I was for ever at the doctor's and as usual nothing wrong, or he might have a virus.  This went on for 41/2 years until a new doctor came to our clinic. It just all went into place.  He suggested that we see a paediatrician and that Mitchell could have a congenital abnormality. Gee, was we scared.

After the paediatrician's visit, he suggested that we see a geneticist and on the 17^th November Mitchell was diagnosed with a very rare disorder called Floating Harbor Syndrome.

Our lives would never be the same, but we went on living until Mitchell’s prep teacher asked if a child can have 2 syndromes. I asked what she meant and she thought that Mitchell might have Asperger's and it would be a good idea to have him assessed for it. I left the classroom to go and see the principal and well he suggested the same thing, so I got on the phone and so our journey began.

I rang the Guidance officer and gee, what a shock.  She said that she couldn’t assess him and with her own admission she knew nothing about Autism.  She suggested this other person which I contacted and she performed a CARS on Mitchell and he scored 34 but she wouldn’t give him a proper diagnosis because he had Floating Harbor Syndrome.

That guidance officer sent us to see a child psychiatrist and she agreed with the guidance officer that he had very Autistic tendencies, but still no proper diagnosis.  For the next 2 years I battled, and was accused of some awful things in just trying to help my child get the right education and the services that he is entitled to.

I rang the District Support Officer and asked if I could have an independent assessment and if I did would the education department accept it to help Mitchell get more aide time.  I was told yes to both questions. So I phoned the then president of Autism Tasmania and she gave me a lot of names and phone numbers, but to my dismay no one would assess Mitchell because he was already diagnosed with Floating Harbor Syndrome. I was refused by the Disability Services.  I was also told that a man would assess Mitchell in his own home as Mitchell was over the age that they assess.

Gee, who would’ve thought that trying to get a person to say "yes" he is Autistic or "no" he isn’t so hard. I can tell you I cried quite a lot, and felt that life was so unfair to us, and in particular Mitchell.

In one last ditch effort I rang the President once again and she gave me a name and number of a person that comes to Tasmania from Melbourne. I contacted Heather Mitcham and she asked if I could send as much information to her about Mitchell and the rare syndrome, and so I did as she asked and we waited.  Heather rang us back and made an appointment for Mitchell to be assessed.