SPECT

[Guest guest]

While I'm out of my lurking shell for the moment, I'd like to follow up on a

question I posted to the list a few months ago...

For those of you that have gone through the NeuroSPECT, do you feel that it

changed the treatment approach for your child in a way that led to

significant gains? Was this a turning point?

I'm posting again, because the few answers I got the last time were not too

encouraging. Am I right to conclude that it didn't make much of a

difference?

Please share your testimonials - positive and negative.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

It is difficult to tell how things/treatment would

have been different with my 2 boys because they had

neurospects. Actually, my oldest has had 3 and will

have another in July. My youngest will have his 3rd

in july. We have been fortunate that our insurance

has paid for them and that we did not need sedation.

I feel that any tests/meansurements which help to

decide what medications might be best used or can help

to determine if gains have been made, are useful. Dr.

Goldberg has said that he is glad that these have been

done as they have helped to guide him to prescribe

certain medications.

If you are unable to afford the neurospect, then I

wouldn't worry about not having them done. I know

that Dr. Goldberg is a very skilled practitioner with

many years of experience dealing with our children.

And I'm sure that he is able to make medication

choices based on observations and lab data. However,

the neurospects greatly help and guide him in the

decision making processes.

--- on <katieandterry@...> wrote:

> While I'm out of my lurking shell for the moment,

> I'd like to follow up on a

> question I posted to the list a few months ago...

>

> For those of you that have gone through the

> NeuroSPECT, do you feel that it

> changed the treatment approach for your child in a

> way that led to

> significant gains? Was this a turning point?

>

> I'm posting again, because the few answers I got the

> last time were not too

> encouraging. Am I right to conclude that it didn't

> make much of a

> difference?

>

> Please share your testimonials - positive and

> negative.

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

Barb Katsaros

barbkatsaros@...

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

It is truly helpful to Dr. Goldberg if the child does not respond to

medication as he anticipated- You never know what you find up there

till you have one. He does not do them on most at this point so if

he wants it he has a reason

Elyse

In , " on " <katieandterry@...> wrote:

>

> While I'm out of my lurking shell for the moment, I'd like to

follow up on a

> question I posted to the list a few months ago...

>

> For those of you that have gone through the NeuroSPECT, do you feel

that it

> changed the treatment approach for your child in a way that led to

> significant gains? Was this a turning point?

>

> I'm posting again, because the few answers I got the last time were

not too

> encouraging. Am I right to conclude that it didn't make much of a

> difference?

>

> Please share your testimonials - positive and negative.

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My 4 y.o. son had a Neurospect. I'm glad we did it, but I'm still not sure

of the value because when I took it to my son's neurologist, I was told that

it's meaningless. Well, so was the MRI and EEG. After the Neurospect, my son

was given a low dose SSRI, and the SSRI has been a good thing.

Kristy

SPECT

While I'm out of my lurking shell for the moment, I'd like to follow up on

a

question I posted to the list a few months ago...

For those of you that have gone through the NeuroSPECT, do you feel that

it

changed the treatment approach for your child in a way that led to

significant gains? Was this a turning point?

I'm posting again, because the few answers I got the last time were not

too

encouraging. Am I right to conclude that it didn't make much of a

difference?

Please share your testimonials - positive and negative.

Thanks,

Responsibility for the content of this message lies strictly with

the original author(s), and is not necessarily endorsed by or the

opinion of the Research Institute and/or the Parent Coalition.

[Guest guest]

Kristy

Why did your neurologist say the spect scan was meaningless?

>

> Hi ,

>

> My 4 y.o. son had a Neurospect. I'm glad we did it, but I'm still

not sure

> of the value because when I took it to my son's neurologist, I was

told that

> it's meaningless. Well, so was the MRI and EEG. After the

Neurospect, my son

> was given a low dose SSRI, and the SSRI has been a good thing.

>

> Kristy

> SPECT

>

>

> While I'm out of my lurking shell for the moment, I'd like to

follow up on

> a

> question I posted to the list a few months ago...

>

> For those of you that have gone through the NeuroSPECT, do you

feel that

> it

> changed the treatment approach for your child in a way that led

to

> significant gains? Was this a turning point?

>

> I'm posting again, because the few answers I got the last time

were not

> too

> encouraging. Am I right to conclude that it didn't make much of

a

> difference?

>

> Please share your testimonials - positive and negative.

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

>

> Responsibility for the content of this message lies strictly with

> the original author(s), and is not necessarily endorsed by or the

> opinion of the Research Institute and/or the Parent

Coalition.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm going to jump in here and give my take and say that it WAS meaningless

to him, because most neurologists would have no clue as to how to read a

SPECT scan on a kid. That is where Brain Matters comes in... it will

provide a database with controls for these docs. Thanks to Dr. Goldberg and

associates.

It's not that the information isn't valuable, it's that he didn't know how

to use it... or understand that there is someone who does.

I really hate it when doctors make this sort of statement... it's very

closed minded, and it reminds me of one of the saddest parts of my son's

illness... he lost two crucial years where he could have been under Dr.

Goldberg's care because one neurologist told us my son " couldn't be

autistic " because he was too smart (so we of course believed him). Well, he

was wrong and it was two more years until his KINDERGARTEN teacher told me

she thought he might have " something called Aspergers " . She was better

informed than the pediatric neurologist. We then hauled him down to the

" big " children's hospital in Indiana and got our label. Of course now we

call it instead.

If only the pediatric neurologist had said... " Gee, I don't know... let me

refer you. " , I believe my son might well have been recovered by now. It

breaks my heart.

It was good to read about the woman in Phoenix who has had such luck with

her son's docs listening to her... because if she had tried the same things

5 years ago she would have gotten the same " You're crazy, lady. " look most

of us " oldies " encountered when we brought up the idea to every doctor

we encountered. I know she said she she " did it all herself " , but she

couldn't have done it without finding OPEN MINDED doctors. If they hadn't

been, her words would have been useless. It took me a full two years to

convince my son's neurologist that existed. I took him all the solid

science articles I thought would interest him. I will never forget the day

he finally became a " believer " thanks to the s-Hopkins article. He was

really excited. He was a neurologist and that article had been out for 6

months and he had not seen it or even heard about it in his circle. It was

published in " ls of Neurology " , but it took a housewife to bring it to

his attention.

Anyway, I'm sure that eventually that neurologist will understand the

importance of the data a neuroSPECT can provide.

Caroline

> From: meljackmom <meljackmom@...>

> Reply-< >

> Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 12:30:38 +0000

> < >

> Subject: Re: SPECT

>

> Kristy

> Why did your neurologist say the spect scan was meaningless?

>

[Guest guest]

I was told a SPECT scan was meaningless by a renown ped neurologist

too (not mine but one from Boston, Massachusetts).

Kristie

[Guest guest]

Not to minimize the importance of neurologists when they are the

appropriate, but in general every neurologist that I have had contact

with, save one, has been completely useless. " In general " neurologists

are not autism specialists. The first one we saw when we first received

the autism diagnosis said to us " Well, there is nothing to be done. "

And this was a well respected neurologist attached to Children's Hospital.

Thank goodness I didn't take THAT advice.

Sandy

aaron2kristie wrote:

> I was told a SPECT scan was meaningless by a renown ped neurologist

> too (not mine but one from Boston, Massachusetts).

>

> Kristie

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Responsibility for the content of this message lies strictly with

> the original author(s), and is not necessarily endorsed by or the

> opinion of the Research Institute and/or the Parent Coalition.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I read something a few years ago that criticized parents for " subjecting " their

ADHD kids to spect scans because ofthe high amount of radiation to the brain

(radiation inside and out if contrast is used). Is contrast always used, and

have any doctors addressed/defended the radiation exposure?

-

aaron2kristie <aaron2kristie@...> wrote:

I was told a SPECT scan was meaningless by a renown ped neurologist

too (not mine but one from Boston, Massachusetts).

Kristie

Responsibility for the content of this message lies strictly with

the original author(s), and is not necessarily endorsed by or the

opinion of the Research Institute and/or the Parent Coalition.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

It wasn't my son's actual neuro, but the one who will be filling in for her

while his neuro is on maternity leave. I really, really like the one going

on leave; I'm not impressed by the replacement. She seemed very " old school "

to me, recommended more meds for my son (Risperadol), which he does not

need, and treated me like I'm an idiot because I believe my son will be

recovered. She gave me the impression that the neurspect isn't valuable

because it is a picture in time that doesn't tell the whole/accurate story

of what the brain actually looks like.

Kristy

SPECT

>

>

> While I'm out of my lurking shell for the moment, I'd like to

follow up on

> a

> question I posted to the list a few months ago...

>

> For those of you that have gone through the NeuroSPECT, do you

feel that

> it

> changed the treatment approach for your child in a way that led

to

> significant gains? Was this a turning point?

>

> I'm posting again, because the few answers I got the last time

were not

> too

> encouraging. Am I right to conclude that it didn't make much of

a

> difference?

>

> Please share your testimonials - positive and negative.

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

>

> Responsibility for the content of this message lies strictly with

> the original author(s), and is not necessarily endorsed by or the

> opinion of the Research Institute and/or the Parent

Coalition.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

wow! it might be cheaper to fly to south america and stay in a hotel while

one gets a spect scan. vacation and diagnoses all in one! sounds great,

thanx for the information.

bernadette

On 8/10/06, Rick <rick.segreda@...> wrote:

>

> I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years ago. Dr.

> Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting Asperger's and

> other neurological disorders. According to the Dr. Hipskind,

> who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's structure

> and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT (Single

> Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the brain's

> activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians and their

> patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

>

> When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the price was

> prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South America,

> where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only ninety-one US

> dollars.

>

> Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging in some

> truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate parents.

>

> Rick

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

On 8/11/06, Bernadette Waguespack <bwaguespack@...> wrote:

>

> wow! it might be cheaper to fly to south america and stay in a hotel while

> one gets a spect scan. vacation and diagnoses all in one! sounds great,

> thanx for the information.

>

> bernadette

True enough, but a serious investigation needs to be done with regards

as to why a SPECT scan in the United States is so prohibitively

expensive, while in South America it is so unbelievably cheap.

I used to live in Bellingham, Washington, where Dr. S.

Hipskind, who was on Dr. Phil's show, used to live. Bellingham is NOT

a cheap community, and Dr. Hipskind ain't a poor man by a long shot.

I remember when I went to hear him speak about ADHD, Asperger's, and

SPECT technology. Since I have Asperger's and ADHD, and have been

through hell because of it, I went even though I felt uneasy about the

fifteen dollar price tag I had to pay to hear him speak. The

convention hall was packed, so I figure he must have made at least two

thousand dollars that night, and all for offering information that

could have been gleaned off the Internet. At the time, he was one of

the few people authorized to do SPECT scans...at three-thousand bucks

a shot, which most insurers won't cover.

Here in South America the same procedure is available for a tiny

fraction of the cost up north. There is something fishy about this.

Rick

[Guest guest]

Very interesting. And very cool!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for sharing that

*smiles* B

>

> I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years ago. Dr.

> Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting Asperger's

and

> other neurological disorders. According to the Dr.

Hipskind,

> who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's

structure

> and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT (Single

> Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the brain's

> activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians and

their

> patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

>

> When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the price

was

> prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South America,

> where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only ninety-one

US

> dollars.

>

> Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging in

some

> truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate parents.

>

> Rick

>

[Guest guest]

I need to get one of those scans done myself to answer a whole bunch

of questions. Unfortunately drs in my area like to " hem and haw " over

it for years and then you have to beat it into them with a wiffle bat

to get one ordered.

Dave

> >

> > I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years ago.

Dr.

> > Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting Asperger's

> and

> > other neurological disorders. According to the Dr.

> Hipskind,

> > who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's

> structure

> > and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT (Single

> > Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the brain's

> > activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians and

> their

> > patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

> >

> > When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the

price

> was

> > prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South America,

> > where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only ninety-

one

> US

> > dollars.

> >

> > Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging in

> some

> > truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate

parents.

> >

> > Rick

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dr. Phil wouldn't be my top endorser for mental health products. That said,

why would you need a brain scan like this anyway?

Roxanna

( ) SPECT

I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years ago. Dr.

Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting Asperger's and

other neurological disorders. According to the Dr. Hipskind,

who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's structure

and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT (Single

Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the brain's

activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians and their

patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the price was

prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South America,

where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only ninety-one US

dollars.

Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging in some

truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate parents.

Rick

[Guest guest]

To answer what questions?

Roxanna

( ) Re: SPECT

I need to get one of those scans done myself to answer a whole bunch

of questions. Unfortunately drs in my area like to " hem and haw " over

it for years and then you have to beat it into them with a wiffle bat

to get one ordered.

Dave

> >

> > I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years ago.

Dr.

> > Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting Asperger's

> and

> > other neurological disorders. According to the Dr.

> Hipskind,

> > who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's

> structure

> > and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT (Single

> > Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the brain's

> > activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians and

> their

> > patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

> >

> > When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the

price

> was

> > prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South America,

> > where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only ninety-

one

> US

> > dollars.

> >

> > Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging in

> some

> > truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate

parents.

> >

> > Rick

> >

>

.

[Guest guest]

On 8/12/06, Roxanna <madideas@...> wrote:

>

>

> Dr. Phil wouldn't be my top endorser for mental health products. That said,

why would you need a brain scan like this anyway?

>

> Roxanna

That is a good question, Roxanna. I guess I can say that I am

intrigued the possibility of having empirical proof of a definite

abnormality in my brain. All my life I have been prone to tics,

compulsions, and feelings which I simply could not understand. One

therapist in my background was a hyper-Freudian who attributed it all

to misplaced sexual energy, even when I made it perfectly clear there

was no erotic component to what I was going through. To which she

claimed it was therefore proof of her thesis, because I was denying

it. Repression, ya know?

Apart from that was a lifetime of constant shaming from my peers, my

parents, my teachers, other therapists, and employers. I pretty much

auto-diagnosed myself two years ago when I first heard about

Asperger's on a TV news program; it struck a chord with me and I

immediately started Googling (Google is one of my compulsions -- I am

an absolute wizard at gathering data) everything I could about

Asperger's. The online data blew me away, because for the first time I

was reading my life in print, all sorts of idiosyncrasies that I

thought no one else had, much less understood. The professional

diagnosis was virtually an afterthought, with the doctors in question

taken aback by how well-informed I was coming into the office. By

coincidence, I was an acquaintance of Dawn Prince-, a nationally

recognized woman with Asperger's, who had written a book about her

experiences. It was Dawn who recommended to me the same doctors who

had diagnosed her a few years earlier (we're the same age, BTW).

Still, Asperger's diagnoses are largely based on an assessment of

behavior (for children) or memories and admissions (for adults). I

know beyond a doubt that I definitely do have High Functioning Autism,

but the possibility of seeing something definite on a scan means

something to me nonetheless as validation, in terms of empirical proof

of there being something uniquely different about my brain.

Rick

[Guest guest]

I don't remember which one, but I did get an email from a local

autism listserv that the autism community was not happy with Dr

Phil's protrayal of the scans. There is no brain scan currently

available to diagnose or treat AS. You can see activity in parts of

the brain in this test, but then what does that mean? I wouldn't

have it done unless a doctor ordered it to test for something

specific.

>

> I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years ago. Dr.

> Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting Asperger's

and

> other neurological disorders. According to the Dr.

Hipskind,

> who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's

structure

> and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT (Single

> Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the brain's

> activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians and

their

> patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

>

> When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the price

was

> prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South America,

> where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only ninety-one

US

> dollars.

>

> Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging in

some

> truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate parents.

>

> Rick

>

[Guest guest]

Foremost to answer the question of the possibilities of brain damage

from my bipolar/autistic rages (head striking), a serious fall as a

child onto the top of my head, and why I have this pain and some

seizures that are pretty odd. The pain comes from a spot over my

right eye about two inches up. If I cough or laugh, or sometimes just

over stress, that spot hurts like blazes and my vision goes black. I

feel really cold and cannot see or hear anything. Well, that's the

basics anyway.

> > >

> > > I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years

ago.

> Dr.

> > > Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting

Asperger's

> > and

> > > other neurological disorders. According to the Dr.

> > Hipskind,

> > > who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's

> > structure

> > > and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT

(Single

> > > Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the

brain's

> > > activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians

and

> > their

> > > patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

> > >

> > > When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the

> price

> > was

> > > prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South

America,

> > > where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only

ninety-

> one

> > US

> > > dollars.

> > >

> > > Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging

in

> > some

> > > truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate

> parents.

> > >

> > > Rick

> > >

> >

>

>

> .

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Rick,

I think that is a very valid reason, IMHO:)

Especially when you have people like your mentioned " hyper-Freudian "

therapist, and all of the other " wonderful " influences (I say that

Wonderful in a sarcastic voice!) In another words, NOT so wonderful

*grin*

Don't you just love Google? That is how I learned about A.S. and,

when I broke my foot 9 days ago, I googled that, and I now know all

about the 28 bones, and the metacarsal that I broke, and the fact

that 35-50% apparently need surgery after (I will be the percentage

that doesn't. I hope!!!!)

I knew too. I saw Tony Attwood and Carol Grey, as well as Temple

Grandin and Ami Klin in conferences and was amazed at what I learned

(mainely about myself)

What a good feeling in the end. This is one lable I can live with

*smiles*

>

> That is a good question, Roxanna. I guess I can say that I am

> intrigued the possibility of having empirical proof of a definite

> abnormality in my brain. All my life I have been prone to tics,

> compulsions, and feelings which I simply could not understand. One

> therapist in my background was a hyper-Freudian who attributed it

all

[Guest guest]

If I ever get the money together I will pay for it myself, it is

worth that much to me.

Dave

> >

> > I have Autism. I am forty-three. I was diagnosed two years ago.

Dr.

> > Phil recently endorsed SPECT brain scans for detecting Asperger's

> and

> > other neurological disorders. According to the Dr.

> Hipskind,

> > who promotes SPECT: " Instead of merely charting the brain's

> structure

> > and anatomy, like MRI and CT scans, high resolution SPECT (Single

> > Photon Emission Computed Tomography) graphically maps the brain's

> > activity and function, thus providing physicians, clinicians and

> their

> > patients with a detailed picture of the brain in action. "

> >

> > When I first heard of SPECT, I was eager for a scan, but the

price

> was

> > prohibitive: three thousand dollars. Now I live in South America,

> > where SPECT technology has arrived, and here it is only ninety-

one

> US

> > dollars.

> >

> > Bizarre, huh? It makes me wonder if Dr. Hipskind is engaging in

> some

> > truly horrendous price-gouging at the expense of desperate

parents.

> >

> > Rick

> >

>

[Guest guest]

On 8/12/06, Dave <thewildeman2@...> wrote:

>

>

> If I ever get the money together I will pay for it myself, it is

> worth that much to me.

>

> Dave

>

Personally, if there is no logical reason, other than Dr. Hipskind's

ravenous greed, for why a SPECT scan costs three thousand dollars in

the United States but less than a hundred in South America, then I

would advise a boycott of the service.

Rick

[Guest guest]

i often think about how lucky andrew is that was born when he was. if he had

been born 20 or 30 years ago, he surely would not have been as successful

as he has been. i'm sure he would have been written off as a behavior

problem and his intelligence would have gone to waste.

i wish you luck with your search for a definite diagnoses. i'm sorry it's so

expensive but thats how our world works. greed wins.

bernadette

On 8/11/06, Rick Segreda <rick.segreda@...> wrote:

>

> On 8/12/06, Roxanna <madideas@...<madideas%40zoominternet.net>>

> wrote:

> >

> >

> > Dr. Phil wouldn't be my top endorser for mental health products. That

> said, why would you need a brain scan like this anyway?

> >

> > Roxanna

>

> That is a good question, Roxanna. I guess I can say that I am

> intrigued the possibility of having empirical proof of a definite

> abnormality in my brain. All my life I have been prone to tics,

> compulsions, and feelings which I simply could not understand. One

> therapist in my background was a hyper-Freudian who attributed it all

> to misplaced sexual energy, even when I made it perfectly clear there

> was no erotic component to what I was going through. To which she

> claimed it was therefore proof of her thesis, because I was denying

> it. Repression, ya know?

>

> Apart from that was a lifetime of constant shaming from my peers, my

> parents, my teachers, other therapists, and employers. I pretty much

> auto-diagnosed myself two years ago when I first heard about

> Asperger's on a TV news program; it struck a chord with me and I

> immediately started Googling (Google is one of my compulsions -- I am

> an absolute wizard at gathering data) everything I could about

> Asperger's. The online data blew me away, because for the first time I

> was reading my life in print, all sorts of idiosyncrasies that I

> thought no one else had, much less understood. The professional

> diagnosis was virtually an afterthought, with the doctors in question

> taken aback by how well-informed I was coming into the office. By

> coincidence, I was an acquaintance of Dawn Prince-, a nationally

> recognized woman with Asperger's, who had written a book about her

> experiences. It was Dawn who recommended to me the same doctors who

> had diagnosed her a few years earlier (we're the same age, BTW).

>

> Still, Asperger's diagnoses are largely based on an assessment of

> behavior (for children) or memories and admissions (for adults). I

> know beyond a doubt that I definitely do have High Functioning Autism,

> but the possibility of seeing something definite on a scan means

> something to me nonetheless as validation, in terms of empirical proof

> of there being something uniquely different about my brain.

>

> Rick

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At ninety-one dollars it isn't expensive for me, but if it costs

ninety-one here and three-thousand over there, I wouldn't recommend a

passive acceptance of the ironically named " free market. "

I am definitely convinced that if I had been (along with my father)

properly diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder thirty or forty years ago,

and was raised appropriately, that it would have made a night and day

difference in my life. By the latter of course, I am also refering to

the circumstances of a dysfunctional family, with alcohol, drug abuse,

and narcissism.

When I was last in the States I spent some time with a family whose

youngest son has A.S. just like me. A thoroughly functional family,

full of stability and love, where people resolve their differences

like grown-ups rather than resorting to drama and recrimination. The

mother is fully involved in keeping up to date on all issues related

to A.S. and is always monitoring her son's progress, though the father

is equally involved in his children's well-being. It was both

inspiring and, for me, sad in terms of see what my childhood could

have been like but wasn't.

Rick

On 8/13/06, Bernadette Waguespack <bwaguespack@...> wrote:

>

>

> i often think about how lucky andrew is that was born when he was. if he had

> been born 20 or 30 years ago, he surely would not have been as successful

> as he has been. i'm sure he would have been written off as a behavior

> problem and his intelligence would have gone to waste.

>

> i wish you luck with your search for a definite diagnoses. i'm sorry it's so

> expensive but thats how our world works. greed wins.

>

> bernadette

>

[Guest guest]

I just don't get it. It gives you proof to show whom? You can't go back to

childhood and show anyone or change anything. It's done. You could probably go

back and show the therapist but why bother - she's a nut. So if you know you

have this, then why do you need proof? It would seem that you don't know you

have it. And then what if you have this test and it doesn't show anything

abnormal anywhere? What then?

Roxanna

Re: ( ) SPECT

On 8/12/06, Roxanna <madideas@...> wrote:

>

>

> Dr. Phil wouldn't be my top endorser for mental health products. That said,

why would you need a brain scan like this anyway?

>

> Roxanna

That is a good question, Roxanna. I guess I can say that I am

intrigued the possibility of having empirical proof of a definite

abnormality in my brain. All my life I have been prone to tics,

compulsions, and feelings which I simply could not understand. One

therapist in my background was a hyper-Freudian who attributed it all

to misplaced sexual energy, even when I made it perfectly clear there

was no erotic component to what I was going through. To which she

claimed it was therefore proof of her thesis, because I was denying

it. Repression, ya know?

Apart from that was a lifetime of constant shaming from my peers, my

parents, my teachers, other therapists, and employers. I pretty much

auto-diagnosed myself two years ago when I first heard about

Asperger's on a TV news program; it struck a chord with me and I

immediately started Googling (Google is one of my compulsions -- I am

an absolute wizard at gathering data) everything I could about

Asperger's. The online data blew me away, because for the first time I

was reading my life in print, all sorts of idiosyncrasies that I

thought no one else had, much less understood. The professional

diagnosis was virtually an afterthought, with the doctors in question

taken aback by how well-informed I was coming into the office. By

coincidence, I was an acquaintance of Dawn Prince-, a nationally

recognized woman with Asperger's, who had written a book about her

experiences. It was Dawn who recommended to me the same doctors who

had diagnosed her a few years earlier (we're the same age, BTW).

Still, Asperger's diagnoses are largely based on an assessment of

behavior (for children) or memories and admissions (for adults). I

know beyond a doubt that I definitely do have High Functioning Autism,

but the possibility of seeing something definite on a scan means

something to me nonetheless as validation, in terms of empirical proof

of there being something uniquely different about my brain.

Rick