What do you think?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2002
What do you think?
9
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 1:21am

My little guy is turning 6 in less then a month. Here is a bit of history explaining him...


Born at 38 1/2 weeks. Reflux as an infant. VERY easygoing baby. Slow to meet early gross motor milestones. Started at Infant development group and caught up by walking age. Failure to thrive from 1 yr - 3 yrs. No reason found. B12 deficiency. Resolved now. Lots of ear infections. 2 sets of tubes. Hearing tested and fine. Infant development program referred him for a speech consult at just over a year. He didn't babble or copy any vocalizations. At 3 yrs old speech wanted him assessed for autism. Was assessed and ruled as not autistic. Went through the mental health unit,and was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, sensory processing disorder,and speech delay(not severe at all). Now...this is what we see as an almost 6 yr old....


. Still a lot of sensory issues.


. will do parallel play, but much prefers to be on his own. Will engage with other children if they approach him.


. knows 3 other children in K class by name.


. Difficulty learning certain things. Alphabet(been working on for 2 years, still doesn't know all of them), animal noises took a long time, body parts took a long time. No problem with puzzles, numbers, letter sounds.


.for the most part, speech issues resolved. Does have some strange ideas.. asking for a "fixed"orange instead of a whole one, "broken"orange instead of cut.


. Will still occasionally ask me if I am "happy to"him , or ""mad to"him. Mainly gets it now though.


. Gets very overstimulated very easily,and can't calm down easily. Runs around and crashes into people when there is unstructured time. Constantly talks...loudly and incessantly.


. Needs his cars kept where he places them on his car mat. Used to just line them up, but now will drive them around the mat until he parks them where he wants them, but then they just stay there,and are not allowed to be moved until he is ready to.


. Ok eye contact. It can be hard to catch him,and it is generally fleeting, but sometimes it is pretty good.


. Very routine driven. Very.


. Cannot stand change. Will regress right to wanting his "old shoes, old house, old coat" over some changes(such as changing his room). A child told him if he eats food off the floor it will make him sick. That started a 9 month stint of asking constantly if eating his food will make him sick, die etc. Now it only crops up sometimes.


. Good gross and fine motor


. is very affectionate with me.


. Would much prefer to be all by himself to play on the computer or his cars.


. has stopped running to touch cars wheels(I told him they are dirty LOL), but still asks about new tires in stores LOL!


Kelly, single mom to


N, 11 years old, Bipolar, ADHD, Anxiety Disorder, Sensory Regulatory Disorder,Non Verbal Learning Diso

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 1:45am

Well after reading the stuff he does,

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 7:18am

Welcome. I think you are right to get him evaluated, but also right to be cautious about it at this stage, because although there are a few red flags there, in themselves red flags don't tell us much. It may be that he is just a quirky, lovely kid (and he'd be that with or without a diagnosis, right?), or it may be there is something else.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 7:45am

Welcome.

                                

Avatar for debbi801
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 9:46am

Hi.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2002
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 10:17am

Thank you!


His K teacher, while well aware of his issues before school started, was not aware that Autism has been suspected before, came to me halfway through the school year and told me she suspected AS. She was a tad surprised when I laughed and told her that was not the first time someone has told me that LOL!


Kelly, single mom to


N, 11 years old, Bipolar, ADHD, Anxiety Disorder, Sensory Regulatory Disorder,Non Verbal Learning Diso

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2002
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 10:19am
Yep...no matter what, he is who he is,and I wouldn't change him for anything! Although I think his teacher might just tweak a few things...she is at the "pulling my hair out" stage right now LOL!

Kelly, single mom to


N, 11 years old, Bipolar, ADHD, Anxiety Disorder, Sensory Regulatory Disorder,Non Verbal Learning Diso

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2002
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 10:21am

Thank you.


No matter what, he is my son,and I love everything about him!

Kelly, single mom to


N, 11 years old, Bipolar, ADHD, Anxiety Disorder, Sensory Regulatory Disorder,Non Verbal Learning Diso

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2002
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 10:25am

Thank you! Right now we are on the cancellation list, but our appointments aren't until September.


I don't know if I mentioned, but my oldest dd(she's 9) has quite the host of dx herself...Bipolar, adhd, non verbal learning disorder(quite a bit like AS), developmental coordination disorder, sensory regulatory disorder, complex partial epilepsy, anxiety disorder, and verbal working memory impairment.


Kelly, single mom to


N, 11 years old, Bipolar, ADHD, Anxiety Disorder, Sensory Regulatory Disorder,Non Verbal Learning Diso

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-13-2008
Wed, 04-16-2008 - 3:25pm

my daughter is