Need Some Feedback

[Dianajeantx]

I am the mother of a 6 yr old boy that is exhibiting some characteristics of aspergers. I want to make sure I am not imagining a diagnosis when there may be something else to attribute it too so here it goes. My son has been diagnosed with ADHD, Anxiety with Depressive Features and ODD. He has been diagnosed with these by his pediatricians for over a year now so when the psychologist diagnosed him I wasn't shocked. What did surprise me is he only spent 20 minutes with my son before giving his results. The school district is testing him and I have expressed my concerns for aspergers. Here are his characteristics that have me thinking aspergers:
The things Elijah has issues with:
Touch- no one can touch him, pulls away from kids and me
Strangers, eye contact, gets better the more he knows them
Loud noises, covers ears and moves to farthest point in room to get away
Hates Writing, loves computers
Certain textures-food (mushy makes him gag), green foods he wont eat, wont try new foods, sheets to rough
Needs to know in advance of change and what change will take place, cant cope well with surprises in routine
Needs to have same routine, down to minute with the same route and locations of destination
Needs place to destress (anxiety, over stimulation), has moved out of line to get away from people
Needs daily rewards and visual cues (schedule, behavior, legos)
Issue with little girl trying to make friends-chased her around room, kids touch him too much or perceived cutting in line causes total meltdown-kicking, running away, hitting- seems like he blacks out, doesn't recognize people
Prefers cold baths, warm water is hot to him
Wants me to hold him during times of social anxiety otherwise no real affection unless he wants it
Parallel play, doesn't socialize with kids unless its his siblings, relates to adults very well
Failing all classes, will let teacher know a day in advance if he will do and finish school work-seems like mental preparation
Hair pulling-extreme focus on pulling hair on arms, legs, hands
Hears and absorbs information though he is doing other things.
Slight rocking on heels when standing, minor motor mannerisms in hands-wringing, finger play, repetitive movements, holding hands exactly the same way
Interrupts when he has something to say, won't stop until he says his thoughts, then walks away

I have that gut feeling the psychologist missed something. Anxiety can explain some things but not the reluctance to even look at strangers and super sensitivity to noises like flushing toilets. ADHD can explain the restlessness and attention issues and the ODD the refusal to do work but it is not a "just because I can refuse" it is more like a " I need the time to prepare for this activity" or not in schedule activity. I'm a little lost and actually nervous about the second psychologists results. She had stated that executive functions seem to be lacking and I have read that aspergers have issues with EF. The first psychologist said he had below average intelligence according to a written test but he doesn't like to do anything resembling written work. He may not have put in his all. The second psychologist who has observed him several times says he seems bored with the current first grade curriculum. He has asked why he has to do things more than once if he knows it already. I need some guidance as to what I should be asking for as far as testing and does any of the current diagnosis explain these characteristics? I may be too close to see the forest for the tress.

Diana

 

[total-recoil]

These psychologists are already making me feel a bit nervous. You can't guage intelligence by a written test as intelligence is complex and multidimensional and many studies suggest even the standard I.Q. test isn't so reliable. I know that I had major issues being slow at school and was very promptly written off as a dunce and no-hoper. That was because like many others here I process information in a different way, most definitely think visually and do not perform well in any class environment (unless I swatted up using my own method first). Due to this I have spent a good deal of free time trying to collect information about aspergers/learning/intelligence and, in a nutshell, it's possible to generalise a little and state that many aspies or HFA individuals don't function so well in the classroom and will get bored by certain forms of teaching. And I speak from experience. I once took a female Spanish student (nationality) who her teachers stated was slow and after only 2 months with me she came top of her class because I totally changed the way she was learning her subject.
Please be careful which psychologist you consult and maybe see if you can source an aspergers centre somewhere where you can find out more by talking to other parents and perhaps specialists in aspergers.
Also, I'd like to say that Aspergers isn't anything to freak out about or panic. True, children who grow up with aspergers are often under a huge amount of pressure to try and fit into an environment they struggle to relate to but my view these days is aspergers is more a blessing than a curse. I do accept we share a degree of autistic behaviour such as the stims, outbursts of anger, noise and fabric issues or even prosopagnosia (for some of us) but many aspes grow up to be highly functioning and useful adults who do well in engineering, I.T. or music. True, many of us struggle to deal with aspergers and become severely depressed and incapacitated as a result but I like to think with the necessary support and addressing special needs isssues this latter need not be the case.

 

[Judge]

One thing that would concern me is the potential of the "politics" of neurology and psychiatry. Whether pressure might be exerted on professionals NOT to arrive at a diagnosis of autism simply because some feel it happens with too much regularity. Regardless of whether it's true or not. So they rationalize alternatives. Scary thought...but of course I have nothing professionally to base this on.

However we all know these days that certain aspects of science are "hijacked" to fulfill economic and political agendas. Just a thought, anyways.

 

[GHA]

6 years old kid and a thesis on him??? Give the child a break. He is too young and fragile to be analyzed....Just love him as he is, and help him coup up with his life.. No offense, I am a father of a son with AS....

 

[Dianajeantx]

GHA-He needs to be diagnosed because his issues are causing him to fail school. Title 504 can't accommodate him unless he has a diagnosis and teachers and school staff won't modify anything to help him unless they have a psychologists evaluation. My options are let him fail and not put him through assessments or have him assessed and get some answers that can be directly addressed for the best educational environment possible. Trust me, I would love to not have him go through this but he has to have more help than the standards already in place.

I have already been through the not wanting to label for the sake of getting him on meds or in special ed. I actually fought a lot of things saying "oh its not so bad". Truth is he needs the meds and is topped out on anti anxiety meds and ADHD meds and he still can be very difficult. I don't like the turn the healthcare feild has taken with diagnosing every kids with attention issues or autism, its not right. This school year though has taught me he needs something more and to be the squeaky parent wasn't helping. I reluctantly agreed to testing and special ed if need be. It is what is best for him at the moment.

 

[Arashi222]

Hi Diana, I would recommend getting the school to provide you with an assessment from a professional that works with autism at your local autism center. Push for it. They have to cover it if you are in the USA and the school can't provide the proper testing which it appears they cannot. Try goggling your local Autism resource center and get in touch with them. They can help you with getting a diagnosis. 6ys old is a little young for a an AS diagnosis however it appears you and he need some guidance. He is lucky to have you as a mom who is willing to go the lengths to get your son help. Just beware that a lot of times medications with people on the spectrum tend to be sensitive to medications so just keep that in mind with his behavior too that its possible he is reacting to the medication. I wish you luck with getting him diagnosed.

 

[Peace]

Your son certainly has a lot of similarities to those of us with Aspergers. Most of us enjoy a special interest (or two). Does he display a fancy for something in particular? if so, it might be a good idea to provide him the accommodations to work at his own pace with this.
As far as school goes, I disagree he is behind. I believe he is so far ahead that he is bored, and becomes frustrated with unnecessary repetition. You could try doing things at home to see if you have different results. Most of us are good at math.
Good luck, I hope you find answers and peace soon.

 

[Dianajeantx]

My son is getting tested through the school, the psychologist that was independent of the school system didn't do a very good job. He diagnosed him with everything his ped diagnosed him with. Something is off and many people agree with me on that. Also, the child is not below average intelligence which everyone thought was flat out wrong. The school psychologist suggests he is bored with the school work and he does have few interests, legos being one of them. His meds do help his behavior with the ADHD and anxiety but uncovers some of the behaviors not associated with ADHD. I should find out results next week at the latest. Thank you all for the feedback and I will post his diagnosis from the school psychologist no matter if it is Asperger's or not.

 

[Ereth]

Thank you for sharing! I wish you and your son the best!

(It's interesting---some of the most intelligent people are often misunderstood and labeled as lacking somehow. I think I recall reading somewhere that Einstein was thought to be stupid because he didn't speak until he was much older than the average first-time talker. He said he just didn't have anything important to say. And he did terribly in school, too, because he was also bored.)