question re IEPs

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I'm writing a story, and was wondering if a kid diagnosed with a development delay in talking would be mainstreamed or not. I'd appreciate any help!

Yes, but it depends on the scenario in question and at what level of communication & academic ability, etc. you are referring to when they enter the public education system. Also, where the story is set will affect the logistics of mainstreaming or not.

this part of the story takes place about 6 or 7 years from now. Kid is almost 3 or 3, but doesn't talk. Kid is already getting speech therapy thx to parents insurance. See, the school psych, and a ped dev misdiagnose kid as having a dev. delay., when kid is actually HFA or AS

A dx of Dev Delay would be appropriate at that age. Many times a dx of AS/HFA doesn't come until a child is of school age. In the US at age 2 a child is referred to ECI for intervention assessment if there is speech delay. If ECI deems it necessary (which they don't always unless there is very apparent autistic behavior/traits) the child would start PPCD or a preschool intervention program. That child would have sort of an IEP. The problem with your story is that the vast majority of HFA/AS cases aren't identified or intervened upon until much later. It is mostly the lower functioning kids that receive services that young, although it CAN happen, it just isn't the "norm" in my experience.

Thx! So the kid in my story would not get an IEP at all?

If the kid in your story lives in the US, has no speech but no other blatantly obvious signs of autism such as repetitive mannerisms or preoccupation with things or lack of reciprocal interaction (as can be viewed as excessive shyness, a normal developmental phase at that age), then chances are he would not be in ECI or PPCD not have an IEP, or have any services from the government. He would just be watched very carefully and referred for Speech therapy. There usually has to be the above signs or multiple items from the DSM for ECI to get involved. At least that's how it was for us. My daughter had no words until 2.5 years, was dx'd Dev Delay, and ECI said she was not autistic and did not intervene-eventhough they were "called in" for a referral when she had no words at age 2. My daughter even had a few of the autistic markers of the DSM and they still did not intervene. She was not diagnosed as AS (which she is really HFA but people here will tell you there is effectively no difference) until age 6. I don't believe she COULD have truly been accurately dx'd at age 3, as all of the diagnostic criteria were not unequivocally apparent at that time. Only time really flushes out the true "differences" that do not go away and get more pronounced as many, many NT children can display one or more markers or "traits" of the DSM criteria for autism and not actually be "autistic".

Thx!

Yes. He already has an eligibility. The service that he needs is speech and language. Make sure you get this placed on your son's IEP. If he also has academic delays, this should be addressed.