Signs of PDD/NOS compared to Asperger?
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Signs of PDD/NOS compared to Asperger?
| Sat, 04-15-2006 - 11:40pm |
Just looking for info on both and thought you would all be able to help. My son as been diagnosed with ADD inattentive type but the pediatrician said that he doesn't have asperger for the simple fact that he shows emotion. However I have reasearched it a lot and find that he portrays a majority of the signs for asperger.
Wondering if perhaps it is PDD/NOS. What are the differences in this and asperger?
Stephanie


Ian shows emotion as well and he was dxd with Asperger's. The main reasons for his diagnosis that his pshych gave me were that he does not give and take in conversation. It's all about what he wants to say. He often will chime in with questions, statements, etc. that are not pertinent to the conversation or are inappropriate for the activity. He also has the specific interests that are abnormally intense. He does not read social cues accurately and reacts inappropriately or overreacts to things. He does not understand what makes a punchline funny -- he tells jokes that make absolutely no sense at all and will laugh hysterically at them. He does not always communicate well when he's stressed out by ear infections, headaches, etc. His behavior changes and that's often how we know something is up. He once had an ear infection that was pretty advanced and he never told us that his ears hurt. His digestion doesn't work the way other people's does. He can go without a BM for over a week if I'm not mindful of what is going on (I'm embarrassed to say that it was once over 2 weeks). Bowel control seems to be an issue with Aspies....
You know, there are different opinions and a lot of disagreement over Asperger's. I think it's best to really know your child and find doctors who tune in to what you tell them and are able to accurately observe your child.
And of course, my only expertise is with my own children, so I can only really tell you what has happened to us, and I'm not educated in any of these fields.
I hope this helps a little.
Kelly
Hi Stephanie and welcome.
How old is your son? I ask because it can be very tricky to get an accurate diagnosis when they are little and charactistics are not cut-and-dried. My son was diagnosed as 'somewhere on the Spectrum. We are not sure where. We are calling it Asperger's" at 5½. (he will be 8 in July). My daughter was diagnosed "at risk for Asperger's" at 4, but I think her diagnosis may change to ADD and SID. She will be 6 next month.
I am not a medical professional or anything, so take everything I say with a pinch of salt, and do all your own research.
The defining characteristic of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, whether it be AS, HFA, or PDD-NOS is Theory of Mind: i.e. the ability to read other people and see where they are coming from or their point of view. A person on the Spectrum may learn to do this over time, but will never posess it as an inherent skill. With younger kids it is difficult to figure out if TOM is there or not. I am starting to think my daughter has it, which is why I think her DX will change, but my son: Aspie, Aspie, Aspie. There are some concepts he just *cannot* get, such as 'intent'. He can't really understand why a premeditated act is worse than an accident. He kind of sees that the end respult is the same, so why does 'intent' matter? It's really hard to explain.
BTW It is a total crock that Aspies or Spectrum kids don't show emotion. My guy has the biggest laugh and the hardest cry of almost anyone I know.
Another crock is that they are aloof or don't seek social contact. Again, DS is connected to people, and runs to hug Dad when he comes home from work. He is engaging and funny: The "class clown". However is method of engaging and interacting with people can be all wrong. His issue is not around desire to communicate, but about technique. He doesn't have any! He has had to learn by rote.
I say to follow your gut. If you think the DX is wrong, keep searching and researching until you find the answer. And please don't feel pressured to put your child on meds until you are sure you have the right DX. ADHD meds can have adverse effects on some Autistic Spectrum kids.
Good luck and I HTH.
-Paula
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
I would recomend a second oppinion.
Any doctor who thinks that kids with ASD don't show emotion doesn't know a thing about ASD and isn't qualified to make that diagnosis. Not only do kids with AS show emotion, many show too much emotion and have a hard time regulating thier emotions. (Dear lord, my AS dd just came in a corrected my spelling of "their" lol) Even kids with full spectrum autism who are non-verbal can show emotion.
Just because a person has an ASD doesn't make them lack emotion. They often have the same range of feelings as typical folk, problem is they may have a hard time showing it in typical or appropriate ways or thier emotion may be not be appropriate to the situation (ie laughing during something serious or sad) but that isn't always the case.
As for AS vs PDD vs HFA, there is much argument amung doctors where the lines are between these. The lines are very blurry and it can be difficult to tell one from another and it depends alot on the doctor. The ASA had a recent article on the matter that was interesting but different than what most had considered where they all fell.
Soon the whole autism community may likely be changing the diagnostics. It may be all autism spectrum disorder or they may separate Aspergers out further from autism. Don't know yet.
Renee
Paula, I think you bring up a good point about spectrum kids being able to learn some of the social skills but that they are not an inherent ability.
From my own experiences as someone (I feel sure but I'm not dxd) is on the spectrum with LOTS of Aspie traits, I think we can literally rewire our brains to some extent, and create pathways that allow us to do things socially. It's just that in NT people the paths are different and developed differently. I really don't know if this is technically true, but I think spectrum kids can learn a lot socially. I always think of the TV character, MONK. Doesn't he seem WAAAAY on the spectrum (although not Asperger's)??? Yet he is so observant of people and picks up on things that other people miss.
I also think that so called NT's have many social problems of their own considering the 40% divorce rate, domestic violence, road rage, etc. I think it's a crock that people on the spectrum have all the social problems and "NTs" don't. It may just be a matter of *which* social problems are present. Having NT kids doesn't mean they won't have problems with peer pressure and other "typical" social issues.
Sorry if I got off track, but to me these are things to consider when raising our Aspie kids. It can either be a blessing or a curse, depending on how we view it and approach it (and for me that changes from time to time ;-) ).
Kelly
Hi Stephanie! What a handsome bunch you have! Congrats on your soon-to-be PINK bundle of joy!
Regarding AS kids not showing emotions.....that's malarky! I agree with all the other posters. My 7.5 yr old son has AS......he shows a wide range of emotions.....not always appropriately - but they are there.
I vote for a second opinion.....
Christie