Potential High Functioning Autism

[Anonymous]

My DS was diagnosed with a speech delay at 18 months. He was evaluated again at age 3 for autism and speech delays, but the results were inconclusive. He does not have any speech delays. He is now four and his teacher suggested another evaluation. My son doesn't have many friends at school aside from one very close friend and a few kids he plays with at the playground. He has a few topics he loves and will sometimes talk about them at inappropriate times. He is hyper-focused on his work. The strange thing is that at home he acts quite differently - he has several close friends in the neighborhood and asks to see them all the time. He loves to joke about his sister, and laughs all the time. He likes several topics - and plays with a variety of toys. I think he has a lot of anxiety as this is a new school, and I am a SAHM. He was in a part time play coop with 11 other children, whereas now he is in a huge 27 kid classroom now, without his mom being there. Not sure what to do, but at this point he will have had an evaluation every year. The school has decided to go forward with socialization therapy before the evaluation. I'm tempted to wait a few months to get him evaluated. I would just hate for my son to have yet another long test (he hates it every time no matter how much I try to spin it as a fun game), and for the results to come out again as being inconclusive. Has anyone else had an inconclusive autism screening?

[Anonymous]

Who exactly did the evaluations before and what did they do (e.g. did they do the ADOS or something else?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who exactly did the evaluations before and what did they do (e.g. did they do the ADOS or something else?)

StrongStart DC did the evaluation. Not sure whether it was ADOS or something else. There was a psychologist, speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist who did the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who exactly did the evaluations before and what did they do (e.g. did they do the ADOS or something else?)

StrongStart DC did the evaluation. Not sure whether it was ADOS or something else. There was a psychologist, speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist who did the test.

I think you need a more thorough exam - by a neuropsychologist or perhaps a developmental pediatrician. The ones done by StrongStart or Early Stages are less thorough are designed to catch children with the most significant issues or delays.

A lot of things can look like autism - you want someone who will look at the whole picture and determine what sorts of interventions may needed to help your child.

That said, it's really hard to be certain in young children and you may not know for sure until he is older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who exactly did the evaluations before and what did they do (e.g. did they do the ADOS or something else?)

StrongStart DC did the evaluation. Not sure whether it was ADOS or something else. There was a psychologist, speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist who did the test.

OP here - it was the Bayley Scales test. Just looked it up.

[Anonymous]

My other concern is that basically the only issue of concern for my son is that he is awkward socially at school. If the school is offering socialization services, I'm not sure I see the point of another evaluation so close to the last one (the last one was around 3.5).

[Anonymous]

Sorry above was OP.

If he is otherwise doing well.... what is the point? Genuinely asking and hoping someone whose BTDT could comment.

Thank you for the previous comments.

[Anonymous]

Could you observe him in his classroom?
What does your gut tell you?

My son had a host of issues at birth requiring therapy and then was diagnosed with severe ADHD in elementary school, so while I have always suspected he had HFA tendencies, it was never a priority for us to nail it down. I have paid for social skills groups, and his public school put him in a speech/social group for a year. However many of his social delays resolved when he was medicated for ADHD, and it is well-known that there is some overlap in symptoms between HFA and inattentive ADHD.

It's great that the school has offered socialization therapy, it will help him even if he doesn't have HFA!

[Anonymous]

Why did the teacher suggest an evaluation?

It is definitely possible for a suboptimal classroom environment to make kids look like they have special needs. If your child seems to be functioning socially well at home, then I would suspect a classroom issue until you can rule that out. Although of course there could be something else going on, the classroom environment is one possible component to be considered.

As long as there are no issues interfering with his functioning, I'd just go ahead and schedule an evaluation at Children's, which will be several months from now. By then, he'll be in a new classroom and the issue may have disappeared. If his NEXT teacher also identifies an issue, then you have more to go on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you observe him in his classroom?
What does your gut tell you?

My son had a host of issues at birth requiring therapy and then was diagnosed with severe ADHD in elementary school, so while I have always suspected he had HFA tendencies, it was never a priority for us to nail it down. I have paid for social skills groups, and his public school put him in a speech/social group for a year. However many of his social delays resolved when he was medicated for ADHD, and it is well-known that there is some overlap in symptoms between HFA and inattentive ADHD.

It's great that the school has offered socialization therapy, it will help him even if he doesn't have HFA!

I agree with this! Good to see a school actually being proactive instead of refusing to do anything until you get an IEP ...

[Anonymous]

The teacher and school are phenomenal and amazing. I can't say enough good things, and they've worked with him so hard and have gotten amazing results. Before he started school there, he would not look at you if you called his name if he was interested in something. His teachers have achieved consistent results and now he will always look at you when you call his name, and he has gotten terrific with eye contact. The school has been sensitive to my reluctance to screen him again, and volunteered to provide services regarding socialization (not one to one or anything, but group socialization classes), because that seems to be the only issue for now.

Here is what my gut tells me- that he actually doesn't have HFA. I really don't think he does, mostly because he doesn't see people as objects. I think he is an shy introvert who will always love science and math, and will probably be a big nerd like everyone in his family. But I think it will always be "questionable HFA" or "possible HFA". I have spoken to his speech therapist and the special needs coordinator at the school. While everyone thinks that more information is better (so they want to screen), they all agree that as of now it is is borderline case.

Of course I understand that the biggest part of dealing with a special needs child is getting the parents to accept the diagnosis. However, I was the one pushing for evaluations for my son when he seemed to be an otherwise normal child. I was the one who wanted him screened. I really can accept a HFA diagnosis, but I don't think it applies anymore.

OP

[Anonymous]

And yes I've observed him in the classroom (we are required to do so three times a year minimum), and I've noticed that he has great focus even when I've been there. Otherwise he is pretty much like any other kid. The teacher says that sometimes he'll volunteer information about a topic that they're not discussing. For instance they'll be talking about composting and he'll volunteer that worms live in the earth and are awesome.

op

[Anonymous]

He could be ADHD Inattentive. But you won't know unless you seek out testing from a developmental pediatrician. I totally understand your hesitance to seek out testing, especially for a child not having too many issues. But... why do his teachers consistently push for testing? What are they seeing that you may not be?

Another note to add: just because one teacher is offering accommodations does not mean that the next teacher will. Unless you have legal protections of an IEP or accommodations from a 504 plan, you may not always get social skills or anything else.

That being said, 27 kids is an awful lot... i know it's pretty typical for MCPS... but still a hard environment for many kids -- whether they have SN or not.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

The school can get additional financial resources and personnel to help your child if he has a qualifying condition.

Agree with the immediate PP that your great situation may be very different next year with a different teacher and classmates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you observe him in his classroom?
What does your gut tell you?

My son had a host of issues at birth requiring therapy and then was diagnosed with severe ADHD in elementary school, so while I have always suspected he had HFA tendencies, it was never a priority for us to nail it down. I have paid for social skills groups, and his public school put him in a speech/social group for a year. However many of his social delays resolved when he was medicated for ADHD, and it is well-known that there is some overlap in symptoms between HFA and inattentive ADHD.

It's great that the school has offered socialization therapy, it will help him even if he doesn't have HFA!

+1 - may not be HFA but that doesn't mean there is nothing going on.