4YO DS just diagnosed with (probable) Aspergers
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Anonymous
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And I'm not that upset... is this weird? Denial?
The thing is, prior to getting pregnant, I always feared this. I have two cousins with severe autism and it was my WORST fear. But with my DS.... I love him so much. I love his humor and his quirks and his hysterical personality. He is so loving with his family, and in certain environments, plays wonderfully with his peers. He is a HAPPY HAPPY kid. Most all of the time. For some background, what led us to get a diagnosis is arm flapping, noise aversion, and some social issues (very overwhelmed in crowds and large groups). I am thankful for the diagnosis now, so we can do whatever we can to help him along. But in the long run, I have a firm belief that he will be just fine. Should I be freaking out more than I am? I feel like all you hear are the panicked, worried stories. |
Anonymous
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It sounds like you're handling the news just fine.
My son, who is 6, was given an Asperger's diagnosis at 4. Now, as he's gotten older, he has improved in many ways and is doing well in first grade. We've also recently learned that he has ADHD and have started treating that, too. Aside from his labels, he is a happy, fun, lovable kid but with a ton of quirks. I choose to focus on those great things that he can do, and not so much on the things that are hard for him. There are worse things in life that Asperger's. With early intervention, chances are good that he will have a full, independent life. Asperger's kids have average to above average intelligence but often have to be taught the social skills that others take for granted.They are highly capable of learning proper social interaction, although it doesn't come naturally to them. |
Anonymous
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I was extremely relieved when my child was finally diagnosed. (Not Aspbergers, something different). It was like, now we can move forward.
Similarly, I have a very happy child. I don't think it's denial, although I think there are many feelings to process. I think having some certainty in your life can be very freeing on many levels. |
Anonymous
| Sounds exactly like my DD...very happy and social with peers, but sensitive to noise, arm flapper, etc. But they won't give us an ASD or AS diagnosis. What was it that lead them to determine that he probably has AS? Where was he diagnosed? |
Anonymous
These aren't the core markers of Asperger's though. I think that the diagnosing has gotten so loose that you have every right to be optimistic about your child's outcome. I see so many kids who have autism traits getting full-blown AS or ASD Dxes. If you compare it with those I know who have Asberger's that are in their 60s or teens, though, it's much more severe. |
Anonymous
We took him to a developmental pediatrician in the Rockville area. They didn't give him a definite diagnosis - just that he was showing signs of Aspergers and we should watch him and have him regularly evaluated as the years go on. The doctor told me this is how Aspergers usually starts out in these young years, but you never know. At the end of the day, I think the diagnosis doesn't matter much. He is who he is. And he's fabulous.  And that's why I can't be that upset about it.
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Anonymous
Yes, that's how I feel about my DD. One of a kind!
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Anonymous
It doesn't sound as if he has Aspergers so maybe denial may, in fact, be in order here. Having a loving relationship with family members, getting along wonderfully with peers is not indicative of Aspergers at all. He might have sensory processing issues. It's sensory issues that causes arm flapping, noise aversion and getting overwhelmed with crowds and groups. I know because you just described my son and he has been seen by all the big names in this town (Childrens, Kennedy K., Dr. Greenspan) and they all said he has SPD, not Aspergers. The treatment for the sensory issues may be the same though. |
Anonymous
OP here. To the PP - it was my understanding that doctors won't diagnose SPD - that it's just an OT diagnosis - is that true? I am so new to this stuff, so any information is helpful! At the same time though, you are right - if the treatment is the same, then maybe the actual diagnosis, for now at least, doesn't matter. |
Anonymous
| I agree with PP - doesn't sound like AS (for the same reasons they won't give my DD a diagnosis). If he plays wonderfully with peers in his comfort zone, then he is able to read social cues, etc. But the treatment us the same regardless of diagnosis, so you have the right attitude. I'm the PP whose DD has no dx, but she still receives OT, speech, and social skills group. |
Anonymous
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NP here. My 5 yo was just diagnosed with almost the same caveats as yours. They tell me it might progress or it might get better. He's doing Speech and OT. He has social delays, and he flaps his hands, is poor at eye contact, is very literal in conversation and misses many nonverbal cues.
I was pretty upset by the diagnosis at first but now I feel OK about it. I realized that all my worries about it are about his future, and not worth worrying about. He's such a great kid, just needing a bit of extra help. |
Anonymous
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17:34 here. One doctor said SPD. He knows its not in the DSM but believes it's just a matter of time when it will be. The other doctors said it was ADHD. But they ruled out Aspergers.
And to add, my son does miss social cues, but thats not because he has Aspergers, it's because he's so distracted and overstimulated by his environment that he isn't observing well. When he does observe well though, he get it. |
Anonymous
The gold standard for a diagnosis is having an ADOS and an ADI-R done. The ADOS is an observational test that takes a couple of hours. The ADI-R is a parent interview that takes a couple of hours. When my DS was diagnosed, they also did a WISC-III. |
Anonymous
| get another opinion, many of these places try to recruit kids so they have life long clients and money streams. |