I strongly suspect my neighbor's kid has AS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MYOB. My goodness.

By the way, learning passions and most of what you describe are evidence of giftedness. Check out hoagiesgifted.org. Tired of the culture of diagnosis in the DC area.

Absolutely. This would describe my child 10 years ago. I had to deal with so many "well-intended" meddlers. He is profoundly gifted, not ASD. There was so much judgment about my supposed denial--as if I hadn't already had him test at the first sign of my own concern. MYOB it doesn't really matter why a child doesn't fit in it still is hard for a parent to watch a child struggle. She doesn't need your meddling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Man, I am happy you are not my neighbour. ?

I suspect OP is not a parent. all the more reason why fences make good neighbors!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much "help" on the front end and none at all on the back.

This was my reaction too, OP. Could you focus on being a good neighbor? Speaking directly but kindly to the child, helping your children to accept and relate to him?

Is there a reason is your first instinct is to inform, rather than to learn/relate/support?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MYOB. My goodness.

By the way, learning passions and most of what you describe are evidence of giftedness. Check out hoagiesgifted.org. Tired of the culture of diagnosis in the DC area.

Absolutely. This would describe my child 10 years ago. I had to deal with so many "well-intended" meddlers. He is profoundly gifted, not ASD. There was so much judgment about my supposed denial--as if I hadn't already had him test at the first sign of my own concern. MYOB it doesn't really matter why a child doesn't fit in it still is hard for a parent to watch a child struggle. She doesn't need your meddling.

+1. My son is profoundly gifted, and a complete weirdo. He's a wonderful, brilliant child, but he misses social cues big time because he's so busy thinking and inventing and imagining and learning. He is amazing to watch, but also quite difficult to deal with. He does not have an autism spectrum disorder. He's has at least two IQ tests plus a full neuropsych exam. He's just really, really smart, and really, really immature, and the combination is exactly what OP describes.

OP, highly gifted kids often have asynchronous development. Fast intellectual development, slow in other departments (including executive functioning, social interactions, general maturity). TRUST ME that this child's parents are not blind to their child's behaviors. We've been acutely aware of our son's differences since he was very young. We do not inform our neighbors that our son has been through extensive testing and "suffers from" extreme upper end of the bell curve giftedness. Maybe your neighbors are the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound like you suspect him of a crime. Or as if you have evidence of diphtheria or Ebola.

What, exactly, do you expect to occur here? I mean, if we were all to advocate as you wish and say "Tell them right away!"

He sounds absolulety wonderful! How rare is it when a kid takes a deep interest in something that may one day lead to an important discovery and advance mankind or educate others about all that they have taken the time to learn? The parents have been blessed with a genius and so glad the schools had the sense to recognize it! I am shaking my head wondering what is the problem?? Yesterday, I was at my neighborhood park with my kid. There were a bunch of kids hanging out, ages between 7 and 11. Do you know what deeply intellectual conversation they were having? They were talking about who they "like" and and who is "dating". Oh and one mentioned that he had a large private part!! (Thank God my DD was not their friend). I'd much rather that a kid talk about dinosaurs any day of the week then that!

[Anonymous]

^^Oh, and I don't live in a ghetto...this is an upper middle class neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

I also suspect my neighbor's kid has some sort of problem, maybe autism, maybe something else. However, I would NEVER EVER say anything to her about it. He's not my kid. I'm not an expert. He seems to function just fine on a daily basis and his mother has not shared any concerns about him. If she did tell me she thought there was something wrong, I'd suggest she see a professional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This boy is 9, going to 4th grade. As far as I know, he is a happy child.
At school, he plays alone, he is in the gifted program for math and humanities. He was a very early reader an was reading complex texts at the age of 5 (biology etc).
He has had phases of being totally into animals, dinosaurs, Lego series, particular book series etc. This is in a way that he can't stop talking about it, to his family, to me if if he catches me outside, whatever. He will interrupt a conversation between his mom and I to tell me about the latest book about X. He does not notice that sometimes I don't want to can't listen (like I am already in the car leaving and I wave goodbye and he runs to me to tell me about something).
Anyway, he does not only do it to me. He becomes obsessed about something and expects everybody will want to hear about it any time.

The question is, MYOB?

He sounds like a sweet lovely boy! Why did you choose to derive a diagnosis from these interactions? He sounds lonely. Maybe all the other boys are into sports and he doesn't have anyone his own age to talk to about these wonderful subjects? My heart aches for children like this. I hope he finds a group of like-minded souls soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Oh, and I don't live in a ghetto...this is an upper middle class neighborhood!

What would DCUM be without some casual racism to start the day? PP - think before you type, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Oh, and I don't live in a ghetto...this is an upper middle class neighborhood!

In the ghetto they'd be talking about cars and who got Chipotle. I hear your point, despite the ignorance. Cool it with the assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MYOB. My goodness.

By the way, learning passions and most of what you describe are evidence of giftedness. Check out hoagiesgifted.org. Tired of the culture of diagnosis in the DC area.

Absolutely. This would describe my child 10 years ago. I had to deal with so many "well-intended" meddlers. He is profoundly gifted, not ASD. There was so much judgment about my supposed denial--as if I hadn't already had him test at the first sign of my own concern. MYOB it doesn't really matter why a child doesn't fit in it still is hard for a parent to watch a child struggle. She doesn't need your meddling.

You can have a profoundly gifted child who also has ASD... and ADHD in our case. My kid's current passion is Pokemon so he does not look any different from his NT peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^Oh, and I don't live in a ghetto...this is an upper middle class neighborhood!

What would DCUM be without some casual racism to start the day? PP - think before you type, please.

Morning, race baiter! Got the day off, I see!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Oh, and I don't live in a ghetto...this is an upper middle class neighborhood!

Did you really need to add this?

[Anonymous]

And you care because...?

[Anonymous]

What's your point?