Re: Aspergers considered medical not mental health

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie,

I just wanted to share some ideas that might help in your search for support. AS is neurological and not considered a mental health diagnosis, but AS does effect the child's mental health. My son is seen through our mental health center for this reason. The mental health center considers my sons hyper activity ADHD another mental health diagnosis (along with anxiety), he receives therapy each week in order to deal with any mental health issues the AS causes. We have found support groups through our mental health center, in these support groups there are many different diagnosis and we almost always find other families who's child has been diagnosed with AS. we also have found that others in the group w/o an AS diagnosis, will know someone who does have AS, which leads us to meeting other families with AS and more resources. I hope some of this information has been helpful. I am surprised the case worker has not thought about your grandsons mental health needs due to AS.

Dawn : )

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/4/2009 10:33:24 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, azucarmama68@... writes:

The mental health center considers my sons hyper activity ADHD another mental health diagnosis (along with anxiety), he receives therapy each week in order to deal with any mental health issues the AS causes

Dillon gets mental health counseling and has gotten it since he was 3. At that time it was said that he had OCD, anxiety, and RAD. That was in NY.

A year ago, we moved to TN to get him away from his mother, we're his paternal grandparents and have had him since he was 2. It took us from November until June to get him into counseling down here in TN. Then in July they did forensic testing and said that he has AS. The more I read about AS, the more I see that he should have been diagnosed with that all along.

If Dillon had ADHD, there are support groups for that, but he doesn't and there would be more support for us as "parents". That came directly from his social worker. The problem seems as though in this area, NE TN, they don't really see "much AS around here". Hence there's no one in this area to turn to about it. We have to travel to Nashville to bring Dillon to see a geneticist because on top of everything this child has going on with him, he also has PKU.

So we travel 5 hours to bring him to see a pediatric geneticist every 3 months. 5 hours there, the doctor's appointment is 3-5 hours long, and then another 5 hours to come home again.

His social worker said that she's going to work with him on anger management because three times since August, he has thrown things at his grandfather and I. He threw a huge rock at his grandfather and just missed him, he threw a large piece of quartz crystal at me and hit me in the back, and hit me in the eye with a book. This has happened during his "rages".

Solutions from his counselor and social worker?? Call the police to have him removed from our home when he does this. He's 8 years old and there has to be another way.

Laurie

[Guest guest]

I agree with that, as it seems A WHOLE LOT OF US are having services

for our children (necessary) that includes ADHD and anxiety especially! That

is hard; kids need the 'mental health help / therapy / meds (if parents choose)'

so they can function better / fit in better (I hate that but true-----) remain calmer,

and most importantly, so they have someone to emphasize what we are teaching them;

it's different from someone else but so important and they need someone (other than us/

caretaker / parents) else to support them, share concerns created at school (Bullying is

not supposed to happen these day but we all know better!)....etc. Hope they

get help they need.

Ruthie Dolezal

Mom of 2 with As AND 2 nt

From: azucarmama68@...Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:32:05 -0500Subject: Re: ( ) Aspergers considered medical not mental health

Hi Laurie,

I just wanted to share some ideas that might help in your search for support. AS is neurological and not considered a mental health diagnosis, but AS does effect the child's mental health. My son is seen through our mental health center for this reason. The mental health center considers my sons hyper activity ADHD another mental health diagnosis (along with anxiety), he receives therapy each week in order to deal with any mental health issues the AS causes. We have found support groups through our mental health center, in these support groups there are many different diagnosis and we almost always find other families who's child has been diagnosed with AS. we also have found that others in the group w/o an AS diagnosis, will know someone who does have AS, which leads us to meeting other families with AS and more resources. I hope some of this information has been helpful. I am surprised the case worker has not thought about your grandsons mental health needs due to AS.

Dawn : )

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie,

The obstacles you continue to run into amaze me, I keep thinking you're gonna get a well overdue break! My son's first case worker was a great disappointment too. When my son was dx with AS, I asked him what services were available to us.... and in a conference room with several witnesses he said, "Well, with budget cuts there really isn't anything for you". Immediately following the meeting, I called his office and asked a different Case Worker what services were available for families with this dx and she rattled off 6 resources for us in less than 2 minutes. I then called the Supervisor and asked him to remove the first Case Worker so we could be reassigned. Sometimes a few ego's get bruised but you can't worry about their feelings when your own son's welfare and the welfare of your family hangs in the balance.

If you have a Mental Health facility, or a Family Services Center that is available to families who are in Crisis, call them. They may be the Parent component resource you're looking for, or they may have some suggestions for other outreach programs in your community.

As far as being told AS is a medical dx not a mental health issue, I think your Case Worker needs her "medical health" checked. Good Luck !!!

From: lakombert@... <lakombert@...>Subject: ( ) Aspergers considered medical not mental health Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 7:12 AM

Our grandson Dillon was diagnosed with AS in July. Recently he got a case manager and we were told that we wanted to find a local support group, especially for my husband who is really having a difficult time with this. After several weeks of searching she came back to us and told us that there are no local support groups and that AS is considered a medical problem in our area not a mental health diagnosis. She said that she is coming up against brick walls as far as AS is concerned in our area. She said that some don't even believe that there is such a thing as AS. She said that we may have to get services for our grandson 5 hours away, where we have to get his genetics services.

Has anyone else come across this??

Laurie

[Guest guest]

Echoing what others have said re mental health. AS doesn't qualify for " mental

health " but usually they can tag on an additional diagnosis (like ADHD or maybe

something behavioral) and that 2nd diagnosis gets them the mental health

services. However, AS would qualify for services under " developmental

disabilities " so perhaps your area mental health people have a department for

this or can refer you to an agency who does case management for this

" population " of devel. disabilities and get services/case mgmt thru them?

Additional thought, have you checked with your state autism society for any

local resources or advocates?

>

> Our grandson Dillon was diagnosed with AS in July. Recently he got a case

> manager and we were told that we wanted to find a local support group,

> especially for my husband who is really having a difficult time with this.

> After several weeks of searching she came back to us and told us

[Guest guest]

I can't imagine calling the police on a little 8 yo boy who has AS. If

he were threatening you with a knife or trying to choke someone to

death, I can see the need. But if this is the best the caseworker has

to offer, then you need to request a better caseworker. Still, there

may not be a better one out there.

Most facilities have a behavioral expert on staff (or they should) so

you need to find one. This is a person who is proficient in behavioral

intervention and autism. If the caseworker can't locate one for you,

then you can look up " Applied behavior analysis " or " ABA " online for

your area. These are the people who can come in and help you design a

behavior plan that will help manage the anger issues. It's important

because he is hurting you both, obviously, but also because he is only

going to get bigger and angrier if he doesn't learn how to better

manage his feelings and anger. Our MR/DD has one on staff but the one

we get is not that well trained. So if I needed one, I would find an

ABA behavioral expert to come in and help us.

As for support groups, you can usually find an autism support group

near you. Look for " autism " instead of " AS " . Those groups might have

some mini-groups that meet - some of which may be AS related. Or they

know people who are dealing with AS issues. You can ask them for help

and support. Also, you can consider opening your own support group -

advertising in the paper, at churches, at the schools and library's.

Roxanna

" The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do

nothing. " E. Burke

Re: ( ) Aspergers considered medical not mental

health

In a message dated 11/4/2009 10:33:24 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

azucarmama68@... writes:

The mental health center considers my sons hyper activity ADHD

another mental health diagnosis (along with anxiety), he receives

therapy each week in order to deal with any mental health issues the

AS causes

Dillon gets mental health counseling and has gotten it since he was 3.

At that time it was said that he had OCD, anxiety, and RAD.  That was

in NY.

 

A year ago, we moved to TN to get him away from his mother, we're his

paternal grandparents and have had him since he was 2.  It took us from

November until June to get him into counseling down here in TN.  Then

in July they did forensic testing and said that he has AS.  The more I

read about AS, the more I see that he should have been diagnosed with

that all along. 

 

If Dillon had ADHD, there are support groups for that, but he doesn't

and there would be more support for us as " parents " .  That came

directly from his social worker.  The problem seems as though in this

area, NE TN, they don't really see " much AS around here " .  Hence

there's no one in this area to turn to about it.  We have to travel to

Nashville to bring Dillon to see a geneticist because on top of

everything this child has going on with him, he also has PKU. 

 

So we travel 5 hours to bring him to see a pediatric geneticist every 3

months.  5 hours there, the doctor's appointment is 3-5 hours long, and

then another 5 hours to come home again. 

 

His social worker said that she's going to work with him on anger

management because three times since August, he has thrown things at

his grandfather and I.  He threw a huge rock at his grandfather and

just missed him, he threw a large piece of quartz crystal at me and hit

me in the back, and hit me in the eye with a book. This has happened

during his " rages " . 

 

Solutions from his counselor and social worker??  Call the police to

have him removed from our home when he does this.   He's 8 years old

and there has to be another way. 

 

Laurie

[Guest guest]

> His social worker said that she's going to work with him on anger

> management because three times since August, he has thrown things at

> his grandfather and I.  He threw a huge rock at his grandfather and

> just missed him, he threw a large piece of quartz crystal at me and hit

> me in the back, and hit me in the eye with a book. This has happened

> during his " rages " . 

Based on my experience (yours could of course may be completely different), the

more the social worker and you know about asperger's, the more you and she will

be able to understand why your grandchild is acting that way, the more you'll be

able to see that kind of situation arising, and the better able you'll be to

keep it from going that far.

My son threw a rock at his brother, threw lawn furniture, etc. He doesn't do

things like that any more. Now his brother and I can see when he is stressed and

know to take what he's saying seriously (hunger, something needs to be a certain

way), and when we address *that*, then we don't get to something worse. It looks

unreasonable if you don't understand his autism, but handling that literal

moment at the time makes ALL the difference -- AND it doesn't come up nearly as

often anymore.

Hope that's helpful. If not, ignore it and best of luck to you! You will figure

out what works for you!

Marilyn