Is it Asperger's?

Avatar for jane095
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Registered: 03-27-2003
Is it Asperger's?
3
Wed, 11-16-2005 - 11:33am

My name is Sarah and I have a step son who is 6, named Brandon. He lives with his father and I full time.

The school has done testing for speech and vocab; we go to hear the results on Monday the 21st. His speech has always been delayed. They tested his reading and he's at a level 0; should be a level 1. At school he's everyones best friend, he'll play any game that anyone else wants but he doesn't inniate these things. His attention span is very short. He has trouble focusing on something for more then 3-4 minutues at a time, expecially anything that he struggles with. I visited his classroom yesterday. The rest of the kids run to the art center or computer center. He went between centers hopping and flapping his hands. He walks on his toes all the time, his heals rarely hit the ground. If he's talking to you or looking for something he wants he walks in circles unless you stop him. He has always done this thing when he's happy or excited where he balls his hands into fists and puts them under his chin or next to his mouth and closes his eyes and his body shakes. He puts a lot of things in his mouth. I watched him play catch with his cousins a few weekends ago, he never cought the ball. He spun in circles, hopped, flapped, threw his body around.

Does any of this sound farmiliar? Can the school test him? Do I need to take him somewhere else?

TIA for any help that any one can provide. Sarah

Sarah [url=http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=UBB&utm_campaign=tickers][img]http://global.thebump.com/tickers/tt81399.aspx[/img][/url]
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 11-16-2005 - 3:58pm

Hello,

First, just as a disclaimer I will say there is no way to know for sure via internet if a child may be on the spectrum or not, but that being said what you typed does sound very familiar and I would recomend evaluation highly.

As for schools vs. taking him somewhere else. Schools can provide a "educational" diagnosis but not a medical one. An educational diagnosis simply says that a child fits under one of the 13 categories for special education, it is affecting thier education and they require special education or related services. They cannot break it down further into a more specific diagnosis.

Autism is one of the educational categories so they may say he qualifies for special educaiton under the heading of autism or with the educational diagnosis of autism, but they will not be able to diagnose him more specifically with autism, pdd-nos or aspergers. You would have to go outside for that. Having an educational diagnosis of autism is not the same as being fully autistic. Conversely not all kids with autism are actually under "autism" on thier IEP's. They may fall under another category.

An educational diagnosis will get you educational services but not other services. If you want services through your insurance or a more specific diagnosis it would be best to take him for an evaluation outside of school.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 11-16-2005 - 7:35pm

Hi! I'm fairly new here so I will tell you what I have been told. I was told to contact my son's pediatrician to get a referral so we could have him evaluated to rule out Aspergers, PDD, and anxiety issues. My son's ped said we could see a pediatric neurologist, a child psychiatrist or a neuro-psychologist (I have also heard some people can get a diagnosis from a developmental pediatrician). Her preference was for the neurologist - she has a son who is autistic so she has personal experience with a specific doctor in our area. After my son is given an actual diagnosis, then the school will run a MFE (multi factorial evaluation).

I hope that helps,
Christie

Avatar for jane095
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Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 11-17-2005 - 8:27am

Thank you for your information. We'll see what the school says Monday and talk to his ped. after that. His father asked about the excited shaking thing and she asked if he passed out. Since he doesn't, she was not worried about it.

Thanks again, Sarah

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