Re: Wondering if my son has AS - opinions wanted

[Guest guest]

I know, I read what the Autism society has to say, but in some

cases, where speech is an issue on its own, then it is possible to

have an Aspergers child with a speech delay. In my husbands family,

there are many speech and language delays, which is what they

contribute his to. My cousin who is 16 and has no dx of any kind,

didn't speak until 4. Doctors figured he just didn't have anything

to say. I just wanted to point out that the general definitions are

just that, general. There are exceptions to every rule.

Sharon

>

>

> > My son has speech delays and is Aspergers.

> > Sharon

>

> > > Delays in language are usually associated with High

> > > Functioning Autism as opposed to Asperger's(where there is no

> > language delay)

>

> According to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, Asperger's syndrome

has " no

> clinically significant general delay in language " . However,

because people

> tend to associate autism with mental retardation (although the dx

criteria

> do not say that), and because there is actually no official dx of

HFA, many

> clinicians will dx a child as AS when they do have language delays

but are

> obviously within normal cognitive ranges. It just goes to show

what a

> nonsense having this separate definition of Asperger's is - it is

all autism

> and it is much more sensible to use the term autistic spectrum

disorder for

> everything. This is the position taken by Lorna Wing, who

rediscovered

> Asperger's work.

>

> in England

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the responses.

I'm wondering how important it is to get a diagnosis if the

treatment will be the same. He'll be getting ST again next year,

probably an hour a week.

In a way I'd like a diagnosis so I can pour myself into the books,

but in a way I don't because I don't want him to be thought of as

different.

Funny his speech therapist or school psychologist have never

mentioned anything about him being on the spectrum, when every time

I try to research it, it points me in that direction.

do schools not want to diagnose autism because it will mean they

would be required to give him more services?

[Guest guest]

" do schools not want to diagnose autism because it will mean they

would be required to give him more services? "

That has always been my experience. It wasn't until I went out and

found services of my own that they told me they suspected PDD. They

even told me he needed TSS services but refused to put it in the IEP

because then they would have to pay for it.

Sharon

> Thanks for the responses.

> I'm wondering how important it is to get a diagnosis if the

> treatment will be the same. He'll be getting ST again next year,

> probably an hour a week.

> In a way I'd like a diagnosis so I can pour myself into the books,

> but in a way I don't because I don't want him to be thought of as

> different.

>

> Funny his speech therapist or school psychologist have never

> mentioned anything about him being on the spectrum, when every

time

> I try to research it, it points me in that direction.

> do schools not want to diagnose autism because it will mean they

> would be required to give him more services?

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi :

No matter what your son's label on his IEP. He should be receiving

services and support for this unique needs. From your list, he may

need the following services:

Speech Therapy

OT - sensory issues (My son's sensory issue became more pronounced

in middle school. Several studies suggest that OT has most success

rate, if started before the age of 8. My son is 12 and has

benefitted greatly from OT that started this year - even though it

was recommended even as early as 7, but I could not get the SD to

provide it until this year. NOTE: Sensory Issues can be more

pronounced when your child enters middle school, due to more

transitions, larger campus and classes.)

Social Skills - nonverbal cues, peer relationships, turn-taking,

buddy programs (My son has had the greatest successes in this realm)

Peer counseling (as my son got older - he needed anger and anxiety

management classes. Bullying and teasing became bigger issues)

Modify class assignments (chunking assignments can be very

successful. Alternative settings or assigments as necessary is

another successful strategy that has worked for my son)

Visual schedule and directions(executive skills)

Many AS kids have trouble with writing. You didn't mention it. In

kindergarten, my son could not write, if he was seated. His teacher

let him stand to write as long as he didn't bother other students.

Even today, he holds his pencil in strange way.

He had problems just staying in the chair, when he was in

Kindergarten. It was often reported that he was wandering around the

classroom. Mostly in circles. Even to this day my son often walks in

circles as calming stratgy. When he was younger and we were in store

line, he would often circle around me. It would often annoy others.

I would make a game out of it and tell them and my son that he was

playing and pretending to be a shark. He still circles me sometimes,

but not so often and I can get him to stop if it is inappropriate.

When he was younger and I forced him to stop, it would often result

in a meltdown and could escalate to a rage. His meltdowns have

decreased greatly and he hardly ever rages now. When we have a bad

day, I just have to remember that number of bad days have decreased

greatly.

Just remember that you can use your son's obsession as tool to help

modify behaviors. When he was 6, I would keep stickers of power

rangers and pokemon in my purse. If he I caught him doing behavior

that I wanted him to adopt, I would give him a sticker to reinforce

the good behavior.

My friends that have typical 12 year olds are having more trouble

with their kids then I having with mine. He does display some

teenager angst, but just not as much as his typical peers. He is

still likes to hold my hand in public. He will still give me kisses

and hugs, even in front of his peers. I am the one that has to

remember that his peers may tease him later for that behavior. We

are creating a secret sign language, instead of kisses and hugs in

front of his peers. A tug of our ear or rubbing our own nose

instead. He loves that it own secret language.

Hope this helps.

> Hi,

>

> I'm brand new to the list. I'd like to describe my son and see

what

> you all think. I'm thinking maybe mild AS.

>

> He's 6 now.

>

> - at 2 1/2 spoke a total of 30 words. Up until 3.3 years couldn't

> say anything where you had to close your lips like m's and p's.

> - has always been behind peers with conversation.

> - had severe tantrums ages 3 - 5

> - socially very behind

> - ages 3-5 his cousins started to make him an outcast because he

> doesn't understand their games. He likes to run around with kids,

> but anything with rules he doesn't get it.

> - Extremely shy. Won't answer questions. Shy even with family

> members, aunts, uncles.

> - Had a great kindergarten year. Very structured, which made him

> much happier. Teacher pushed everyone to be in front of the class,

> and eventually he did it. Even made a few friends so socially

doing

> much better. Even with kids at a playground he will talk with them

> and ask questions if they seem non-threatening to him.

> - in class he spends all his energy looking at other kids to see

> what he's supposed to do. Copies their work. Has a hard time with

> verbal directions.

> - at home with homework, I have to word the directions in

different

> ways and point to everything. Needs a lot of visual queues.

> - Good at drawing, puzzles, great at computer.

> - very good memory.

> - gets obsessed about certain subjects, but I don't know if it's

> anything abnormal.

> - gets SP and she thinks he has a language processing problem,

> receptive and expressive.

> - uncoordinated.

> - tried T-ball, and it was a struggle. At practice he wouldn't go

> out there unless I was right by his side. So, I would be the only

> mom out there standing with him in the outfield! AT games he was

> fine.

> - cannot read phonetically.

> - picky eater. Smells bother him a little.

> - does not do well with loud noises and chaos like being in an

> auditorium, but getting better.

> - has trouble with transitions. At the beginng of Kindergarten, we

> were late once and it ruined his whole day, but by the end of the

> year he was much better about. Very small school. Likes to stick

to

> the rules like starting with everyone else and being on his own

> square on the mat on the floor. one day someone was in his way on

> his square, and he couldn't ask her to move, he just got nervous

> about it.

>

> - Just started sending him to mood-Bell program and I think

> he's starting to verbalize more.

>

> - Thanks for reading this far! Any advise would be appreciated!

>

>