Does this sound like aspergers?

[pepsi]

ds 6 saw paed this week, we were signed off last year as Dr didnt think he was on autistic/aspergers scale but didnt rule out add or dyspraxia. He is now in Year 2 and he still has poor concentration and needs a lot of 1 on 1 to get him to complete a task. He stands out from the crowd. The paed we saw this week said we need to know once and for all so she has requested assessment for autism/aspergers, we will have to wait 3/6 months for this. My first question is once they start this proceedure how long roughly should I expect it to be before diagnosis. He is fine at home, a bit quirky but no tantrums or difficulty going anywhere. He goes to swimming classes and beavers very happily, rides a bike, is great when we go to the dentist/doctor/optiticans, is very loving and laughs and funny things on the TV , knows right from wrong, loves to be cuddled. Does this sound like aspergers. I know he is different at school but are aspergers children like this. I had got it into my head that he was dysraxic as the symptons fit. Do they test for aspergers first and then do other tests for different conditions. Confused, upset and scared.

I should mention that he has never had any testing of any sort by any doctors or specialist. All we have done is gone to appointments and sat in front of a dr. This week dr said he seemed completely normal, but accepted something is obviously going on in school....nursery and school have been highlighting some problems since he was 3.

Hi pepsi, my ds has AS and ADD. He has problems socialising, concentrating and finds transitions very difficult. Acts strangely in front of others (but does have one very good friend at school). Often refuses to go out, e.g to collect dd from a friends. Very stubborn and difficult to handle on occasions. He also goes to swimming lessons, rides bike, visits dentist, kind and loving and great sense of humour. Above average intelligence but finds writing very difficult. Can't really take part in football sessions as does not understand what he is meant to be doing!!

A paediatrician should be able to give you an answer but they mainly go on what you say anyway. The main reason for getting a diagnosis is to access more help at school. Also enables school to make more allowances. I know what it feels like worrying about your child but he will be the same lovely little boy before and after a diagnosis (whatever that may be). Don't panic, knowledge is power as they say!!!

if you have time to google for it (sorry i dont) a cars (childhood autism rating scale) is the test the ed psych did on my child. this gives a good idea of if it is aspergers. there are lots of websites selling them but i did find one quite a while ago where the actual test was on the website for free. its not one of the first to come up tho, i remember it took me a while to find

my ds has aspergers and is pretty eccentric. little things really throw him, on the way to school the other day he dropped his apple and went nuts cos it was unexpected and he couldnt handle it, we once gave his brother a different bowl to the one he usually has and that upset him. if they get used to a routine they get upset if it is broken, if there is no routine he seems ok.

we found out because my friends mum worked with autistic kids and she suggested it. his school didnt know what aspergers was and were utterly useless, refused to apply for a statement because they didnt think he would get one even tho they were on the verge of expelling him. in the end i applied for a statement which is why we saw the educational psychologist. it is a very long process, we dont have a diagnosis but have switched to a school who knows about autism and he is doing really well now as they are willing to use the strategies suggested for him. we were told the waiting list for clinical psychologist who can diagnose was about 7 months in our area, has been over a year now and we havent heard. tbh i am not too bothered now as school are fab and his statement has been a huge help.

i also found a book in the library called martian in the playground, it has lots of memories written by people with aspergers, on almost every page i could see my ds. you have to remember all aspergers kids are different, its quite tricky to get your head around. the national autistic society can help, if you call them they will send you lots of info which may be useful to you

Thanks will do some searching.

Hi Pepsi,

I know it's a while since you posted this but your mail rang lots of bells with me. My daughter has had difficulties since she was a toddler and is very noise sensitive etc. She finds school a challenge although she is very bright but is easily distracted and finds it hard to follow a list of instructions. She is sociable and happily attends out-of-school activities.

After much pushing she was diagnised last summer (age six) with PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified). As I understand it that means that she has a couple of the building blocks of autism, but is not considered autustic or to have Aspergers.

I hope that you get to the bottom of things with your son. Now that we have a diagnosis, things are easier with my daughter and the school are taking our concerns more seriously.

Jane