not NT - I was just using it as an example of how easy it is to misconstrue things by attempting to avoid offence... (which on balance, it probably did lol)... she's not NT, but she's not AS, she's developmentally delayed but not 'mentally retarded', etc etc. In less 'enlightened' terms she's an old fashioned spastic... except she's not, because her spasticity has now reduced to almost nothing, and it's the fluctuating tone that causes the balance issues... but the mere fact that she has 'cerebral palsy' stamped all over her file means the expectation is that she sits in a wheelchair and drools (which she does occasionally), but there's a lot more to an individual than a label, etc etc... but there's not much you can play with around a cp label... short of 'mobility disorder'...
<didn't mean to hijack, only popped in because of the initial question and we're obviously another family waiting out on a burden ruling etc... although not for the same reason...>

Re: Autism!
 

Almost everyone preferred the large print. For reasons lost on me we now have a box of the small. I'll hang it and we'll see if it appeals to autistic people (sample of one, massive generalisation follows).

Re: Autism!
 

Exactly the issue with autism. One doctor said "this is autism but I'm not going to give that diagnosis as it's the kiss of death, you won't even get a cold treated for an autistic person". He was quite right even though no two autistic people are the same. Those at the extreme end of the spectrum share several of a list of traits but the variations between the traits e.g. finger twirling and head banging are so extreme as to make even "low functioning, deeply autistic" an uninformative description.

Re: Autism!
 

Hi
My daughter is 16, has Aspergers Syndrome and we are currently applying for PR. She is in main stream school, has a teaching assistant but not full time, is doing extremely well. My cousin has a child of the same age with the same diagnosis and became PR earlier this year. I plan on going to the medical when called with all the information that i hope they will require. I don't think it will be an issue as i have the backing of the school and educational pshychologist here. My advice to you is to get every piece of information that you can, be totally honest and present your case.....good luck to you.:thumbup:

Re: Autism!
 

Hi Folks,
Just to give you all an update. As from previous threads our eldest son Donal was Diagnosed with High Functioning Autism in March of 2007. Last Friday 17-04-2009 our Twin Boys Tomas (Pronounced Toe-Mass)and Micheal (Pronounced Me-Hall) were also Diagnosed with High Functioning Autism also.

We contacted our lawyers in Toronto and they couldn't give us a concrete answer on whether or not our application would be successful. All they would say is that each application is taken on it's own merits. To be honest, were not confident on a favourable outcome, however for my sanity's sake were pushing on with the application.

We're currently awaiting our request to go for medicals. While I know the cost of medicals vary depending on what part of the UK your in. Has anyone had there's done in Belfast and what was the cost?

Regards
Sean