UGH - psych update

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
UGH - psych update
5
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 5:19pm

I tried to get the psychologist today to nail down Mikes diagnosis for me a little clearer and the waters got muddier and I am just so dang frustrated. Basically just just stuck with Mike is somewhere on the autism spectrum (HFA, AS, ASD, wouldn't nail down which one) and is an alphabet soup kid with lots of other stuff in the mix. The only thing she did say was that if he didn't have so much ASD stuff going on then she would probably have his main dx as bipolar which is a load of crap IMO. (not that BP is a load of crap. Him being BP is a load of crap) She really didn't tell me anything new and infact, backpeddled some from last week. Basically all I know is he is an alphabet soup kid who's main dx is somewhere on the autism spectrum.

I know why this bugged me. Because since he was 3 all I get every time we try to get help for him is a great big "I don't know". What I want is a clear cut diagnosis and know exactly what letters there are in his soup. I want an exact treatment plan for what we are going to do next. And I want a prognosis of if he is going to be independent.

All I ever get is "he is a mystery", "he is different", "maybe this", "WE DON"T KNOW!"

Talk about a square peg in a round hole. I can't even get him to fit into the square hole. We got some kind of multidirectional trapazoid going on here.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2004
In reply to: rbear4
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 11:28pm

Renee,

I am sorry it's so tough right now. With the week you've had, maybe things seem worse and more hopeless than they are. You haven't had much of a break with all that's been going on with Cait, so don't forget to take care of yourself. Tomorrow is another day and after some rest and a good night's sleep, you'll be able to figure out your next move.

Kelly

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 04-20-2006 - 1:21am
Renee,
I know exactly how you feel and in fact Ella's OT just today described her as a "mystery" because most of the EI therapist think she's not on the spectrum but she has all these little quirks that say she's not "NT" either. I know it will be a long time before I ever get any real answers about her and I'm already frustrated so I can only imagine how you feel! Hang in there!
Teresa
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Thu, 04-20-2006 - 8:22am

(((HUGS))) I'm sorry it's getting less clear instead of more clear! how difficult that must be! and it can't help w/ getting your DH on board either!

sending you some cyber wine and chocolates, maybe that'll reduce the frustration!?!

Betsy

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-17-2006
In reply to: rbear4
Fri, 04-21-2006 - 12:35pm

Renee,
Hi. All i read was your post and I don't know anything else about you or your family so take that into consideration when you read this. I was reading somewhere on the web some kind of support and articles out there for folks frustrated in trying to get a diagnosis. In the beginning, we were testing for all of this biological stuff that can be seen via blood, urine, scans, etc... and you got a yes or no relatively quick and with no gray area. In this world, there is no 100%, no definative test and yes, it's very frustrating. All I do to make it and not go crazy, is know that whatever we're doing would be what would work for any of the "soups". I don't know if this was lame being my first post but I do know I feel your pain, if that helps at all.

Oh and you mentioned psychologist but have you considered psychiatrist? Probably a stupid question, we've seen a psychiatrist...
Good luck!
Wendy ds almost 4 (??? dx) and dd 9

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: rbear4
Fri, 04-21-2006 - 6:32pm

Wendy,

Welcome and thank you for your kind thoughts and trying to help. It does mean alot.

Yes, unfortunately we have seen almost every kind of professional known to mankind in the past 7 years. I have the tune to 12 days of christmas in my head "5 psychologists, 3 psychiatrists, 2 neurologists, 1 developmental pediatrician, and a partridge in a pear tree....."

Sorry, I am having one of those days and it is friday so I am now plain ole punchy.

But I wanted to welcome you and thank you for your kind thoughts. My DH (actually a senior autism specialist in a large district) called Mike yesterday one of the WTF kids. (What the F...) He has a few in his district that are definitely on the spectrum but just make you go "HUH?"

Renee

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