Reply to Autism and Overdiagnosis: Rampant, in psychologist's opinion

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous] This all reminds me of a conversation I had in the waiting room for OT a few years ago. my son was playing and I was trying to keep an eye on him.

Other Mom: He's not autistic you know. He plays with doors because he has MERLD.

Me: I'm sorry what? Who?

Other mom: You probably think my child is autistic because he keeps opening and closing the door on the toy house, but he isn't.

Me: Oh, OK. I have no idea which child is yours. I am just trying to keep an eye on my son.

Other mom: (points out her child who is playing with doors and then stops to flap with joy.) Flapping doesn't mean autism you know.

Me: OK. Listen, I don't observe and diagnose other people's children. I am just trying to keep an eye on mine.

This went on longer and then she asked my child's diagnosis. usually I don't share he has HFA, but I figured maybe it make her calm down.

Me: He has HFA.

Other mom: No, her doesn't. What doctors have you been to? This is what happens, they just throw around the autism diagnosis. I bet your child has MERLD.

Me: I actually think the dx fits and I also think he is benefiting from the help he is getting.

Other mom then proceeds to tell me what doctors I need to see, etc. FINALLY, my child's OT comes out to get him for the session and I left to "get something from my car." When I returned I sat next to someone quietly reading and I read.[/quote]

I've had that but it was with my child having apraxia as their child did and being told to use this provider and that provider.  It is very frustrating.  The difference between a MERLD kid is that if a child was hand flapping or opening a door, you can tell them to stop (if they are on the higher functioning end of MERLD like mine).  Mine will stop or argue with me about stopping. [b] A HFA cannot stop on command.[/b]  "typical" kids do handflap and do those things too but it looks slightly different.[/quote]

My kid with HFA stops on command and can and will argue with me about stopping. [b] You seem to have a very skewed idea about how a kid with HFA presents[/b].[/quote]

Here is the Level 1 autism severity levels from the DSM 5. Doesn't  with what you are saying at all.

[b]Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities.[/b] Problems of organization and planning hamper independence.[/quote]

Being inflexible and rigid is one of the symptoms of being on the spectrum but there are degrees AND kids with ASD can be taught to be more flexible and less rigid.  There is a social skills program for kids with ASD in the area called:  Unstuck and On target.  Many therapies for ASD address the inflexibility and my kid's behavioral plan at school and his IEP address this issue.

My DS with ASD is fully mainstreamed at a language immersion school and has no problem switching languages every other day nor any problems being told not to do something although ceasing to tell poop/fart jokes and punning about "but" and "butt" has been difficult.  He is fully mainstreamed.

It is a spectrum and you really should stop getting all your information about ASD from google.[/quote]

It's from the DSM5, not "google."

And you wonder why do many doubt your child's autism diagnosis. [/quote]

My child has actually seen real doctors!  Who evaluated him!  I did not try to do it by looking stuff up on the DSM and trying to apply it myself since I have zero expertise.

FYI, he has had a psych ed eval, a developmental pediatrician, Dr Shapiro, who observed at school.  children's where he saw a neuropsych and they did ADOS and ADI-R.  Dr Black who gave him a neuropsych eval this Dec.  They ALL diagnosed ASD/Asperger's and Dr Black also found ADHD, combined type.

since DS has the right diagnosis and has an IEP, he does great at school!  Yay![/quote]

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