“Surely that’s been ruled out at this point”

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

At a recent IEP meeting, we were brainstorming how to overcome school refusal for a 5th grader.  The student’s records showed, among other things, a history of behavioral rigidity, sensory sensitivity, emotional dysregulation, and social skills deficits.

When we requested autism testing, a team member responded, “surely that’s been ruled out at this point.”

No.  No, it wasn’t ruled out. 

Despite hallmark symptoms of autism, autism testing had never been done.  The student had a medical diagnosis of ADHD, given by a psychiatrist. He had been previously assessed by the school district in “all areas of suspected disability,” but no one had previously suspected autism.

Please.  Never assume a disability has been ruled out.