Re: Anyone from Alaska?!! Re: Hello all... not quite new, but first post

July 10, 2006

I do not live in Alaska now but I am from Alaska. I

have a five year old daughter dx Apraxia and her

family Dr feels she has a PDD consistent with

Aspergers. We are currently waiting for an

appointment at Dennis Developmental Center (Children's

Hospital, Little Rock)for evaluation and testing. She

will be starting school in the fall.

Aspergers is a type of social autism. My daughter is

very bright and does well with immediate family and

friends in small groups but large groups and strangers

upset her greatly. She does not like changes to her

patterns and routines and she struggles to keep up

physically with her peers. She has been in speech

since age 3 and her language comprehension is very

high but she has difficulty with word retrieval when

asked questions. Any way here

ahttp://www.aspergers.com/re some web sites I have

found usful about aspergers syndrome.

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/

>

> Hi Des and welcome!

>

> Tricia Morin from this group runs Military support, but she is

> moving right now and doesn't have access to her computer. She is a

> moderator of this group and I did forward your message on to her so

> I'm sure she'll get back to you as soon as she can.

>

> Apraxia appears to be pretty rare in the Panhandle of Florida, is

> that where you lived when pregnant? And do I remember the last

> apraxic child from Alaska outside of perhaps a military family like

> yourself? Nope. I put help needed in Alaska in the subject to see

> if anyone else is there for you just in case however. I did find

> however one message from Sheri who used to live in Alaska. her son

> is also named Zackery. Perhaps Sheri has a suggestion?

> /message/46078

>

> So... Dr. Brennan is the only developmental medical doctor of his

> kind in the state of Alaska? Do you mean he's the only

> developmental medical doctor in the state or the only developmental

> medical doctor in the state that's never diagnosed an apraxic

> child? Just a question...How would he know how to spot apraxia

> anyway if he has to first look up what it is? If your child was 2

> that wouldn't even be fine -and your child is 4! So he gives your

> child a cop out sounding diagnosis of possible very mild autism as

> well as throwing in ADD or ADHD and sends you off to wait another 6

> months while he " does some research on apraxia " Dr. Brennan if you

> are reading this....refer this patient out to someone who knows how

> to help!

>

> Is flying to another state feasible to find a neuroMD who does have

> experience with apraxia as 'well' as autism in literature as well as

> in experience to make sure you secure an appropriate diagnosis and

> thus appropriate therapies to give Zackery the best chance of

> success for a verbal future? If not, perhaps you can check with

> some recommended neuroMDs in other states to see if they would

> consider some type of video consult. Perhaps they can help you to

> work with Dr. Brennan even if he is the only one in the state. I

> know Kaufman does video consult. She is an advisor for CHERAB

> and Speechville -I would speak to her about you if you want.

> http://www.kidspeech.com Speaking of (pardon the pun) you

> should consider getting a Kaufman Kit because word is that in areas

> where there are very few if any knowledgeable professionals around

> that kit has helped make the parent the best therapist!

> http://www.speech-express.com/KaufmanKitArticle.html

>

> Early Intervention that is appropriate will help get your child up

> to speed so that he has the best chance of being mainstreamed by

> kindergarten and beyond. If your child is treated as autistic

> (which he doesn't sound like from your message but what do I know)

> with behavioral therapy (that's not appropriate for apraxia and may

> even be detrimental -especially in your child's case when apraxia

> may be there but is not acknowledged) how will that help?

>

> Apraxia if he has it is not a behavioral problem -it's a speech

> impairment. But you know that (now to find professionals in Alaska

> that do!)

>

> And about the fish oils -they don't always work in areas where our

> numbers of other apraxic children are low. Please let us know if

> they do work for you -and if you do find a good neuroMD to run this

> all by -I'd even try the higher dosages that many today are finding

> success with. In areas where there are lots of others -chances are

> almost sure that the fish oils will work. There are those rare

> children that would have had speech impairments/apraxia anyway -the

> very few. (way less than is in the Marines)

>

> Please do keep posting and let us know how we can further help.

>

> Again, welcome, you are not alone -even if Dr. Brennan wasn't there.

>

> =====

>

July 10, 2006

Hi Ali,

Our daughters sound really similar. My daughter is 5 and will start

school in the fall, she's very resistant to change - my motto is " no

surprises " . She also is good with family and friends, but social

situations outside the home are very difficult. My daughter has social

anxiety, which can appear to be like Asperger's because of the way

social interactions are handled (falling to the floor, ignoring

somebody, turning away, not making eye contact, stiff facial expression,

etc.). But this condition is marked by the ability to have normal,

age-appropriate relationships with family and close friends. I'm curious

as to what your daughter does when she is in large groups and with

strangers? When with family and friends, does she interact socially?

Or is this " social autism " present all the time in with all types of

people (even family), or only with strangers? You don't mention if she

has a particular area of interest she's absorbed in - does she? The

reason I ask is that it sounds like from the diagnostic criteria that

people with Asperger's will have impaired social relationships with

everybody, even family. Also, language delays are typically not present

in Asperger's. Since SAD is " rare " in children, I'm curious as to

whether your GP might have considered it, or if he's just been

well-educated lately on autistic disorders (Rice Krispies, anyone <g>).

(But then, I had always read that autism spectrum disorders were " rare " ,

also).

You can contact me offlist if you want. knells @ sti dot net

Ali wrote:

>

> I do not live in Alaska now but I am from Alaska. I

> have a five year old daughter dx Apraxia and her

> family Dr feels she has a PDD consistent with

> Aspergers. We are currently waiting for an

> appointment at Dennis Developmental Center (Children's

> Hospital, Little Rock)for evaluation and testing. She

> will be starting school in the fall.

> Aspergers is a type of social autism. My daughter is

> very bright and does well with immediate family and

> friends in small groups but large groups and strangers

> upset her greatly. She does not like changes to her

> patterns and routines and she struggles to keep up

> physically with her peers. She has been in speech

> since age 3 and her language comprehension is very

> high but she has difficulty with word retrieval when

> asked questions. Any way here

> ahttp://www.aspergers.com/re <ahttp://www.aspergers.com/re> some web

> sites I have

> found usful about aspergers syndrome.

> http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/

> <http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/>

>

July 10, 2006

Autism spectrum disorder diagnosis as " rare " is a thing of the past. The

latest number is about 1/175 births in USA - that a child will fall into the

spectrum. This makes it a bigger problem than diabetes, to put it in

prospective.

Re: [ ] Anyone from Alaska?!! Re: Hello

all... not quite new, but first post