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Autism

melrio

melrio

I will hunt you!
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
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One of my grandsons came over Sunday afternoon, after his 3 yr birthday party, and my son mentioned that they will start testing on the lil' guy for possible Autism. He doesn't speak clear, sometimes its like he just doesn't listen at all, and can throw one major temper-tantrum but I figured he'd grow out of it especially with all the family drama that has gone on in their household for the past 15 months.

How do you know if it is Autism and when do doctors know for sure?!?
 
I don't know anything about Autism, but just wanted to wish the best for your little guy.
 
i dont know nothing about autism but i know someone who does and have directed her here to help you
 
Sent by Karen ;)
Hi Melanie...
Autism covers such a wide spectrum of 'disorders' that it need to be diagnosed specifically.. My son was diagnosed with autism with PDA characteristics.. Which means he is autistic but also has the 'traits' of "Pathological demand avoidance" which is another 'disorder' on the autistic spectrum.. There are varying degrees of autism.. high functioning, aspergers etc. diagnosis involves an assessment which is normally at least 2-3hours long and involves a lot of questions!
My sons assessment was slightly different to the norm because he is now 9 and wouldnt be able to cope with that kind of a situation so it was myself and two of his school teachers and we were asked questions all about Callum for nearly 4hours with the end being his diagnosis there and then!
I don't know how different it is for other countries as we are in the uk but I don't think it's much different... I can pass on some useful info links if that helps?

Hope that was of some help, and you all get some help and advice for your grandson soon.. You should find the relief is immense when you get some answers and help! Autistic children are immensely rewarding and you find yourself celebrating the more simpler of milestones and enjoying the moments you wouldnt necessarily normally do :)
 
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I have done a lot of research in the last few months abt Asperger's which is one of the highest functioning forms of autism. I believe that my 9yo SS has this and am trying to convince DH to work on convincing his ex to take him in to be evaluated. My SS also has ADHD (which is very common with Asperger's), so it is often difficult to separate which of his behaviors are ADHD-based, which are Aspie's-based, or whether they're all a combination of the two. It can be difficult to diagnose, especially in young children, and you really have to do your homework ahead of time to make sure your grandson is evaluated by someone who specializes in autism.

Asperger's, in particular, does not mean that the child is retarded or mentally challenged in any way (something my DH was afraid of when I first told him my findings. but in fact, many Aspies have very high IQs), but that they have a lot of difficulty in relationships and social interactions. It also usually means that the child is very immature for his age (and yes, almost all children specifically diagnosed with Asperger's on the spectrum are boys) and often has difficulty with fine or large motor skills, lacks empathy, and cannot read social cues or body language. For instance, my SS took over two years to learn how to tie his shoes and still has trouble with tying shoes, buttoning his pants, and manipulating Legos. He also has absolutely no empathy when he hurts someone else, either physically or emotionally, and is not able to relate himself to how that person might feel at that particular moment even if he has been in the same situation before. He has no concept of what sarcasm is and cannot usually tell how someone is feeling unless that person has an extra-big smile or frown on his/her face. He does not understand personal space/boundaries and needs to be physically touching DH almost all the time when he is with us. He usually has one or two obsessions at a time (currently WWE wrestling) and otherwise does not show much interest in anything. He dominates every conversation he's in and does not understand allowing others to talk abt things that interest them or asking them abt themselves. He has a few friends at school and in the neighborhood, but prefers to play with DH since DH will let him control the play and follow SS' wishes as to how DH should play his role in it.

I don't know how much that will help you if your grandson is only 3, but maybe you could pass along the info to your son and DIL to hold onto for future reference. If there has been a lot of drama in this household as you alluded to, it might simply be acting out or otherwise negatively reacting to whatever has happened.
 
LeeAndra said:
I don't know how much that will help you if your grandson is only 3, but maybe you could pass along the info to your son and DIL to hold onto for future reference. If there has been a lot of drama in this household as you alluded to, it might simply be acting out or otherwise negatively reacting to whatever has happened.
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Thank you so much for your comments. Makes me feel better about what is to come. Even at 3, he does exhibit many of the characteristics that I've read about Autism. He is supposed to start attending what they call an "Exceptional School" this spring to start seeing how he interacts alone and with others, behaviors, etc. We're all hopeful and supportive that professionals can help the little guy.
 
I'm glad some ladies popped in here, as I was about to say many of the things they have mentioned.
 
Mel,

My son has been seeing psychologists since he was 4 for autistic tendencies - tantrums, social delays, speech delays, comprehension and short term memory delays.

According to the psychologists we have been to with our son (both school and independent through our medical insurance), at age 3/4, they can only provide a generic diagnosis - they can't truly test for full-blown autism until later - 7-9 usually. Often at 3/4, the testing is low key with the child, relies a lot on truthfulness of parents and caregivers completing questionnaires and offering feedback, and the doctor will classify ADD/ADHD with autistic tendencies or say "presents with autistic tendencies".

When they become school age (kindergarten on) the parents will develop an iep with the school district.

The diagnostic medical test for ADD/ADHD is done at age 7+ and is several hours. Easter Seals will often assist with paying for the testing, and then medical insurance kicks in if it is positive. Zac just had the school evaluation (our state pays for an independent outside psychologist to do this) and we get the results of that tomorrow. We are then working with Easter Seals to schedule the medical diagnosis so that we can coordinate long term occupational therapy to assist him.

Hugs to you. I know the confusion and concern that the word engenders. If you have questions don't hesitate to pm me. I'll answer if it is something I am familiar with. My advice is to get Easter Seals involved now. They will support your son financially and informationally with your grandson's testing even at age 3.
 
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There is believed to be special diets and therapies that work well for autism of all levels. Especially for a child so young. My best friends son with severe autism started horse therapy at age 3 and by age 6 was declared 'cured'. Other than her experience, however, I don't know much about it. Good luck to your little guy though!
 
Denise Im really intrigued with your reply and how things work where you are...
In the Uk it seems they older they get the harder it is to get a diagnosis and boy is it a lengthy process either way but my nephew was classed as a non verbal autistic child but is now speaking one or two words and as far as I am aware there are no plans to re-test him later on (he is nearly 4 now)...
My son was diagnosed nov last year and is going to be 10this year and we really struggled with getting an assessment for him.. It was a hard slog and even now with a diagnosis it's still hard going..
After speaking with a lady she claimed her friend moved to the USA specifically to get a diagnosis for her child because the process is much... Easier? Perhaps thats not the right word but certainly quicker than it would be over here! It's taken a year and a half to get my son diagnosed.
They also say your likelihood of having another child with difficulties rising to 80% if you already have an autistic child.. My5 year old is being considered for assessment now because he is "showing similar traits to his older brother" and to be frank I am dreading it!
I like that the diet comment was raised.. This is something quite widely debated as they have found the bacteria in autistic children is different to that of a neuro- typical child which certainly leaves it open for debate on the food thoughts...
:)
 
I can not recommend this site http://www.jkp.com/ enough for reading material on learning difficulties inc autism dyspraxia ADHD PDA.. The list goes on.
We purchased understanding pathological demand avoidance and understanding the autistic spectrum from them and they gave such great insight.. Another greatly recommended book is 'the explosive child' and everyone I speak to says its a must read inc our sons psychologist.. Def can't hurt from giving them a try if anyone's looking for more info :)
 
Ellie,

I am in Illinois - I can't speak to other states - but here we have specific laws that cover special needs children and their testing.

There is a specific battery of tests that are done for school age children within the school district - here our state pays for an independent psychologic evaluation upon parental request - that looks for autism.

There are two specific tests that are done - the first is the ADOS, the second is the ADI-R - here is more info:

ADOS & ADI-R Brochure

The brochure talks about these two tests and then also provides details on how a diagnosis is determined. It involves the school, social workers, psychologists, family physician, and the family.

We have two types of diagnosis here. One is for the school - it defines what types of supports - including social work, occupational therapy, special education, aids such as computers/laptops/tablets, classroom aides/scribes, etc. - are available to the student and can be provided through the school district.

The second type of diagnosis is considered medical - it goes through our physicians and the Easter Seals program. That diagnosis entitles the student to covered insurance support for occupational therapy and programs outside the school and in the community. In our state, for autistic children our law mandates that all kids with autism are covered for these additional community programs/therapies by insurance.

The best outcome for the child is to have them diagnosed both through the school district and the medical community.

As for the eating disorders, yes there are numerous studies and it is a huge bone of contention. They have not proved/disproved that. We have tried that with our son without success. We have also had him on multiple medications - again no success - he had such horrible side effects that any benefit of the meds was outweighed - he lost weight, had hallucinations that skeletons were talking to him, tired all the time, crying jags - and over a course of a few years we tried 4 different medications at a variety of doses. We made the decision to take him off meds.

Our son is verbal, although he has had great delays compared to peers. He has made great gains with the additional therapies/supports, we have worked wtih the school district to obtain for him. For the most part he is functioning fairly high and able to be in the general school population for the majority of the school day. Most people would not suspect that he has autism, other than very poor communication skills, inability to effectively convey thoughts/hold conversation.

Even with all this said, we are truly lucky and blessed to have him. He is super loving with us and every gain/milestone he has is a joy. He is quirky, funny, and our treasure. :)
 
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I am from IL too (Hi, Denise!) and we're in the middle of getting our middle son, Tristin, tested for Aspergers/Autism. I was just on youtube watching videos of other kids that have been posted. Not that I want him to "have" it, but it explains soooooooooooooooo much of how he acts, etc. Anyway, I do believe there are signs for a child at the age of 3. We have been told that if Tristin has Aspergers, it's a VERY high functioning form. I also believe the earlier you get your diagnosis the better! :)
 
Keela - good luck to you! And big hugs. Its a lifelong commitment to get them the support they need. And I agree, the earlier the intervention the better. Yes, there are definite signs and they can intervene from age 24 months on up with therapies. We were told that for high functioning they simply classify as ADD/ADHD until they can do the true battery of tests at age 7-9.
 
My little brother was diagnosed with Autism at age 2. By the time he was out of Kindergarten, you couldn't tell unless you knew a lot about the disorder. The only thing that hangs on now (he's 18) is that he's a ferocious rule follower and can't understand why others wouldn't be. He also tells the total truth. Both not that big of a deal. The secret (my mother will tell you) was the early intervention and behavioral therapy and play therapy he got at home ALL the time from his older siblings.

As far as your grandson getting checked out, at least you'll know either way and move forward from there. :)

Good luck! :beat
 
When we got to Florida Austim was brought up during one of Seth's many many doc appts. We got approved to take him to a specialist in Jacksonville but his wait list was like 6 months long and we moved before we got in with the doctor.

He goes in Monday to do his EFMP screening (it's a military thing lol) and we are going to ask about the diagnosis and tests again. We are about 85% sure he has Aspergers. He is incredibly smart...like so smart, I don't like to talk about it because I don't want people to think I am just being a braggy mom...but he has many social problems, his tantrums are legendary, he is very particular about his toys and likes to have everything in nice little lines (that was actually one of the first things we noticed).
 
My son was finally diagnosed this year (he was 9) but we knew he had it since he was about 4. He is behind on some things, acts "strangely" in some situations, but is very intelligent in certain areas! He also has sensory disorder, learning disabilities, anxiety and issues with his coordination. We had the school test him and will be going to the University of Michigan for them to do a more detailed battery of tests.
 
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