GDD/ASD or both? opinions please

[keepingthefaith]

Hi, previous lurker here, but now looking for opinions from those who might be able to help.

DS (6 yrs) had heart op at 10 days old. After a month in hospital, he screamed inconsolably? for 6 months, Hospital could find no medical reason. Then comm paed dx GDD at developmental check. Gobsmacked, but just got on with it. He went to special needs nursery, then deferred from school for another year (SLT, OT and physio in place).

Now he is in Learning Support Base attached to mainstream school and is doing quite well.

BUT, imo, he is showing signs of ASD traits:

eg. cannot enter rooms/buildings with high ceilings and/or strip lights

does not like being dried/touched after bathing

very sociable, but shunned by peers because of "forward" behaviour, speech difficulties

extreme self-harming meltdowns when not
allowed access to his obsession - Cars on
Nintendo Wii (will not play with anything
else

Today, I took him to a birthday party of one
of his peers for the first time, and he wet
himself at the door to go in.

He has all the support he needs whatever his
"label", but should I be seeking further
diagnosis/help

Sorry if this is gibberish, saturday night
vino has kicked in!

Ah, well, back to lurking then

personally, I'd ask for an ASD assessment. The teaching methods can then be refined to be ASD-specific, such as social stories etc.

It's quite late for the SN board but there'll be plenty of folks about in the morning.

Best wishes

WetAugust thanks for your comment. You're quite right, bit late for serious stuff! Night

Ds has dx of Gdd and I'm going to be honest he shows no signs of things your saying even with a severe speech disorder.

Wet August is right I would be inclined to ask for them to look into it more

Iften things become more obvious as our dc get older new things arise that make us question things.Go with you feelings your obviously worried there's more to it

HI keepingingthefaith,
my 6yr ds has GDD.
I think the reason our kids like to play with the same toys over and over is because they lack the skills or are scared to explore and new things, so they go for what they know well.
My DS used to play with the same toy over and over again up until a year ago. He is better now, but I do have to introduce him to new toys (and practice a bit).

"does not like being dried/touched after bathing"
has he always been like this? Could it be some sensory issue?
My DS doesn't like being held for very long.

BTW you mention he is doing well at school, sorry to be so forward, but more or less at what stage is he (for example with numbers and letters?). I have no idea how well my DS is doing compared to kids similar to him.

Oh and how is his sleeping?
DH and I are so tired....
take care

Often kids start off with a dx of GDD which then gets refined to ASD or something else more specific as they get older. My DS had a dx of mild development delay which got changed to Aspergers.

I definitely think its worth getting him assessed for it because it is easier to help someone if they have the correct dx.....

Agree it's worth investigating. ASD often becomes clearer as children grow older. Similarly to indigo's ds' experience, our ds' difficulties dx as due to hearing loss initially, then adhd plus mild autistic traits finally as Asperger's to be considered the predominant condition.

Thanks for all your comments.

Have more or less been told that it would be impossible to get dx now, as I understand it, the system is too overwhelmed.

I am not too worried about this as he appears to be getting all the support he needs at this stage (he doesn't fit into mainstream at all tho)

I suppose I am really just looking for an explanation as to why he is the way he is. Btw I am currently working voluntarily with some severely autistic kids at the mo but each one of them is completely different.

MojoLost ds did not sleep much at all for the first 4 years, but is now disturbed by the effects of faecial impaction so its a kind of improvement.

Also should have mentioned that ds is 5th child

Almost a week later, ds's class support assistant has just confirmed my worst fears.

She asked if I had tried to get ASD dx for him as yet. I told her I had basically been told that as he was "too sociable" to be ASD and that system was too overwhelmed to even try. She told me to fight for it, because in her opinion he needs dx (she herself has autistic son who was not diagnosed until 21 yrs old!)

Seems to me she has witnessed some recognisable traits (teacher looked like he wanted to agree but appeared not to want to overstep the mark)

Oddly enough, appt has now come through for paediatric review nxt week which should've been year and half ago!