Re: Is my son autistic ???

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your response . I am familiar with Levy , she works out of Dr Bruce Eisenbergs office .He use to be my sons pediatrician before we had to change him because of insurance issues . Omega fatty acids ... I did not know that . I am definitely going to try it . One thing that was always constant in his evaluations was impulsive behavior . We recently have CMS insurance for him , we thought it was a good idea because they cover 100% of his therapy but they have a very small network and I cant say I feel confident about any physician who is on it , plus they restrict us to Dade county and I am seeing that a lot of the best care is being given in broward .

Thanks for your help ,

Maureen

Re: Is my son autistic ???

Hi Maureen,It sounds like your son has autistic like symptoms. Regardless of thediagnosis the problem behaviors need to be addressed and at this pointsocial skills seem to be critical. There was a post on the list nottoo long ago regarding social skill groups run by behavior therapistsin Broward. I would certainly explore that avenue. You should considerputting him on omega fatty acids as a supplement for theimpulsive/aggressiv e like behavior and the personal space issue. Myson had the same behaviors and it seemed to help. I would alsoconsider homeopathic treatment for the same issues. There is a Levi that works in Miami out of a pediatricians office that doeshomeopathic medicine.If you want an official score you should get him evaluated by apsychologist or a behavioral analyst. In Boca there is reachingPotentials and they are great. Its a clinic that specielizes inbehavioral

analysis.Shirly-- In sList@ yahoogroups. com, "MAUREEN" <maureen8030@ ...> wrote:>> > I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and > forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it > was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early > Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the > public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min > consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and > speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to > have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed > fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 > year delayed in

expressive and receptive language and now feels that > his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat > me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . > After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he > would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months > old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not > bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to > know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler > and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more > affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we > placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating > himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the > only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He

developed > eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He > was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues > with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making > eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative > behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and > switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children > and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole > in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with > leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got > better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors > became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his > vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can > ride a tricycle and a little

bike with training wheels . He can jump > with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some > repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is > very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand > him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello > to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and > got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the > boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was > just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his > tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a > long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .>

[Guest guest]

Exactly , same as your litle girl everyone who meets him says there is nothing wrong with him . His behaviors are very specific and I am glad you worded it that way because I can explain it at his next appointment . He does not fit the bill 100% but I know something is not right and as he gets older I am just loseing time . I wish would have followed my instincts sooner . I feel I have waited too long . Thanks for your help .

Maureen

Is my son autistic ???To: sList@ yahoogroups. comDate: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum . I

have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and

switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and

yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

[Guest guest]

Thanks Myra ,

I feel like I have wasted too much time already . He will be evaluated by Dr Tuchman on August 25 ( big day) . They assured me that Dr Tuchman will give us 30 minutes . I hope we can get SOMETHING out of this eval .

Maureen

Is my son autistic ???

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be

on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors ,

pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and

got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

It’s a talkathon – but it’s not just talk. Check out the i’m Talkathon.

[Guest guest]

Maureen,You're experience sounds very similar to some of what I went through with my son. When I first took my son to a neurologist, he told me my son was just 'all boy' and probably had a hearing problem. We had surgery on my sons ears to drain fluid and I found a different neurologist who diagnosed my son as being autistic with PDD symptoms. Over the years with different doctors and psychiatrists it has been that diagnosis or PDD or Autistic. I suggest finding a good Neurologist - Stuart Brown in Hollywood is a pediatric neurologist, and a good psychiatrist to determine a diagnosis. No matter what they tell you, start as many therapies as you feel are necessary as soon as possible, to give your child a good start. DonnaSubject: Is my son autistic ???To: sList Date: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and

forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it

was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early

Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the

public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min

consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and

speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to

have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed

fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1

year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that

his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat

me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism .

After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he

would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months

old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not

bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to

know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler

and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more

affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we

placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating

himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the

only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed

eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He

was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues

with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making

eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative

behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and

switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children

and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole

in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with

leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got

better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors

became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his

vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can

ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump

with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some

repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is

very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand

him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello

to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and

got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the

boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was

just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his

tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a

long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

[Guest guest]

Hi Maureen,

I am a psychotherapist specializing in children that are in the spectrum for 15 years. The best advice I can give you is to give your son the therapy he needs according to the behaviors and symptoms he is presenting, not on the diagnosis. Every child is so different regardless of diagnosis and prognosis that may have been given. Push your son to be the best "HE" can be. As for the mother that recommended the social groups, I run one throughout the whole summer at my facility (Broward). If you would like further information let me know.

Aeleen

Subject: Is my son autistic ???To: sList Date: Sunday, July 13, 2008, 1:09 AM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum . I

have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and

switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and

yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

[Guest guest]

Hi Maureen,

It's very important that you don't get mad at yourself for waiting until now. Your son is still young. A person's brain doesn't stop learning things at a specific age. It's not as if a door slams shut once they turn 5 or 10. The important thing is that you felt that something wasn't quite right and that you came looking for other answers. It's very easy to hide your head in the sand and make believe that there's nothing wrong. To your credit, you didn't do that. Just go from here. Don't be upset about what you didn't do. Look to what you are going to do now. Your son is very lucky that he has you to stand up for him and to look out for what's right for him.

Again, I wish you the best of luck.

Myra (mom of a 14 year old son with autism)

To: sList From: maureen8030@...Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:29:51 -0700Subject: Re: Is my son autistic ???

Exactly , same as your litle girl everyone who meets him says there is nothing wrong with him . His behaviors are very specific and I am glad you worded it that way because I can explain it at his next appointment . He does not fit the bill 100% but I know something is not right and as he gets older I am just loseing time . I wish would have followed my instincts sooner . I feel I have waited too long . Thanks for your help .

Maureen

Is my son autistic ???To: sList@ yahoogroups. comDate: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

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[Guest guest]

Maureen,

We have (at least most of us) have had doctors tell us, "just wait, give them some time" or "let's not label him until we see how he does", or any number of the other ways they try to "save" us from the diagnosis or they just plain don't know.

Basically, I want you to know that many of us have followed the "experts". Please, don't beat yourself up for doing the same. Yes, there has been some wasted time, but you have no time to worry about that. I totally agree with the others that you need to seek out someone who specializes in Autism. You may get your answer. Always follow your "Mommy's gut", it never fails you.

Most of all, lean on the rest of us, as we have been there. You need a strong support system of people that understand. The true experts that I have found are the parents who have gone before me. Good luck and lots of hugs!

Sharon

mother of 5

Austin 9yo with Severe Autism

Exactly , same as your litle girl everyone who meets him says there is nothing wrong with him . His behaviors are very specific and I am glad you worded it that way because I can explain it at his next appointment . He does not fit the bill 100% but I know something is not right and as he gets older I am just loseing time . I wish would have followed my instincts sooner . I feel I have waited too long . Thanks for your help .

Maureen

Is my son autistic ???To: sList@ yahoogroups. comDate: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

Get the scoop on last night's hottest shows and the live music scene in your area - Check out TourTracker.com!

[Guest guest]

Dr. Tuchman is a great diagnostician.

When my son was between 18 and 20 months our friends expressed their concerns about his development or lack thereof. At that time, we were in some denial but did call Child Find for an evaluation. He did not meet criteria for services at that time, however, over the following year, he continued to manifest quirks and lack of speech, was very hyper and often did not respond to his name. There were obvious other signs too, which we learned about later. When he was almost 2 1/2, we called Early Steps back and spoke to the coordinator who indicated it would be a while until we could get a re-eval completed.

At that time, we realized time was continuing to go by and our son was not receiving any services. We decided it was best to obtain a formal diagnosis from a neurologist trained in this area and we saw Dr. Tuchman. He spent a lot of time with our son and was very thorough in his process. He was diagnosed with PDD, NOS and this helped expedite our services.

Stay in touch with this group for help wtih obtaining services and advocating for your child. Be perseverent in your follow-up and if you need help, continue to consult this newsgroup.

Is my son autistic ???

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy .. We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

It’s a talkathon – but it’s not just talk. Check out the i’m Talkathon.

[Guest guest]

Maureen,

Sharon is so right about pediatricians and autism. Some of them approach

the problem as if you had a broken leg and they want to see if it will heal

itself before doing anything. And as silly as that sounds, it is the same

approach. Whether a child has only a delay or is autistic, the remedy is still

the same.

As far as I’m concerned, the neurologist’s main

function is to rule out any apparent neurological problems. Once that is done

you need the services of a psychologist to diagnose the behavioral

problem and to suggest the therapies your child needs.

From:

sList [mailto:sList ] On Behalf

Of fullhouseboyd@...

Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 8:53 AM

To: sList

Subject: Re: Is my son autistic ???

Maureen,

We have (at least most of us) have had doctors tell us, " just

wait, give them some time " or " let's not label him until we see how

he does " , or any number of the other ways they try to " save " us

from the diagnosis or they just plain don't know.

Basically, I want you to know that many of us have followed the

" experts " . Please, don't beat yourself up for doing the same. Yes,

there has been some wasted time, but you have no time to worry about that. I

totally agree with the others that you need to seek out someone who specializes

in Autism. You may get your answer. Always follow your " Mommy's gut " ,

it never fails you.

Most of all, lean on the rest of us, as we have been there. You

need a strong support system of people that understand. The true experts that I

have found are the parents who have gone before me. Good luck and lots of hugs!

Sharon

mother of 5

Austin 9yo with Severe Autism

In a message dated 7/13/2008 10:16:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

maureen8030@... writes:

Exactly , same as your litle girl

everyone who meets him says there is nothing wrong with him . His behaviors are

very specific and I am glad you worded it that way because I can explain it at

his next appointment . He does not fit the bill 100% but I know something is

not right and as he gets older I am just loseing time . I wish would have

followed my instincts sooner . I feel I have waited too long . Thanks for your

help .

Maureen

-----

Original Message ----

To: sList

Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 8:57:41 AM

Subject: Re: Is my son autistic ???

I am not a doctor, I'm just a mom of a 2 1/2 year old

girl. It sounds like your son has some very specific behaviors, like my

daughter does. However anyone that meets my daughter says there is nothing

wrong with her. You have to follow your instinct as a mother. Regardless of a

diagnosis do what you need to do to get your son where he should be on all

levels. My daughter is in ABA 4 days a week and is doing great, I really

believe she will be totally mainstream in the near future. I get as much

therapy as we can possibly afford, because I do see her changing before my eyes.

Hope this helps and good luck!

From: MAUREEN

<maureen8030@ yahoo.com>

Subject: Is my son autistic ???

To: sList@ yahoogroups. com

Date: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and

forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it

was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early

Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the

public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min

consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and

speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to

have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed

fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1

year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that

his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat

me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism .

After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he

would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months

old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not

bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to

know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler

and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more

affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we

placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating

himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the

only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed

eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He

was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues

with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making

eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative

behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and

switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children

and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole

in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with

leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got

better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors

became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his

vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can

ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump

with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some

repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is

very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand

him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello

to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and

got in his face and yelled " what are you doing in the car!!! " the

boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was

just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his

tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a

long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think

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[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Don't forget that autism and all of the other pervasive developmental disorders ARE neurological problems. It is still important to identify a diagnostician who is trained and educated in this area, whether that be a neurologist, a psychologist or a social worker.

Also people should know that diagnosing is subjective and should still be done by those licensed and trained to diagnose and when possible the consumer should ask whether the individual has training in this area before an appointment is scheduled.

While there are many psychologists, neurologists, mental health counselors, social workers, etc. who have licenses and can provide diagoses, this is still an emerging field and the diagnsotic criteria is still confusing to many unless the individual meets all the criteria for Autistic Disorder, which many of our children do not.

Is my son autistic ???To: sList@ yahoogroups. comDate: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels .. He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think

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[Guest guest]

Thank you , you have gone through almost exactly our same situation . Thank you for your support . I am glad to hear from your experience that Dr Tuchman was thorough because that is what we need . I am so glad I joined this group . In only a few days I have learned so much .

Maureen

Subject: Re: Is my son autistic ???To: sList Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 9:54 AM

Dr. Tuchman is a great diagnostician.

When my son was between 18 and 20 months our friends expressed their concerns about his development or lack thereof. At that time, we were in some denial but did call Child Find for an evaluation. He did not meet criteria for services at that time, however, over the following year, he continued to manifest quirks and lack of speech, was very hyper and often did not respond to his name. There were obvious other signs too, which we learned about later. When he was almost 2 1/2, we called Early Steps back and spoke to the coordinator who indicated it would be a while until we could get a re-eval completed.

At that time, we realized time was continuing to go by and our son was not receiving any services. We decided it was best to obtain a formal diagnosis from a neurologist trained in this area and we saw Dr. Tuchman. He spent a lot of time with our son and was very thorough in his process. He was diagnosed with PDD, NOS and this helped expedite our services.

Stay in touch with this group for help wtih obtaining services and advocating for your child. Be perseverent in your follow-up and if you need help, continue to consult this newsgroup.

Is my son autistic ???

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy .. We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be

on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors ,

pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and

got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

It’s a talkathon – but it’s not just talk. Check out the i’m Talkathon.

[Guest guest]

Hi Maureen,

I read your post and I just wanted to say that you are being very proactive regardless of the label. You have taken the appropriate steps, you mention that OT and ST were recommended and that you signed up with CMS to make sure your son is able to receive therapy. You got some great advice from the group with respect to resources. My daughter is 9 yrs old and while she has a label of Autism with the school and she was diagnosed with Autism by a neuropsychologist, Dr. Coe at the Dan Marino center in Weston, her Pediatrician still refuses to acknowlege that she has Autism. It is not the label that is going to make a difference for your son, the most important thing is that you persue therapy and social skills groups as it has been proven that early intervention is the key. I am not sure how old you said your son is but if he is older than three yrs. you should contact Child Find for an evaluation and placement in a pre-school

program. Unfortunately when children in the spectrum become school age the label becomes more important as the need doesn't drive the services, even though it should.

Good Luck to you and God bless.

Fuerte

fuertelmandn@...

[Guest guest]

The only other suggestion I would have and this would be for anyone who recently has a child diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder, is that the family be trained in Verbal Behavior. The book, Teaching Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmetnal Disabilities along with a revised edition of the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills or the VB MAPP (more focused on development).

There are several agencies that can provide this training and teach you how to use the techniques. I strongly recommend you purchase the book and assessment tool.

There is also a newsgroup called VerbalBehavior@...

Exploring biomedical interventions would be my next suggestion if you are not already totally overwhelmed.

Is my son autistic ???

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy .. We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system .. Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum .. I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

It’s a talkathon – but it’s not just talk. Check out the i’m Talkathon.

[Guest guest]

Many would agree that getting your child the therapies and services needed are the key to your child's progress based on the deficits that he presents with; and what "label" he is given is secondary. However, finding a neurologist you trust is important. There have been many discussions on 's List about that particular physician. In fact when I took my child to him, I asked if I should start my child in speech therapy and he told me only if it made me feel better. Luckily I didn't listen to him. Just a word of caution.

Is my son autistic ???

To: sList

Date: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and

forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it

was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early

Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the

public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min

consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and

speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to

have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed

fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1

year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that

his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat

me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism .

After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he

would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months

old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not

bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to

know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler

and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more

affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we

placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating

himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the

only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed

eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He

was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues

with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making

eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative

behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and

switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children

and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole

in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with

leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got

better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors

became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his

vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can

ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump

with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some

repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is

very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand

him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello

to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and

got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the

boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was

just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his

tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a

long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

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[Guest guest]

My son has an appointment with Dr. Gadia at Dan Marino on Friday.

He is now fifteen, with a diagnosis of ADHD-but has many deficits in personality and now function(related to school work and chores)I don't have much time to type his whole story right now, but I do feel that he is on the spectrum, probably high functioning Asperger's. It has been such an up hill battle, just to have the public school recognize his deficits versus his high intelligence.

Does anyone have an opinion on Dr. Gadia?

I feel like a new diet is on the horizon too-his sister, who has Down syndrome would benefit from some dietary changes as well.

thanks

Sherry

From: sList [mailto:sList ] On Behalf Of jlfisher9@...Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 7:21 PMTo: sList Subject: Re: Is my son autistic ???

Many would agree that getting your child the therapies and services needed are the key to your child's progress based on the deficits that he presents with; and what "label" he is given is secondary. However, finding a neurologist you trust is important. There have been many discussions on 's List about that particular physician. In fact when I took my child to him, I asked if I should start my child in speech therapy and he told me only if it made me feel better. Luckily I didn't listen to him. Just a word of caution.

Is my son autistic ???To: sList Date: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 9:09 PM

I am the mom of a 3 1/2 year old little boy . We have been back and forth with him since August of last year when we finally decided it was time to figure out what was going on . My son has been to Early Steps , Seen by Dr Resnick ( Neurologist ) and evaluated by the public school system . Dr Resnick asked him a few questions (5 min consultation) and told me he was NOT autistic but prescribed OT and speech . His Occupational Therapist evaluated him and found him to have Sensory issues ( hypersensitive) , weak muscle tone and delayed fine and gross motor skills . The Speech Therapist found him to be 1 year delayed in expressive and receptive language and now feels that his biggest problem is pragmatics . His speech therapist recently sat me down and asked me if I have ever had him evaluated for autism . After beating around the bush for a while she told me she feels he would be on the spectrum . I have felt since he was about 2 months old that something was wrong . I always felt like he and I were not bonding when he was a baby and I constantly felt guilty and wanted to know what I was doing wrong . He cried A LOT . He was a late crawler and walker ( walked at 16 months ). As he got older he became more affectionate and is very affectionate ( to us ) now . At 2 1/2 we placed him in daycare and that's where he started really isolating himself . At this point he was echolalic, echoing was probably the only speech he had , yet we potty trained him easily . He developed eczema and many respiratory issues we contributed to allergies . He was tested for allergies and was negative to everything but continues with the allergies. He was very repetative , had difficulty making eye contact and was having meltdowns . He also had repetative behaviors like opening and closing doors , pushing buttons and switching lights on and off . He never played with the other children and was not even ever around them . I would watch him through a hole in the fence at his school and he was always alone playing with leaves in a corner . I eventually pulled him out of school and he got better . His language increased and many of his repetative behaviors became better . Now almost 1 year later he has a lot of words in his vocabulary but no social reciprocity , inverts pronouns etc. He can ride a tricycle and a little bike with training wheels . He can jump with both legs and sometimes even plays pretend . He still has some repetative behavior and lacks social skills with kids his age but is very chatty with adults ( even though most people dont understand him) . Recently he actually approached a little boy that said hello to him by grabbing his arm very hard ( which he does to everyone) and got in his face and yelled "what are you doing in the car!!! " the boy got scared and walked away .He was not being aggresive he was just being himself , he does not understand personal space and his tone of voice changes when he gets nervous or excited. This was a long one and I am sorry but can anyone tell me what they think .

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