I have a question

[Guest guest]

Hello everybody.

Well my daughter and I have just returned from the meeting with the

developmental pediatrician and after all her questions and testing of

Lucas in two previous visits she has decided he has " mild " autism. So

now I don't know if mild autism means he actually has aspergers, or is

aspergers a spectrum all unto itself?

She never did mention the term aspergers. I mentioned it to her once,

but she did not respond to me so I didn't push her as this was not the

path she was going down, just wanted to stress the mild autism.

So I am asking you guys..? Is mild autism aspergers?

Other than that she explained autism has three components; 1.

Communication, he talked late. 2. How he interprets his world and

solves problems, is very rigid and sees things literally in black and

white, there is no middle ground. 3. And how he functions socially, he

tends to not be able to understand social cues in others, etc. so may be

hostile due to his frustration, etc.

Lucas has many examples of his behavior and personality that fit these

three components. But also he seems to be getting along ok so far at age

7 and does seem to be overcoming a lot of the traits he had at a younger

age. I did ask would he get worse, and she said no he would get better

over time. Doesn't seem to be what I have heard here in this group so

much, but is it because he is mild and many of the children here are

more severe? I have a grown son who I guess would be VERY severe,

doesn't speak at all, etc.

She asked if he had an IEP and the school has been trying to pass it

off that the initial evaluation he had last spring to see if he

qualified for special services is the IEP! I told my daughter no that

was not an IEP, but an initial indication that he needs to get one. But

even at her last conference with the teacher to see how he is doing they

acted like they were doing what was on the IEP and there is NOT an IEP.

Guess they are thinking it is a verbal thing and not in writing.

Oh yes and doctor did not have the test results the school was asked to

fax to her yet. My daughter even went in there last week at her school

conference and asked them why they had not sent it to the doctor and she

said the secretary was defensive, but then said she would send it. Yet

the doctor had not received it. Good we brought copies today.

Any comments greatly appreciated!

Carolyn, a grandma in Oregon