Can you have AS without obsessions?

[Ben10isthespawnofthedevil]

DS is ticking the boxes ie difficulties with transitions, communication and social issues, imaginative play etc except he does not have an overriding obsession. Has already got dyspraxia and sensory processing problems DX.

He likes to watch the same programmes and films over and over and listen to the same songs on repeat endlessly. He collects Bakugan and likes dinosaurs but not to obsessive extremes that I have read about.

If you have a DC with AS do they all have a obsession? I am off to the Paed in May and will be mentioning my concerns but I wonder whether I am reading too much into it if he does not to have the complete triad of impariments....

Thanks. I just don't know if I am reading too much into his symptoms and problems now from reading up so much on SN. If he is ASD then he is either AS or HFA.

If he has ASD, then the HFA or AS doesn't really matter. Sometimes professionals offer an indication or HFA or AS as a kind of sop to the parents, but really they are unhelpful, because the things he has problems with, are REALLY disabling and some of them more disabling than if the ASD was severe.

It's like saying that a child with sever dyslexia is very bright. Well, that's great but that doesn't mean they don't need help with the dyslexia.

A child with severe ASD may not be able to socialise, but neither be aware of the fact. A child with HFA, knows full well they don't know how to socialise and are at a much higher risk of depression etc.

Just don't fall into the heirarchy of disability trap, because this 'trap' is well loved by local authorities who love to convince you of low need.

Perhaps their IS low need for provision. It is certainly possible. But just be careful.

Thank you so much for that detailed answer. It puts it into perspective how important it is for me to push to get the correct DX (whatever that is) to ensure that he achieve as much as he deserves to do. He is a bright boy and is definitely starting to notice the difference between him and his classmates (just deleted the word friends as they aren't).

Yuk to the fish! Not going to be encouraging that one

Don't be worried that dx are set in stone either. It isn't a life sentence. Dx can be updated with new information, development and even removed when no longer any help.

There are already so many positives Toughasoldboots. I am treating him in a hugely more positive way as I know for example that he isn't taking forever to get dressed on purpose and there is normally a reason for kicking off. I am a completely different mother and it feels much much better .

Push for the answer that you feel is most right for your child and look at the wider ramifications of the exact label.

So if Paed say Aspergers ask for an ASD dx: same thing, but more specialist services would be covered- eg schools, ssd support.

PLus, AS as a dx is gpoing anyway: ds1 has had an as dx for 5 years but if ds4 ends up there then I'd choose ASD in order to take into line with the new DSm criteria due out in the next 24 months.

BTW obsessions here are: ds1- Yu-Gi-Oh (argh), guinea pigs; ds3- Ben 10; ds4- Ben 10, Dr Who.

Have to agree with Sancti.

I raised the fact that AS is no longer to be an actual dx under the new DSM criteria when we were at the summing up of his assessment and they said they were happy to put either, then subsequently forgot and put AS on his report. I called them up and asked them if they would put ASD either as well as, or instead of AS - they were happy to do either and I opted for them putting both in the end. That way we can pick and choose what dx we feel we need to use depending on who we are talking to.

I think it said something like 'Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) consistent with Asperger's Syndrome'

New obsession gearing up in full force in my household today - Beyblades! Argh! They're just spinning tops for heaven's sake - although you'd think I'd committed some sort of cardinal sin when I actually said that out loud earlier.

My 4 year old nephew (dh's sister's lad) came round this morning - dh and I are pretty sure that he has AS as well, but there's no way his parents would even consider the possibility, let alone seek a dx. His obsessions are dinosaurs (this is a consistent one and has been with him since he was about 18 months old) Scooby Doo and lately Bakugan.

Another one of my nephews (dh's brother's lad - are we sensing a pattern here?) - who also has AS, has been hugely obsessed with Harry Potter and Dr Who for years now. He is 16 this year and despite his father saying 'I would have been dx'd with AS if Mum and Dad had pursued it' (dh's Dad physically ejected the Ed Psych from the house for suggesting it ) they also refused to have him assessed. Both his primary and secondary schools tried to persuade them, but they wouldn't even consider it. He has had a hell of a time in school and it makes me so sad that he didn't have the support he should have had because his parents didn't want him 'labelled'. His mum (sil) has recently told me that she regrets this more than anything else to do with her parenting, but she can't discuss it with bil. Incidentally, bil also had a hellish time all through school and spent almost all of his secondary school on permanent detention and isolated from most of his peer group.

Needless to say, dh's side of the family don't know anything about ds's dx. We have tried to gently raise it with sil and bil, but it truly wasn't worth trying.

In the same boat as you ben10, DS (4 yrs old) has diagnosis of sensory processing problems. DS's OT says ds does not have ASD as SPD can display very similar traits but paed has suggested testing for ASD as he ticks enough boxes to allow testing.

Thanks Sancti and Moose

This thread has made my mind up to go to the Paed next month to ask for assessment for ASD. I'll make sure that if he is found to be anywhere on the spectrum that we get the ASD diagnosis. I didn't appreciate how important getting the correct DX would be as I don't want to still not be able to access services even if he does get a DX.

Please no Beyblades, Yu Gi Oh to enter this house, please please please. Bakugan is definitely the one at the moment. Ben 10 has slightly lessened so I might have to name change . Scooby, Mr Bean, Johnny Test, are watched repeatedly and songs are actually on the repeat setting! Yesterday I was treated to the nursery rhyme London's Burning (as they are doing the Great Fire of London at school which he knows absolutley everything about in detail) and Take That's The Flood until I wanted to scream! .

Messy

I hope you get the DX you are looking for too.

I'm not sure what I would do without this forum. There is always someone helpfully guiding you in the right direction .

Now tell me to get on with the blasted DLA form .

Thanks for the kick Leonie .

I have 5 more questions to go. I think I'll treat myself to and before facing them. I am just awaiting the private OT report to come through before I can send it off.

my DS taught himself to read using Virgin Media Catch-up . he was struggling to blend c-a-t in year R, but when it came to recognising the names of TV programmes, it's amazing what the right incentive can do . DS is also the master of the remote in our house, not helped by the fact that me and DH watch little TV anyway.

/my DS's only DX was language delay with subtle social communication difficulties (which I interpret as ASD traits). may go again for DX if transition to junior school later this year is problematic.

doesnt the diagnostic criteria mention special intrests?

As an example of an aspect; there can be others to fit: (this is DSm which is most common in UK, although a few trusts utilise ICD-10 just to confuse):

section 3:

(3) restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
(c) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
(d) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

So those that say ds4 isn't on the spectrum as he doesn;t hand flap are wrong as he has obsessions and is routine based in the ASD way. Whereas a flapping child doesn't need an obsession to qualify IYSWIM?

Oh we've done bakugan . And pokemon, club penguin, and.....

well, quite.

TC ds3 taught himself to read on the PC LOL; no interest in books (well apart from Ben Bloody Ten now anyway... whcih he filled in all the activities on one night (annual) even though we thought he couldn't LOL...) but loves a PC so learned to read one.