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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Do we really need the what does ASD look like when it looks different for every child and its such a huge range given ASD encompasses everything from very mild concerns to someone who cannot speak or function without a caretaker.[/quote]

There is nothing in the ASD criteria that is mild. It is only mild relative to the severe end of autism.

I know people don't want to believe this, but a quick look at severity levels spells this out.[/quote]
And what is your experience with autistic kids?[/quote]

I have a special needs child evaluated muliple times for autism. While he was never found to be autistic, his other issues have meant IEPs and some special education classes . [/quote]
So you don't have any actual experience with autistic children.  You just have a kid with something else and you can read the DSM, but somehow that tells something relevant about other people's children?[/quote]

If ASD is so mild as to be undetectable by parents and the children are typically social and affectionate ... what's the issue needing treatment?[/quote]

My DS has Asperger's and we did not suspect anything until DS started prek4 - the first time he was in a group setting with other children.  DS is very verbal - talked early, affectionate and social with family members, adults and older children.    He met all milestones on time and is very mild mannered and easy going - no behavioral issues and so easy going that he worked as a model in NYC as a baby and toddler.  He followed directions well and rarely got upset or cried.  Ate well, slept well and was basically a really easy baby.

So when DS started preK and the prek teacher suggested that there was something "off", we did not believe it until I did an observation at school and saw how he interacted with other kids - he didn't.  The school did a psychoeducational eval which diagnosed ASD.  We took him to a developmental pediatrician who also diagnosed ASD/Asperger's and since all this was still hard to believe DS had ADOS/ADI-R at Children's which confirmed ASD.  Granted, DS made it on the spectrum by 1 point on the ADOS:  DS is "very socially motivated" and has great joint attention but 1. he is terrible at reading nonverbal social cues 2. has obsessive interests and 3. repetitive movements mostly running around in circles which at 4 yrs old can seem normal but coupled with 1 and 2 put DS on the spectrum.

DS is 11 now and we also added ADHD, combined type, when DS was 7 through a neuropsych eval.  Everything, ASD & ADHD, was all reconfirmed by another neuropsych at 10.

DS has had an IEP since preK.  He does not need academic supports and has always tested above grade level, however, he needs lots of social communications supports at school otherwise, I know he will be pretty miserable.  My DH and I don't want that for him.  Right now, DS loves middle school which is pretty remarkable considering it is MS.  We sent him to a SN school for kids with Asperger's for middle school.  Private pay, 40K+, because we think the social communication piece is that important even though everyone acknowledged that DS will have done fine academically at his regular public middle school.

I am the pp who suggested that OP go get an ADOS if she wants a second opinion.  Since you have already seen a dev ped, the ADOS is probably your best bet.  Of course, you can wait and just go along with private therapies without a diagnosis but knowing what the issue is will help with what therapies are needed.

For DS with Asperger's/ASD - ABA was never recommended except for very specifically in 2nd grade when he needed a FBA/BIP - yup, a functional behavioral analysis and a behavioral intervention plan are done using ABA techniques.

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