Aspeger's or P.D.D. N.O.S children?

[jimsmith]

My 12 year old has Asperger's and I am not to sure that I am NT myself

[Jucius Maximus]

What exactly is the question here? I don't understand the acronyms used in the subject line. (Although I know that NT = neurotypical.)

[Hellfire]

Start watching Boston Legal - Specifically the eps with Jerry

[keanefan]

PDD-NOS =
Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified

http://www.freewebs.com/calnaa/autis...mexplained.htm

http://www.aspergers.ca/syndrome/WhatisAS.html

http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic147.htm

http://wrongplanet.net/

http://autismforum.net/forums/forum.php

http://www.mnip-net.org/asperger/discussi.nsf/

[keanefan]

Take The AQ Test!!!!

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults.

In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4.

Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher.

The test is not a means for making a diagnosis, however, and many who score above 32 and even meet the diagnostic criteria for mild autism or Asperger's report no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives.

[jimsmith]

What exactly is the question here? I don't understand the acronyms used in the subject line. (Although I know that NT = neurotypical.)

I was just wondering if any one else was in the same boat as myself. willing to share experiences. I took my son to the zoo 2years ago and he went up to a child with MS pointed at him and Yelled "Hey dad this guy has no brain " If I remember correctly my wife sort of melted into the foot path. luckily for my self I do not get embarrassed

[shoppingmama]

I do not...but 3 of my girlfriends have kids with asperger's.

[Topher]

My son was diagnosed with mild AS almost a year ago. (He'll be 8 this summer). I don't think I have AS, but I do exhibit a number of the characteristics, but not enough.

Check out www.aspergers.ca and the above mentioned wrongplanet.

AS is nothing to be overly concerned with, but I would do a lot of reading, as it will help you understand what AS is, and how do cope with it. There is a great book on AS for adults, but I don't have the title here. I'll try to find it and post back in this thread.

For my son, our biggest problems are his "meltdowns". I've had to take extra care in not showing my anger, and instead approaching him very calmly to get him to calm himself down. It has also helped to get him to voice his frustrations (without yelling, sometimes), as that also seems to bring him back to earth.

Otherwise, he's a very intelligent young man, and is fascinated with maps and countries of the world. He's teaching himself small phrases in many different languages, yet getting him to do his French homework is like pulling teeth!

My only concern is that he is especially gullible, and I'm trying to teach him to look out for certain things, so that he won't be taken advantage of. That is my greatest fear.

There are lots of resources for learning about AS, so don't be afraid to do lots of reading.

[Bullseye]

Is it just me, or does there always seem to be some 'disorder du jour' that people claim their kids have? I'm not directing this at anyone in this thread, it's just that it seems certain disorders come into 'fashion', every other parent you meet says their kid has it. Back when I was a kid it was hyperactivity, then ADD, not it seems like it's Asperger's. To me, it all seems just like people trying to pin a label on their kid who is not exactly the same as all the other kids. I think back in the old days, they just called it 'eccentric', or maybe 'brat'.

I read the symptoms of these disorders, and most of them could be applied to almost any kid at some point in their childhood.

[Topher]

^ I would tend to agree with you, or at least, I would have, until we had our son. (My wife still doesn't accept the diagnosis). His school asked us to get him tested for ADD and ADHD before they finally had the school psychologist meet with him weekly for a few months. A child with AS is very significantly different in that it is easily seen as a communication disorder. My son has a hard time understanding non-verbal communication, and has trouble telling when I am joking and when I am serious, etc. My fear is that because he is especially gullible, he will be taken advantage of at some time in his life, and won't know how to cope with it. Other than that, he is very intelligent, and otherwise well-adjusted.

I don't see AS as a disability at all. Just a definition of the way he thinks. With a better understanding of that, we are better able to assist him with understanding the things he just "doesn't get".

Believe me, I wish he didn't have AS, but the choice isn't mine. Understanding it, certainly makes raising him much easier, and far more enjoyable.

[Bullseye]

^ just to be clear, I don't doubt that AS is a legitimate disorder, I just think it's probably over-diagnosed in error. My wife is an RN, and her feeling is that sometimes parents just want a diagnosis, any diagnosis, for their kids. It makes them feel better, so doctor's likely just give in and tell them what it MIGHT be.

[CSK'sMom]

What your wife experiences may be the case bullseye, but I would venture to say it's the minority from my experiences. I've done some special ed. advocacy work and Topher's wife is more the majority. The last thing many parents want to hear (or accept) is that their child has a problem. I have seen parents flat out refuse to have kids assessed when there is clearly an issue as they don't want their kids "labelled". When this happens the child also doesn't recieve the much needed accomodations or modifications to become successful in school...

[CoffeeAddict]

At one point I thought I might have Asperger's as I read about it and then felt like I could relate to a lot of the points. I never did go for a diagnosis but I do remember reading about many places where you can get a diagnosis in toronto.

I imagine that Asperger's symptoms CAN fit a lot of children, just like in the way a horrorscope might sound completely accurate, but it would take a professional find out if it is in fact AS.

[Bullseye]

What your wife experiences may be the case bullseye, but I would venture to say it's the minority from my experiences. I've done some special ed. advocacy work and Topher's wife is more the majority. The last thing many parents want to hear (or accept) is that their child has a problem. I have seen parents flat out refuse to have kids assessed when there is clearly an issue as they don't want their kids "labelled". When this happens the child also doesn't recieve the much needed accomodations or modifications to become successful in school...

I think it depends on the general impression society has about the disorder in question. If it's considered common and that lots of kids have it, many parents don't feel there is any negative stigma attached to it. Parents often just want a doctor to tell them that their child's behaviour is happening for a reason, and that there is something they can do to control or prevent it.

[jimsmith]

I think it depends on the general impression society has about the disorder in question. If it's considered common and that lots of kids have it, many parents don't feel there is any negative stigma attached to it. Parents often just want a doctor to tell them that their child's behaviour is happening for a reason, and that there is something they can do to control or prevent it.

Dear Dr Phill you have no idea what my wife (who took 8 years to accept this) or my self have gone through" control or prevent " please tell me what i can do. his tourrets tics and his occ must be some kind of bratty ploy or my lack of parenting skills manifesting in some strange yet wonderfull way. try explaining to you child that his new(and only)freind cant play with him anymore because his parents dont want their kid to be seen with him .kid just want to be seen with that cool ass burger kid .You sir are a Gigantic Dickhead!!!:mad: