New to group and suspecting Asperger's

January 7, 2011

Hi folks and sorry for the length of this post!

I've suspected Asperger's since my now almost 7-year-old son was very young. But

a little background first. At 3.5 years of age, he was diagnosed with a

non-malignant congenital brain tumor and had a craniotomy to remove it. We

determined that he was having seizures shortly after his brain surgery.

Anyhow, he's a great kid. He's really into history and his playmobil guys. He

doesn't care much about friends though loves his family deeply. School stresses

him out though his behavior is stellar. We're just now receiving test results

that show his learning is very slow in some areas though his vocabulary is very

high. He is classified as special education and receives speech and OT services

and his fine and gross motor skills are mildly delayed.

His neurologist mentioned Asperger's to us a few months back and I wasn't at all

surprised. I would consider Asperger's to be diagnosed only secondary to a

medical condition in his case and since he's already receiving lots of services,

we're not looking for an " official " diagnosis in his case.

My question is this: my son has always had an incredible imagination and playing

pretend has always been his favorite activity. This doesn't seem to fit with the

classic definition of Asperger's nor does his mild speech issues.

Do any of you have kiddos who have very active healthy imaginations yet are

diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders anyway.

Wow, that was a lengthy post! Thanks so much for reading this far and for any

help you can offer. I'm about to pull him out of school and start homeschooling

due to the anxiety and stress that the school setting is causing him.

Thanks again,

Carolyn

January 7, 2011

Yes, my dd is 10 and diagnosed with Aspergers. She has an incredible imagination and enjoys imaginary play. I think it makes perfect sense when you think about it. When you are playing using your imagination, you make all the rules and everything goes the way you

want it to. My daughter hates anything that has rules that she has to follow. She is slow to process information and easily distracted. She also had a mild speech delay when she was young and has had speech for receptive language issues (ie how she reponds to commands and verbal input).

I wish you the best in your journey.

From: cjgraney <cgraney@...>Subject: ( ) New to group and suspecting Asperger's Date: Friday, January 7, 2011, 12:57 PM

Hi folks and sorry for the length of this post!I've suspected Asperger's since my now almost 7-year-old son was very young. But a little background first. At 3.5 years of age, he was diagnosed with a non-malignant congenital brain tumor and had a craniotomy to remove it. We determined that he was having seizures shortly after his brain surgery. Anyhow, he's a great kid. He's really into history and his playmobil guys. He doesn't care much about friends though loves his family deeply. School stresses him out though his behavior is stellar. We're just now receiving test results that show his learning is very slow in some areas though his vocabulary is very high. He is classified as special education and receives speech and OT services and his fine and gross motor skills are mildly delayed.His neurologist mentioned Asperger's to us a few months back and I wasn't at all surprised. I would consider Asperger's to be diagnosed only secondary to

a medical condition in his case and since he's already receiving lots of services, we're not looking for an "official" diagnosis in his case.My question is this: my son has always had an incredible imagination and playing pretend has always been his favorite activity. This doesn't seem to fit with the classic definition of Asperger's nor does his mild speech issues.Do any of you have kiddos who have very active healthy imaginations yet are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders anyway.Wow, that was a lengthy post! Thanks so much for reading this far and for any help you can offer. I'm about to pull him out of school and start homeschooling due to the anxiety and stress that the school setting is causing him.Thanks again,Carolyn

January 7, 2011

My 6 1/2 yr old son loves imaginative play. When he was 2, for a whole year he only pretended to be a Japanese chef. Years 3, 4 he was a fireman. So far years 5 and 6, he pretends to be Star Wars personalities.

--

Sherri

January 7, 2011

I'm new to this group too. My son , age 5, was just diagnosed with Aspergers. He also has a huge medical history. He has Cystic Fibrosis and has been hospitalized about 30 times. I always knew something was different, but wondered if being in the hospital and not growing up "normally" for 5 years was the cause. He already has an IEP due to developmental issues associated with his many hospitalizations. We have another IEP with this new diagnosis on the 26th. He receives a little OT right now and we are pursuing more services. He also has an imaginations and has been tested as superior in his language skills. KimFrom: cjgraney <cgraney@...> Sent: Fri, January 7, 2011 9:57:26 AMSubject: ( ) New to group and suspecting Asperger's

Hi folks and sorry for the length of this post!

I've suspected Asperger's since my now almost 7-year-old son was very young. But a little background first. At 3.5 years of age, he was diagnosed with a non-malignant congenital brain tumor and had a craniotomy to remove it. We determined that he was having seizures shortly after his brain surgery.

Anyhow, he's a great kid. He's really into history and his playmobil guys. He doesn't care much about friends though loves his family deeply. School stresses him out though his behavior is stellar. We're just now receiving test results that show his learning is very slow in some areas though his vocabulary is very high. He is classified as special education and receives speech and OT services and his fine and gross motor skills are mildly delayed.

His neurologist mentioned Asperger's to us a few months back and I wasn't at all surprised. I would consider Asperger's to be diagnosed only secondary to a medical condition in his case and since he's already receiving lots of services, we're not looking for an "official" diagnosis in his case.

My question is this: my son has always had an incredible imagination and playing pretend has always been his favorite activity. This doesn't seem to fit with the classic definition of Asperger's nor does his mild speech issues.

Do any of you have kiddos who have very active healthy imaginations yet are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders anyway.

Wow, that was a lengthy post! Thanks so much for reading this far and for any help you can offer. I'm about to pull him out of school and start homeschooling due to the anxiety and stress that the school setting is causing him.

Thanks again,

Carolyn

January 7, 2011

Ok, this could get a little confusing, since I am Carolyn as well Anyway, my daughter is nearly 4 and I am seeking for some type of diagnosis even if it is just developmental delays as well. She has a fairly good imagination although most of it is focused on her favorite character- Mickey Mouse. The one definition that I really liked: Aspergers children tend to be hyperverbal with difficulty in recognizing facial emotions and keeping up with the conversation in a group...... CarolynFrom: cjgraney <cgraney@...> Sent: Fri, January 7, 2011 11:57:26 AMSubject: ( ) New to group and suspecting Asperger's

Hi folks and sorry for the length of this post!

I've suspected Asperger's since my now almost 7-year-old son was very young. But a little background first. At 3.5 years of age, he was diagnosed with a non-malignant congenital brain tumor and had a craniotomy to remove it. We determined that he was having seizures shortly after his brain surgery.

Anyhow, he's a great kid. He's really into history and his playmobil guys. He doesn't care much about friends though loves his family deeply. School stresses him out though his behavior is stellar. We're just now receiving test results that show his learning is very slow in some areas though his vocabulary is very high. He is classified as special education and receives speech and OT services and his fine and gross motor skills are mildly delayed.

His neurologist mentioned Asperger's to us a few months back and I wasn't at all surprised. I would consider Asperger's to be diagnosed only secondary to a medical condition in his case and since he's already receiving lots of services, we're not looking for an "official" diagnosis in his case.

My question is this: my son has always had an incredible imagination and playing pretend has always been his favorite activity. This doesn't seem to fit with the classic definition of Asperger's nor does his mild speech issues.

Do any of you have kiddos who have very active healthy imaginations yet are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders anyway.

Wow, that was a lengthy post! Thanks so much for reading this far and for any help you can offer. I'm about to pull him out of school and start homeschooling due to the anxiety and stress that the school setting is causing him.

Thanks again,

Carolyn

January 7, 2011

Thank you all so much for your replies. The more I read, the more I realize that

Tommy sure does appear to have Asperger's. Tommy's pretend play has always been

much more than just pretend " play " actually and seems to fit with the diagnosis

quite well. When he was 2 and 3 years old, he woke up every day and said " I'm

not Tommy " and would proceed to decide who he was going to be for the day. When

we met strangers (we were touring at the time so met alot of them), Tommy would

insist we tell them his pretend name and become very angry if they called him

Tommy. I recognized it then as a coping mechanism of sorts and now it all makes

sense.

Thanks again for your help with this and I'm sure glad to have found this group!

Next I'll have a bunch of questions about homeschooling!

Carolyn in Maine (hope that helps )

>

> Ok, this could get a little confusing, since I am Carolyn as well Anyway,

my

> daughter is nearly 4 and I am seeking for some type of diagnosis even if it is

> just developmental delays as well. She has a fairly good imagination although

> most of it is focused on her favorite character- Mickey Mouse. The one

> definition that I really liked: Aspergers children tend to be hyperverbal with

> difficulty in recognizing facial emotions and keeping up with the conversation

> in a group......

>

> Carolyn

>

> ________________________________

> From: cjgraney <cgraney@...>

>

> Sent: Fri, January 7, 2011 11:57:26 AM

> Subject: ( ) New to group and suspecting Asperger's

>

> Hi folks and sorry for the length of this post!

> I've suspected Asperger's since my now almost 7-year-old son was very young.

But

> a little background first. At 3.5 years of age, he was diagnosed with a

> non-malignant congenital brain tumor and had a craniotomy to remove it. We

> determined that he was having seizures shortly after his brain surgery.

>

> Anyhow, he's a great kid. He's really into history and his playmobil guys. He

> doesn't care much about friends though loves his family deeply. School

stresses

> him out though his behavior is stellar. We're just now receiving test results

> that show his learning is very slow in some areas though his vocabulary is

very

> high. He is classified as special education and receives speech and OT

services

> and his fine and gross motor skills are mildly delayed.

> His neurologist mentioned Asperger's to us a few months back and I wasn't at

all

> surprised. I would consider Asperger's to be diagnosed only secondary to a

> medical condition in his case and since he's already receiving lots of

services,

> we're not looking for an " official " diagnosis in his case.

> My question is this: my son has always had an incredible imagination and

playing

> pretend has always been his favorite activity. This doesn't seem to fit with

the

> classic definition of Asperger's nor does his mild speech issues.

> Do any of you have kiddos who have very active healthy imaginations yet are

> diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders anyway.

> Wow, that was a lengthy post! Thanks so much for reading this far and for any

> help you can offer. I'm about to pull him out of school and start

homeschooling

> due to the anxiety and stress that the school setting is causing him.

> Thanks again,

> Carolyn

>

January 7, 2011

Carolyn,

My son was very imaginative when he was little. He even had an imaginary friend that was an ant. He said his name was even "Ant". He had this "friend" for years until all of a sudden he went away. Now he doesn't even remember it.

My son too had three years of speech therapy from 1st to 3rd grade. He is diagnosed Aspergers/Autism spectrum disorder. The ASD or sometimes called PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified) I was told by several drs is the same as Aspergers except the language delay.

I didn't consider my son language delayed, because he spoke very well. Like your son he had a very extensive vocabulary for his age (still does) He just had issues with pragmantics and semantics, basically verbal communication skills. But some drs consider deficits in the give and take of conversation to be "language delayed". This will determine if a child is diagnosed Asperger or PDD-NOS. Can your son carry on a conversation that flows naturally? Does he have problems with receptive and expressive language?

ne

From: cjgraney <cgraney@...>Subject: ( ) New to group and suspecting Asperger's Date: Friday, January 7, 2011, 12:57 PM

Hi folks and sorry for the length of this post!I've suspected Asperger's since my now almost 7-year-old son was very young. But a little background first. At 3.5 years of age, he was diagnosed with a non-malignant congenital brain tumor and had a craniotomy to remove it. We determined that he was having seizures shortly after his brain surgery. Anyhow, he's a great kid. He's really into history and his playmobil guys. He doesn't care much about friends though loves his family deeply. School stresses him out though his behavior is stellar. We're just now receiving test results that show his learning is very slow in some areas though his vocabulary is very high. He is classified as special education and receives speech and OT services and his fine and gross motor skills are mildly delayed.His neurologist mentioned Asperger's to us a few months back and I wasn't at all surprised. I would consider Asperger's to be diagnosed only secondary to

a medical condition in his case and since he's already receiving lots of services, we're not looking for an "official" diagnosis in his case.My question is this: my son has always had an incredible imagination and playing pretend has always been his favorite activity. This doesn't seem to fit with the classic definition of Asperger's nor does his mild speech issues.Do any of you have kiddos who have very active healthy imaginations yet are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders anyway.Wow, that was a lengthy post! Thanks so much for reading this far and for any help you can offer. I'm about to pull him out of school and start homeschooling due to the anxiety and stress that the school setting is causing him.Thanks again,Carolyn

January 8, 2011

My son is seven and has Asperger's and he has a VERY active imagination as well.

He also loves playmobil figures. He got the castle set for Christmas and has

been playing with it non-stop. I think the symptoms vary from kid to kid,

but I have a cousin who has high functioning autism and he seems to have an

active imagination as well. I have to say when my son was really small like two

and three though, he didn't really pretend with his toys as much back then. He

more lined them up and arranged them, so maybe it was a little delayed in

development. But he plays dress up all the time and tells elaborate stories and

plays for hours with the playmobil people.

>

> Hi folks and sorry for the length of this post!

> I've suspected Asperger's since my now almost 7-year-old son was very young.

But a little background first. At 3.5 years of age, he was diagnosed with a

non-malignant congenital brain tumor and had a craniotomy to remove it. We

determined that he was having seizures shortly after his brain surgery.

> Anyhow, he's a great kid. He's really into history and his playmobil guys. He

doesn't care much about friends though loves his family deeply. School stresses

him out though his behavior is stellar. We're just now receiving test results

that show his learning is very slow in some areas though his vocabulary is very

high. He is classified as special education and receives speech and OT services

and his fine and gross motor skills are mildly delayed.

> His neurologist mentioned Asperger's to us a few months back and I wasn't at

all surprised. I would consider Asperger's to be diagnosed only secondary to a

medical condition in his case and since he's already receiving lots of services,

we're not looking for an " official " diagnosis in his case.

> My question is this: my son has always had an incredible imagination and

playing pretend has always been his favorite activity. This doesn't seem to fit

with the classic definition of Asperger's nor does his mild speech issues.

> Do any of you have kiddos who have very active healthy imaginations yet are

diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorders anyway.

> Wow, that was a lengthy post! Thanks so much for reading this far and for any

help you can offer. I'm about to pull him out of school and start homeschooling

due to the anxiety and stress that the school setting is causing him.

> Thanks again,

> Carolyn

>

January 8, 2011

Carolyn,

It seems to me that you are describing a TBI, Traumatic Brain Injury. Accoring

to Section 300.8©12, " Traumatic brain injury means an acquired injury to the

brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial

functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely

affects a child's educational performance. Traumatic brain injury applies to

open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such

as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking;

judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities;

psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech.

Traumatic brain injury does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or

degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma. "

So you might want to look into how this dx would help your child.

Regards,