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Reply to "Does anyone get defensive when it is suggested SOME kids with language disorders MAY have ADHD too?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
  People who specialize in language disorders will tell you the treatment is NOT the same for MERLD and Autism. The underlying problems are not identical, the etiology is different. [b]MERLD kids rarely need true ABA, because they are socially motivated. [/b]A MERLD child doesn't respond appropriately because he has no idea what you are saying. He gets frustrated, he shuts down.  The receptive part slowly gets better over time, and targeting words, first nouns, then verbs, then stringing words together often work best. Speaking at the child's utterance length plus one word helps a child progress more quickly.

A PP makes the point that both MERLD kids and Autistic or Asperger's child improves with time. The difference is, once a MERLD child's language catches up, he'll be almost indistinguishable from a typical child -- his core issue is gone, he understands language and responds appropriately, not because he was taught or is "coping," but because he simply understands what's being said to him. (I say almost because school tends to remain difficult as the verbal load is so heavy and so quick.) The autistic child whose language comes in is still autistic and has the core social issues that are the defining hallmark of autism. [/quote]

I'm the parent of an Asperger's/ASD child and want to clarify that you can STILL get an ASD diagnosis if the child is socially motivated.  Mine did.  It confuses parents somewhat if you use lack of "social motivation" and "social intent" as a defining feature of ASD.  I know it confused me.  The key three features of Asperger's is problems in social communication, repetitive behaviors and obsessive interests.[/quote]

Going straight to the creator of the term Austism Spectrum Disorder, here is the level of social impairment involved in autism. MERLD children don't have this social communication problem; instead, their social difficulties come from their receptive language issues. A good evaluator can tell the difference.

http://www.awares.org/static_docs/about_autism.asp?docSection=3
3.2 Impairments of social interaction

3.2.1 The aloof group

This is the most common type of social impairment. Behavior may include:

* Behaving as if other people do not exist;
    * Little or no eye contact made;
    * No response when spoken to;
    * Faces empty of expression except with extreme joy, anger or distress;
    * No response to cuddling;
    * If something is wanted, carers' hands may be pulled towards the object;
    * May respond to rough and tumble play well, but when this stops return to aloof pattern;
    * Seem to 'be in a world of their own'.

3.2.2 The passive group

Least common group, features include:

* The child accepts social approaches;
    * May meet the gaze of others;
    * May become involved as a passive part of a game.

3.2.3 The active but odd group

Children of this group make active approaches to others but make that contact in strange ways, including:

* Paying no attention to the other party;
    * Poor eye contact although sometimes may stare too long;
    * May hug or shake hands too hard.

3.2.4 The over-formal, stilted group

Seen in later life, this behavior is common in the most able person with autism. The following characteristics tend to be displayed:

* Excessively polite and formal;
    * Have a good level of language;
    * Try very hard to stick to the rules of social interaction without really understanding them.
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