What is the difference between HFA and AS and does ds2 have either please?

[cherrymonster]

ds2 will be 8 next month, he has already had a dx of dyspraxia, but there is something else and i dont know what it is. he has major tantrums when things dont go his way, he cries, his bottom lips trembles when he is upset (badly trembles not just a little pout) he handflaps, puts his fingers either in his mouth, down his trousers or between his toes, he has extreme difficulty with instructions, and doesnt have good eye contact. he will look directly into your eyes, but as soon as you speak he turns to look at something else. he also has really poor concentration and doesnt need much sleep. he usually goes to bed between 8 and 8.30, and can be up for the day anytime after 3am.

anyone?

please? i am really pushing for an assessment but the waiting lists are long and i dont know how much longer i can cope on 4 hrs sleep a night.

Poor you cherrymonster. I imagine there will be loads of posters to help you in the morning. I'm not expert enough to know. I know that sometimes these 'markers' can be present even without an ASD diagnosis and their significance varies depending on what 'heading' they come under in the triad of impairments.

Whatever, it sounds like you need some help. Good luck.

Could it be Dyspraxia and ADHD? i know both of those come with ASD type traits. Im not sure if dyspraxia comes with sleep issues, but i was surprised the last time i was looking into it that it was so close in traits to being on the spectrum, without being part of it IYSWIM. Either way i dont think that theres any harm in going back to your Paed (do you have one?) and mentioning it. good luck. XX

i dont think it is adhd and neither does our gp. he just isnt hyper. he can be perfectly calm most of the time but just has moments when things blow totally out of proportion. he is finally starting to do better in school, but was unable to write his name until he had just turned 7. he amazingly is not awake yet, normally he is up really early, but its 7.40 and so far he is still asleep.

What sort of things is it that you think may not be attributable to his dyspraxia?

the handflapping, and fiddling with mouth/feet,the sleep problems, the poor eye contact.

DS1 has only very mild dyspraxia, so im not really able to comment in any 'expert' capacity, but i do know that dyspraxia comes with ASD traits like you mention. perhaps someone more qualified in this area will be along shortly.

I absolutely understand your worry that 'something lurks beneath' - 3 of my 5 children have additional needs, and all of their Dx's have started with that same feeling. Good luck, I hope you get some answers soon. XXX

Hi Cherry,
I asked exactly the same question last week. Apparantly HFA has some associated delayed speech where AS doesn't. Although HFA and AS obviously then become the same later. A apparantly the DX are being reviewed (Amber knows all about this) as a SALT told me last week.

My DS1 is DX with a social communication disorder and ASD but nothing more definite that that. I think he may have Dyspraxia but they seem so close I suppose as long as he is getting the help he needs that's the most important thing.

You should look here.

BR

thanks bunnyrabbit- i looked at the list, and ds2 had none of the baby signs on the list, but nearly all the signs for an older child, the only one on the 3-5 list he never had was difficulty will pedalling a bicycle, he was riding a bike without stabilisers by the time he was 5. but he has all the other symptons/signs.