Help me understand autism

[Anonymous]

My autistic grandson has trouble picking up on social cues and is quirky but is ahead of his classmates in math and on track for reading. He avoids eye contact, will say things that aren't on topic and tends to have some repetitive motions, like pulling at his neckline. He is obsessed with trains, typical for high functioning autism. I think different terms are needed as autism is now covers such a broad range of spectrum its almost useless. Some kids we used to term mentally retarded are called autistic. So are some we would have termed gifted but quirky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be helpful if someone put examples of different levels of autistic behavior. I've heard of kids having autism at my child's school, but I don't know what that means or how to help/not say the wrong thing.

When I was growing up, the only autistic kids I heard about had severe symptoms, like rain man or a kid who couldn't connect with others at all on a news program. So, frankly it would be helpful to hear of typical autistic behavior and what to do/not do as a mom of a child whose classmates have autism.

I we were growing up , expectations were very low to be a typical child.Now the expectations are more to be a typical child.That's the reason we see big increase in autistic people , and we'll continue to see the increase.It doesn't mean that people are getting more impacted by autism , what it means is expectations from a child are increasing!

I think labels are changing too. It wasn't that we weren't labeled before, it's just that we were labeled as mentally retarded or as willfully bad. My father has said that all my autistic DS needs is a few good spankings. He's never allowed alone with my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a child with autism, you really have to develop a thick skin. You'll quickly learn who your true friends are. Unfortunately, there are many people who think autism can be cured by stricter parenting.

I've learned to ignore a lot of what other parents would consider bad behavior, because doing otherwise will escalate rather than defuse a situation. During calm times we try to talk about how to handle situations and what can be done differently next time. In the moment is not the time to correct an autistic child who is on the verge of a meltdown.

Explain to your NT kid that every family has different ways of
disciplining.
I'm sure they already recognize that the autistic child is different.

If I detect a judgey vibe from another parent, I limit my contact and secretly label them clueless.


+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Found out today that my DC's best little school friend has autism. Little girl is quirky, but I would have never guessed. She's in a mainstream classroom (not integrated, just in the classroom and with no paraprofessional - sits next to my child, as a matter of fact), we've done play dates and the kids play well together.

We also have a nephew with autism. His parents claim he's an "8 out of 10" with 1 being the worst. He has MANY behavioral and social issues. He doesn't talk much at all, doesn't play, and is in a school for children with autism. He could never be in a mainstream classroom. He's also still in diapers. He hits and runs away, etc.

I guess I don't understand how HE can be so high functioning. What does that make this friend/classmate?

I guess I just don't understand autism. Can my nephew really be "high-functioning"? This girl in my child's class clearly seems high-functioning. Like I said, I would have never guessed if I hadn't just heard from the mom.

Any insight?

My son is considered high functioning autistic, he has some friends who have known him forever and just think of him as quirky too -- your own DC will be a treasure to this little girl!

As to the differences and how they can both be considered "high functioning" it may be just the way the parents or doctors are looking at and defining high functioning. Since the spectrum can go from children who are totally non-verbal, don't understand, hate anything sensory, etc. all the way up to a little quirky everyone's definition of "high" can be different. Some people figure that any child who can speak is high functioning - which of course is a HUGE difference from your DC's friend it sounds like!

As the saying goes, "if you've met one child with autism, you've met ONE child with autism" - so just continue to love your nephew and your DC's friend!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My autistic grandson has trouble picking up on social cues and is quirky but is ahead of his classmates in math and on track for reading. He avoids eye contact, will say things that aren't on topic and tends to have some repetitive motions, like pulling at his neckline. He is obsessed with trains, typical for high functioning autism. I think different terms are needed as autism is now covers such a broad range of spectrum its almost useless. Some kids we used to term mentally retarded are called autistic. So are some we would have termed gifted but quirky.

I agree! ASD range from Mental Retarded to Gifted.This is where people gets confused where exactly their children will fall under this spectrum!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Found out today that my DC's best little school friend has autism. Little girl is quirky, but I would have never guessed. She's in a mainstream classroom (not integrated, just in the classroom and with no paraprofessional - sits next to my child, as a matter of fact), we've done play dates and the kids play well together.

We also have a nephew with autism. His parents claim he's an "8 out of 10" with 1 being the worst. He has MANY behavioral and social issues. He doesn't talk much at all, doesn't play, and is in a school for children with autism. He could never be in a mainstream classroom. He's also still in diapers. He hits and runs away, etc.

I guess I don't understand how HE can be so high functioning. What does that make this friend/classmate?

I guess I just don't understand autism. Can my nephew really be "high-functioning"? This girl in my child's class clearly seems high-functioning. Like I said, I would have never guessed if I hadn't just heard from the mom.

Any insight?

child need to score 3+2=5 out of total 3+4=7 deficits to be from the list(http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/outreach/occyshn/programs-projects/upload/ASD-ID-Teams-DSM-V-Checklist.pdf) to be autistic.

[Anonymous]

? Yes ? No 1. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction; ranging from poorly
integrated verbal and nonverbal communication, through abnormalities in eye contact and bodylanguage,
or deficits in understanding and use of nonverbal communication, to total lack of facial
expression or gestures.

? Yes? No 2. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity; ranging from abnormal social approach and failure of normal
back and forth conversation through reduced sharing of interests, emotions, and affect and
response to total lack of initiation of social interaction.

? Yes ? No 3. Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships appropriate to developmental level (beyond
those with caregivers); ranging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts
through difficulties in sharing imaginative play and in making friends to an apparent absence of
interest in people

Even if a kid scores 1 No from the list above,he shouldn't get ASD diagnosis !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

? Yes ? No 1. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction; ranging from poorly
integrated verbal and nonverbal communication, through abnormalities in eye contact and bodylanguage,
or deficits in understanding and use of nonverbal communication, to total lack of facial
expression or gestures.

? Yes? No 2. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity; ranging from abnormal social approach and failure of normal
back and forth conversation through reduced sharing of interests, emotions, and affect and
response to total lack of initiation of social interaction.

? Yes ? No 3. Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships appropriate to developmental level (beyond
those with caregivers); ranging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts
through difficulties in sharing imaginative play and in making friends to an apparent absence of
interest in people

Even if a kid scores 1 No from the list above,he shouldn't get ASD diagnosis !

You're saying if a child scores only 1 from the list, then they shouldn't be diagnosed with ASD? This is correct as specified on the sheet you copied from.

"Deficits in use or understanding of social communication and social interaction in multiple contexts, not accounted for by general developmental delays, and manifest by all 3 of the following:

1. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction; ranging from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication, through abnormalities in eye contact and body-language, or deficits in understanding and use of nonverbal communication, to total lack of facial expression or gestures.

2. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity; ranging from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back and forth conversation through reduced sharing of interests, emotions, and affect and response to total lack of initiation of social interaction.

3. Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships appropriate to developmental level (beyond those with caregivers); ranging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts through difficulties in sharing imaginative play and in making friends to an apparent absence of interest in people."

It is very common for adults to have a different experience interacting with kids with ASD than the child's peers have. An adult may find a child charming, precocious, and a little bit quirky when they talk in depth about their interest while other children find it off-putting that the child won't talk about anything else and can't engage in reciprocal play and conversation. Adults also find it charming and precocious when the child uses big words and formal speech patterns, while the child's peers just find it weird and hard to understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You're saying if a child scores only 1 from the list, then they shouldn't be diagnosed with ASD? This is correct as specified on the sheet you copied from.

"Deficits in use or understanding of social communication and social interaction in multiple contexts, not accounted for by general developmental delays, and manifest by all 3 of the following:

1. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction; ranging from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication, through abnormalities in eye contact and body-language, or deficits in understanding and use of nonverbal communication, to total lack of facial expression or gestures.

2. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity; ranging from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back and forth conversation through reduced sharing of interests, emotions, and affect and response to total lack of initiation of social interaction.

3. Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships appropriate to developmental level (beyond those with caregivers); ranging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts through difficulties in sharing imaginative play and in making friends to an apparent absence of interest in people."

It is very common for adults to have a different experience interacting with kids with ASD than the child's peers have. An adult may find a child charming, precocious, and a little bit quirky when they talk in depth about their interest while other children find it off-putting that the child won't talk about anything else and can't engage in reciprocal play and conversation. Adults also find it charming and precocious when the child uses big words and formal speech patterns, while the child's peers just find it weird and hard to understand.

I agree! Even CDC and AutismSpeaks says the same criteria

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/dsm-5-diagnostic-criteria

Google this and you'll find tons of results

https://www.google.com/search?q=dsm+5+checklist+for+autism&oq=dsm5

[Anonymous]

Yes. That is the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-V.