Skimom

To update our situation: after some exhausting and stressful weeks gathering relevant documents and information I am pleased to say that I have a package to go to CIC in the morning! Hopefully, we will hear positive news very soon! Thank you to everyone who has given advice and support since I first posted about this case!

Falcore

you hear some good news soon Skimom!

Scotty boy

Our son was born with Hydrocephaleus and had a shunt installed at birth i mentioned to the doctor during the medical and he said if he hadnt had any trouble since it shouldnt be a problem and it wasnt

debbiem

good luck skimom - it can be a bit of a wait now though as the file will whizz off to Ottawa for specialist medical opinion... hopefully you will get positive news soon

Robin (The Gadget family)

for you Skimom

Gray C

We know what you are going through. Our daughter was turned down because she was voluntarily taking growth hormone (under a Consultant at Alder Hey Hospital). Unfortunately, our appeal was unsuccessful and she was refused a landing visa, which later turned into a lifelong ban to enter Canada for holidays etc.

Sorry to be the bearer of not so positive news, but please be aware that CIC are very ruthless and there is a distinct chance that your son will be refused a visa

castra

As a Father who raised a son who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at at early age, I can so sympathise with both predicaments. I know nothing of the second scenario mentioned & what the 'issue's' may be, but both cases bring to light the ignorance many people in have of certain 'conditions'.

Highly upsetting when you & your families future could be decided by some faceless public sector worker who's 'only following the rules' made by some other government supremo who's taken advice from somebody even higher up the chain who may know nothing whatsoever about that condition.

The very name 'Asperger's syndrome' can conjure up images of some awful disease to those who don't know better. People with Aspergers may sometimes be 'different' but they're NOT a drain on resources usually.

Some so called experts are little better when it comes to assisting kids with Aspergers. Many years ago when my son was around 4 years old, he was referred to a speech therapist at the local hospital. I was told after assessment, it was unlikely my son would ever go to mainstream school & I should consider a 'special needs school'. It was a grim picture painted for my sons future with plenty of negative scenario's.

My son is now about to commence his second year at University having done remarkably well at high school & 6th form college. He was quite the 'burden' on 'services'?!

Gray C

CIC make very rash and unfathomable decisions based upon on a fraction of the facts of the individual in question

The bottom line with them is, if they think the applicant is going to be a burden on the canadian Medical or social services they will refuse the visa.

They are prats one and all and to fight their decision is almost impossible from my own experience

Skimom

Thanks for all responses! It's clear to anyone who reads the paperwork that there is no "excessive demand" at all! We would be happy to appear for interview so they could see there is no problem - even the DMP at our medical said he wouldn't have known if we hadn't mentioned it! Obviously we did have to mention it - particularly as have lived in Canada before - but anyway, I shall try not to think about it all for now, I think I've had enough stress to last me a lifetime!

dbd33

A few points here:

- what percentage of children diagnosed as being on the spectrum perform so well academically? If the percentage is not high the Canadians are justified in refusing all such children; there are plenty of potential immigrants who don't have children who may be a burden.

- a stellar academic performance is not a solid indicator that someone will not be a burden on society. One might even say that good academic performance is a hallmark of Asperger's, it doesn't follow that a good student will be a functioning member of society.

- Canada is not an ideal country in which to be disabled. Parents of spectrum children would do well to consider the facilities that might be available to their children in both countries when those children are adults and the parents are dead.

Skimom

There are great misconceptions regarding the autistic spectrum - it covers a vast array of children, all of whom are different. The Canadians are legally obliged to consider each case individually, which they do. If a person can live an independent life then there is obviously no problem now or in the future. It is wrong to think of all ASD children as being the same, ie to look at the worst-case scenario and think they all fit that description. They don't!

I wouldn't consider ASD children to be "disabled", the vast majority are maybe "different" to the "norm" (whatever that it) but they are not really going to stand out in the society as being different.

Indeed, it is anticipated by specialists in this field that Asperger's will be eliminated in the new DSM V Diagnostic Index (in the next 1 - 2 years) and there will be criteria for actually identifying the level of severity of symptoms within the autistic spectrum.

dbd33

I daresay there are. I don't think I'm labouring under any of them.