Mainstream preschool for child with PDD-NOS

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[Post New]11/21/2010 13:35
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, you say you've been told you're dealing with PDD-NOS (an autism spectrum disorder). Yet, you're also getting the message that this "a very mild case involving some socialization and speech issues that can be addressed with OT."

These two statements are in complete conflict with each other. It is as though one says your child is red and the other says he is green.

I would love to help you, but it is hard to do so until you settle on a reality.


Wow. Please be kind. So many of us here are dealing with ASD and on its best day it's rough. These people were just diagnosed, do you remember how that feels? If you don't, trust me, it's pretty low and certainly not a place where one can handle cruelty from those with the potential to help.


It could have been stated better, but it is a fair question. If OP's child really falls into the PDD-NOS category, the symptoms are unlikely so mild that a bit of OT will clear things up (particularly because socialization and speech issues are best addressed through speech/language therapy, not OT). If they are that mild, it's hard to imagine how the child got this diagnosis in the first place.

OP, where did you get the diagnosis, what are the symptoms/delays, and what were the specific recommendations?


You know, I don't read OP's post as claiming that "a bit of OT will clear things up." And I've never seen a special needs mom challenged before like this. Why should she have to provide proof of the diagnosis, where it was made, and so forth. This is just bizarre.

This OP's post seems to have struck a nerve in certain members of this board -- perhaps because their children are more strongly afflicted? At any rate, these responses are so over the top as to be concerning. I'm seriously considering pressing the report button. You do NOT grill another special needs mom this way. Why in the world would you care where the diagnosis was received? She asked a simple question. Either answer it or MOVE ALONG.
[Post New]11/21/2010 14:08
Anonymous
20:31 again. PDD-NOS is not a more "mild" diagnosis, necessarily. These are the kids who don't fit all the criteria but that doesn't mean that the criteria they do fit isn't severe. Every child I've know with PDD-NOS has had more challenges than my DS with AS/HFA. PLus the additional challenge of people not even understanding what it is.

One more thing -- OP refers to a wonderful teacher. My son had one at his mainstream preschool. He also had several who had no idea what to do with him. It starts at the top ad if you don't have a school with a proven track record, you take a gamble every year. My biggest regret for DS is the school I sent him to, a school that claims to be supportive and caring and inclusive but whose approach to parents of SN kids is to treat them all like they are in denial and push push push them to do more more more, even parents like us who came in with a diagnosis and were doing everything we could. It was extremely stressful and they really didn't know what they were doing.
[Post New]11/21/2010 18:23
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, you say you've been told you're dealing with PDD-NOS (an autism spectrum disorder). Yet, you're also getting the message that this "a very mild case involving some socialization and speech issues that can be addressed with OT."

These two statements are in complete conflict with each other. It is as though one says your child is red and the other says he is green.

I would love to help you, but it is hard to do so until you settle on a reality.


Wow. Please be kind. So many of us here are dealing with ASD and on its best day it's rough. These people were just diagnosed, do you remember how that feels? If you don't, trust me, it's pretty low and certainly not a place where one can handle cruelty from those with the potential to help.


It could have been stated better, but it is a fair question. If OP's child really falls into the PDD-NOS category, the symptoms are unlikely so mild that a bit of OT will clear things up (particularly because socialization and speech issues are best addressed through speech/language therapy, not OT). If they are that mild, it's hard to imagine how the child got this diagnosis in the first place.

OP, where did you get the diagnosis, what are the symptoms/delays, and what were the specific recommendations?


You know, I don't read OP's post as claiming that "a bit of OT will clear things up." And I've never seen a special needs mom challenged before like this. Why should she have to provide proof of the diagnosis, where it was made, and so forth. This is just bizarre.

This OP's post seems to have struck a nerve in certain members of this board -- perhaps because their children are more strongly afflicted? At any rate, these responses are so over the top as to be concerning. I'm seriously considering pressing the report button. You do NOT grill another special needs mom this way. Why in the world would you care where the diagnosis was received? She asked a simple question. Either answer it or MOVE ALONG.


I think the use of the word "mild" is the problem. I think it is more typical to say my child has PDD-NOS -- and is "high-functioning". I'm the second poster and my son is the same age as her son with the same diagnosis. My son doesn't fit the criteria for autism and is too young to be diagnosed with Asperger's (even though that is direction the experts think he is going). I don't think of my son as mildly autistic -- I think of him as a ASD child that is high-functioning, i.e., not as strongly affected. Consequently, my son (at this time) seems to be okay in a mainstream classroom. This may change as he gets older, but his psychologist, pediatrician, social worker and special needs education coordinator all agree that he doesn't need to be in a specialized classroom/setting. Maybe this is what the OP has been told and that is why she is asking for other people with similar situations experience.
[Post New]11/21/2010 19:44
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You know, I don't read OP's post as claiming that "a bit of OT will clear things up." And I've never seen a special needs mom challenged before like this. Why should she have to provide proof of the diagnosis, where it was made, and so forth. This is just bizarre.

This OP's post seems to have struck a nerve in certain members of this board -- perhaps because their children are more strongly afflicted? At any rate, these responses are so over the top as to be concerning. I'm seriously considering pressing the report button. You do NOT grill another special needs mom this way. Why in the world would you care where the diagnosis was received? She asked a simple question. Either answer it or MOVE ALONG.


I agree. This thread has turned odd.
[Post New]11/21/2010 22:06
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, you say you've been told you're dealing with PDD-NOS (an autism spectrum disorder). Yet, you're also getting the message that this "a very mild case involving some socialization and speech issues that can be addressed with OT."

These two statements are in complete conflict with each other. It is as though one says your child is red and the other says he is green.

I would love to help you, but it is hard to do so until you settle on a reality.


Wow. Please be kind. So many of us here are dealing with ASD and on its best day it's rough. These people were just diagnosed, do you remember how that feels? If you don't, trust me, it's pretty low and certainly not a place where one can handle cruelty from those with the potential to help.


It could have been stated better, but it is a fair question. If OP's child really falls into the PDD-NOS category, the symptoms are unlikely so mild that a bit of OT will clear things up (particularly because socialization and speech issues are best addressed through speech/language therapy, not OT). If they are that mild, it's hard to imagine how the child got this diagnosis in the first place.

OP, where did you get the diagnosis, what are the symptoms/delays, and what were the specific recommendations?


You know, I don't read OP's post as claiming that "a bit of OT will clear things up." And I've never seen a special needs mom challenged before like this. Why should she have to provide proof of the diagnosis, where it was made, and so forth. This is just bizarre.

This OP's post seems to have struck a nerve in certain members of this board -- perhaps because their children are more strongly afflicted? At any rate, these responses are so over the top as to be concerning. I'm seriously considering pressing the report button. You do NOT grill another special needs mom this way. Why in the world would you care where the diagnosis was received? She asked a simple question. Either answer it or MOVE ALONG.


I think the use of the word "mild" is the problem. I think it is more typical to say my child has PDD-NOS -- and is "high-functioning". I'm the second poster and my son is the same age as her son with the same diagnosis. My son doesn't fit the criteria for autism and is too young to be diagnosed with Asperger's (even though that is direction the experts think he is going). I don't think of my son as mildly autistic -- I think of him as a ASD child that is high-functioning, i.e., not as strongly affected. Consequently, my son (at this time) seems to be okay in a mainstream classroom. This may change as he gets older, but his psychologist, pediatrician, social worker and special needs education coordinator all agree that he doesn't need to be in a specialized classroom/setting. Maybe this is what the OP has been told and that is why she is asking for other people with similar situations experience.


I agree. This nails it. "A bit of OT will clear things up" is either total denial or a complete misunderstanding of the autism spectrum.

PP's point vis-a-vis "high-functioning" clarifies the issue (though who's to say what degree of acceptance any given family has achieved.) Thank you for helping!
[Post New]11/23/2010 09:22
Anonymous
NP here. I must admit that I find PDD-NOS to be a confusing diagnosis and I'm not completely clear how it differs from high-functioning ASD. But I suppose that's a new topic.
[Post New]11/23/2010 11:38
mabodie
Member Offline
Children of the Cross preschool in Rockville has been a great fit for our daughter. We looked at other "mainstream" schools last year but none were up for accomodating DD. Children of the Cross said "no problem" and they have been wonderful.
[Post New]11/23/2010 17:31
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:NP here. I must admit that I find PDD-NOS to be a confusing diagnosis and I'm not completely clear how it differs from high-functioning ASD. But I suppose that's a new topic.


From my understanding PDD-NOS doesn't involve some of the areas that are present in Austism. Children with PDD-NOS don't fit the diagnostic criteria closely enough to fully satisfy all criteria set by the experts for autism. So my child only fits 3 out of the 4 areas for ASD.
[Post New]11/25/2010 15:17
Anonymous
Some doctors (and therapists) view Asperger's as being the highest functioning diagnosis on the spectrum. After that comes PDD-NOS and after that classic Autism.
[Post New]11/25/2010 16:11
Anonymous
That doesn't really work, as individuals with all three diagnoses may be more or less impacted. It might work, to some extent, if you were ranking the range of functioning within each diagnosis. Even then, since the criteria for PDD-NOS is essentially "lots of symptoms but doesn't quite meet criteria for autism or Asperger's", there are kids with PDD who are distinctly higher than some kids with Asperger's.
[Post New]11/25/2010 22:26
Anonymous
I've seen kids with high functioning autism doing extremely well in a mainstream school and kids with Aspergers really struggling to keep it together. You just can't "rank" these diagnoses, each child is different.
[Post New]11/26/2010 18:04
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:This is incorrect. By definition in the DSM-IV PDD-NOS is (always) an autism spectrum disorder. In the proposed DSM-V, the classification will cease to exist. PDD-NOS is autism. It is "milder" than the classic Kanner's autism, but it is still autism.


You are incorrect actually. PDD-NOS is separate from autism in the DSM IV. Both autism and PDD-NOS fall under the PDD heading. PDD is not synonymous with autism, there are other PDDs (i.e. Rett's and CDD) that are not autism - nor is PDD-NOS identical to autism.
DSM IV - Pervasive Developmental Disorders
299.00 Autistic Disorder
299.80 Rett's Disorder
299.10 Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
299.80 Asperger's Disorder
299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Including Atypical Autism)

Although in my opinion each individual child's story and what that individual child needs is far more important than quibbling over a diagnosis. OT can definitely be a supportive therapy for children with PDDs, along with other therapies as needed. There is no reason why a child with a mild PDD can't be in a mainstream preschool if both the parents and teachers are on board.
[Post New]11/26/2010 20:23
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is incorrect. By definition in the DSM-IV PDD-NOS is (always) an autism spectrum disorder. In the proposed DSM-V, the classification will cease to exist. PDD-NOS is autism. It is "milder" than the classic Kanner's autism, but it is still autism.


You are incorrect actually. PDD-NOS is separate from autism in the DSM IV. Both autism and PDD-NOS fall under the PDD heading. PDD is not synonymous with autism, there are other PDDs (i.e. Rett's and CDD) that are not autism - nor is PDD-NOS identical to autism.
DSM IV - Pervasive Developmental Disorders
299.00 Autistic Disorder
299.80 Rett's Disorder
299.10 Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
299.80 Asperger's Disorder
299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Including Atypical Autism)

Although in my opinion each individual child's story and what that individual child needs is far more important than quibbling over a diagnosis. OT can definitely be a supportive therapy for children with PDDs, along with other therapies as needed. There is no reason why a child with a mild PDD can't be in a mainstream preschool if both the parents and teachers are on board.


Don't all of these fall under the category of Autism Spectrum Disorders?
[Post New]11/27/2010 08:46
Anonymous
Yes -- hence the 299.xx code. DSM is organized by symptoms, not by neurology, so if the behavior is typical of kids with autism, it goes on the autism spectrum. The course of development may look different, but those are differences based on history, not on current presentation.
[Post New]11/27/2010 12:15
Anonymous
And the DSM V is going to get rid of both PDD-NOS and Aspergers, and instead just have autism but differentiate for severity. I think this makes sense and I welcome the change.
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