Why are more and more parents trying to get a Autism diagnosis????

Cindy - posted on 08/09/2011

I sometimes wonder that as well. I've met a lady that swore to me her children had ADHD and I watched them interact several hours and to me they just seemed like typical first grade boys. To me it was normal that they bounced around and didn't focus on things particularly long. I could focus and was an attentive student but I think I was not typical of most children at that age. I was a serious child and tended to daydream instead of play interactively. This particular lady went to doctor after doctor who said they were fine until she got the diagnosis she wanted. It was mind boggling that she so wanted that diagnosis.

Terri - posted on 08/06/2011

some dr's will give a DX of Autism if a child is not just cuz the kids needs Help.. an IEP or something therapy.. so they can get help... to get better...
my son does have Autism... but I know of some who just use it as a crutch to get help.. sad.. but true..

Siobhan - posted on 08/06/2011

I know what you mean, I have a 3.5 yr old who is in the process of diagnosis and when i first went tothe doctors i was praying for them to tell me i was wrong and it was just a phase, his nan however has had no qualms in telling everyone we know that he is autistic when we havent had the full diagnosis as yet and is also trying to push me into telling people when i don't think its fair as I'm still coming to terms with there possibly being something wrong with my son.

Lana - posted on 08/04/2011

Nicki this may be High Functioning Autism frequently Aspergers. My daughter does not have the hand flapping, she can be either overly social or totally unsocial. I think she might have some sensory issues and some very bad mood swings otherwise no sign of autism for her. It is another reason the pead wants to wait to make sure it is not just something happening in the house. But i would suggest see your gp tell them your concerns and see what they suggest.

Seija - posted on 08/04/2011

@Dawn, thanks Dawn, not sure where abouts you are? I am in Australia and the school has started what they can now. His teacher is wonderful and has all sorts of things in place in the classroom for him but she can't access teacher aid hours or that sort of thing until we get the diagnosis. I'm just tired of people telling me there is nothing wrong or it is just the way that schools educate these days. He has a problem so hopefully the paed i am taking him to will help. Thanks for your advice.
@Nicki, where abouts are you? Do you take your daughter to playgroup cause maybe other mothers might be able to help with other opinions. My boy was ok at playgroup though cause I found a great one that accepted differences easily, not too big. Hope you can get help soon.

Nicki - posted on 08/03/2011

I'm in New Zealand. It sounds very similar here. I guess I've tried to ignore the signs for so long.... Especially because he doesn't fully fit the mold )i.e no hand flapping, no single focus on one subject, no unusual voice, can be social when he wants to. But he definitely does fit the mold on other levels: sensory issues, intolerance of other people - what they say, how they look, how they might feel, he toe walks. Do you think that is ASD?

Lana - posted on 08/03/2011

To NIcki Russel you dont say what country you are in so I will tell you about Australia. My daughter is waiting to find out of she has Aspergers but we need to wait until she starts school. The reason for this her pead said was that they need a report of her behaviours in a social environment outside the home and without family there to get a diverse range of reports. But this also depends on the age of the child if the child is old enough an interview with the assessor one on one also plays a part in the diagnosing process. Hope this of some help to you

Dawn - posted on 08/03/2011

@ Seija - Request a special education evaluation. The school HAS to do the eval (on thier dime too). In your request list all the things that make it difficult to educate him. (it gives them an idea of the testing he will need and validates your request). You dont have to wait for your pediatrician.

Things that can make education difficult : ppor social skills, attention problems, communication problems, strict adherence to schedule (inability to deviate), in ability to comprehend subject material (can he actually understand the subject material in general), vision problems, grip problems, I could go on but he doesnt have to be low IQ to need special ed.

Seija - posted on 08/03/2011

I need a diagnosis for my son (7), not just because that is the only way he will get the help that he needs at school but so I aren't trying to do it all myself. I have a younger daughter but after a 'wonderful' day with him I barely have the energy to cook dinner let alone play with her. The teacher he has this year is wonderful and the first one to try and help me. Last year, the one we had just said in her unprofessional opinion it was possible he is an aspie. I asked if the school had access to books so I could help him with social education, she said yes and then never found them for me. The new one has started the process to help me get him help. The next thing is to see the pediatrician (not til november), but until then the school can do nothing official so he is missing out. Problem is if I tried to get a diagnosis before a teacher said something, not one doctor would have listened to me because he is smart and he did all his developmental things early except for toilet training, but if I change one thing in his plan for the day it is like I'm the worst mother on the planet. I need help too and I need someone to agree with me and show me how to help my boy.

Nicki - posted on 08/03/2011

Just jumping in here to ask your opinions. I don't live in the US and in my country an Asperger's diagnosis is usually given after a pysch assessment. There are no "medical tests" that I'm aware of to test for it. Really I think its based on the anecdotes a parent chooses to recount to the pead, that leads to the dx. My DS is an intelligent boy, he has a circle of friends at school, smiles at people, can look them in the eye but prefers not to, understands sarcasm, talked well very early, very high vocab, (ed psych says no overt aspergers) walks on his toes, is intolerant of friends, sister and parents when they say things he doesn't want to hear, dislikes seeing people with food on their faces, bites his clothes/nails all the time, sticks his fingers in his ears when getting told off. physically un-co-ordinated. Has an unusal running style (stiff armed, pointing backwards) Doesn't have an unusual tone of voice. Got a great sense of humour and comedic timing. Has improved as he has aged in terms of meltdowns and transitions (coming of PC when asked etc). What do you think? Is that high functioning ASD or just immature boy?

Rebecca - posted on 08/02/2011

I fought the diagnosis and still want to deny it. Anyone that seeks it...is crazy!!! They just need to love their child for the person that they are since that is what I do with my wonderful autistic child!!!

Mary - posted on 07/31/2011

I agree with Susan, If you only have a diagnosis of sincory issues or behavior issues you don't the help they need. BUT what most parents don't know is that the schoold don't always honor the doctors diagnosis. I wen't to 3 doctors and 2 Psychological nurologists and many child specialist, who all agreed my son was Autistic with frontal loab disorder. Only the school doesn't want to put that in his IEP. But they are treating the sencory issues and Autism issues and make allowences for the frontal loab side effects.

Julie - posted on 07/29/2011

Kids with autism can have attention and can be hyperactive - the difference between ASD and ADHD though, is that kids with ADHD have attention problems and hyperactivity across the board - they can't focus on anything for long periods even when they really love something - kids with ASD however can flip between spending hours, or even whole days (or even days on end in older aspies) doing a task that others find mundane, but at the same time, can struggle to pay attention to things that "normal" people have no trouble paying attention to.

I have some aspie friends my age, and when they get into something, they can do it for days on end, without sleep, without food, only leaving it to use the bathroom.

That was how my daughter originally got wrongly diagnosed ADHD (and why I thought it too) - she mostly has no attention span, can't focus on much, BUT when something interests her, she can sit perfectly still and pay attention literally all day - I can barely drag her away to eat meals. Her ability to pay attention for hours on end when it's one of her obsessions rules out ADHD -kids with ADHD couldn't concentrate like that no matter how much they want to.

So she still has attention problems and hyperactivity problems at times, but it's not ADHD, just part of her ASD. Plus, a lot of the attention problems we're finding is just sensory issues - she needs things written down, she needs a set, regular schedule - she needs guidelines. If she knows where things are at, she finds it much easier to pay attention.

Christina - posted on 07/29/2011

I agree with you. I fought the diagnosis of autism for almost two years with my daughter (from the time she was 15mnths until she was three and we ruled out everything, including epilepsy.) I was then forced to accept it was PPD-NOS (even though I was proactive enough to start her in therapy and immerse her in specialists while arguing saying, "NO NO NO! NOT AUTISM!" When my youngest son started screaming and beating his head into the walls for days on end and I finally called my dr saying, "There's something really wrong with my son!" the thought of autism never crossed my mind, even though we were dealing with it on a daily basis.
It is important to secure your child's diagnosis for medical reasons and to protect their needs (for therapy and school) but I was HAPPY to fight for the dx of SPD or Epilepsy over Autism (Epilepsy can be controlled with medication.)
Even now with my auties being 8yrs old and 5yrs old, I still think it sucks that they are having to live with this disorder, even though both are high functioning now.

Julia - posted on 07/28/2011

I am sorry but to try to fit a square into a circle is crazy! If your child has an issue then that issue needs addressed. Though, if your child has ADHD you try schedules and if that doesn't work you go to medication as I have with my 16 year old son. Though my 13 year old daughter has Aspergers with no ADHD even though she seems like it at times cause she can not seem to get her room cleaned up. The doctor gave her specific tests and found out she has such a high level of attention she can sit and do something mundane for hours. Her focus problem on her room is something else. She does not process verbal commands they must be written. In that aspect I understand how they could get confused. I have always gone and sought info with a specialist who deals with those issues. Our pediatrician has no knowledge of autism so I did not even start there. He is curious about the issue though. So it is my responsibility for my daughter to inform him, even though you think he would do some research, he can use her as a learning model and we go else where for our needs.

Mary - posted on 07/28/2011

I think many parents want this diagnosis over another diagnosis because in some states there are more services for child with autism than a child with say a diagnosis of ADHD.

Leslie - posted on 07/28/2011

personally i think that the ratio of children being diagnosised with autism is a lot higher than children who actually have autism , i feel that many dr.'s give the kid's this diagnosis when they are not 100% sure of what if anything the child has.

Leslie - posted on 07/28/2011

personally i think that the ratio of children being diagnosised with autism is a lot higher than children who actually have autism , i feel that many dr.'s give the kid's this diagnosis when they are not 100% sure of what if anything the child has.

Julia - posted on 07/27/2011

Sara - When you ask how someone can articulate so well when they are severely disabled is because sometime there is such detail involved with disabilities. Your brain may miss fire but your speech is not affected, another may be non - verbal but highly intelligent and both could use the computer the same. It is like cars they may have individual problems and still run - but - the brakes may not work on one and the transmission may be slipping on the other - but the both run to varying degrees. Hopefully, they have a good mechanic to help maintain them, unfortunately in society as this point we may have found things to help band aid and/or maintain but not fix the issues. Also, those with disabilities often that is all they have known, so that continue in the abilities they have, trying to learn like the rest of ourselves. That being said there are varying intellect in both disabled and peers.

Julie - posted on 07/27/2011

Just had one question... why in some places does "autism" diagnoses get help but "aspergers" ones don't? Here in Qld (aussie state) all children on the autism spectrum (aspergers, any form of mild autism, right up to the severest of autisms) get an IEP and funding from the government for education assistance (given to the school not parents). The amout of funding, and the type of funding is then based on the child's needs - if a child "only" needs time with a teacher's aide, they will fund that. My daughter has low muscle tone and problems with sitting still because of it combined with her ASD, so they would have funded a special desk and chair if she hadn't shown some signs of improving (and they still might - she has improved but not as much as we'd all have liked).

A label of ASD (no matter what subtype, including aspergers) will get state funding (the state government handles education related things).

Linda - posted on 07/26/2011

Having a pediatric physician saying my l8 year old just doesnt have any motivation is our diagnosis. That does not satisfy my question why in first grade I asked a teacher at a parent teacher conference could my child have adhd....this is a child I feel the school system let get by. And I questioned at First grade and then at 4th grade her grades. Both older and younger siblings are good in school.....why is this child so different? Has tried 2 semesters in college and I am questioning on letting her continue since she is not excelling. What do you do if you child is now an adult....who can we turn to?

Julie - posted on 07/23/2011

@Julie... even here in Australia with a "free" healthcare system, getting assistance is often neither free nor easy.

Many things are not free, and even those that are have wait times of many months or even year to get in - by which time it's often too late.

Only a very very early diagnosis gets kids help in time.

Julia - posted on 07/22/2011

I just chuckled about one of the postings - I too thought my daughter might have ADD on top of Aspergers. After a few tests the doctor said she has almost 100% of the best ability to remember and accomplish boring mundane things that would drive us others crazy. Also, that she needs things written down instead of verbal directions as she has struggled with a Verbal delay also putting thoughts on paper which I find strange but I am learning and we have to be patient and learn about our children as we teach them the basics in life.

Julia - posted on 07/22/2011

Sarah, I do understand your frustration but imagine a child that has an issue and without proper intervention continues to go down hill. Imagine a child with an issue that if they receive help are able to at least maintain instead of going backwards reverting to babyhood. Sometimes a child falls through the cracks and are just thought to be mentally slow, unable to do certain things, shy, withdrawn, psychotic, and other thoughts. Thing is behaviors are usually just the outward acknowledgement that something is wrong. It love my daughter greatly and would never regret her! Though I have been blind to things because of ignorance and when people started mentioning things to me I finally started connecting the dots. When I saw my daughter start withdrawing from the world severely, extremely high IQ, teachers telling me she is a genius and that she is years behind her peers approx 2 years in immaturity, not making eye contact, and the most blatant thing of all for me why since birth has she not wanted to be touched?!? She absolutely hated to be rocked and sang to! She slowly over the years would allow us to touch her lightly on arm or back for a couple of moments. She mostly at age 13 will hug us thinking we need a hug but that she does not and not want one herself. The new medicine she is taking for anxiety is having her ask me to cuddle with her!!! I have cried over all these years of no connection allowed physically and girl shopping has always been out and/or torturous for all parties involved! :(

Julie - posted on 07/22/2011

I think partly it's because when there is something wrong with your child, most parents want a label they can tell others so their children will be understood.

Another reason is because with an official label, often there is funding given for therapy - and if a child needs therapy, parents will happilly take any label as long as their child gets the help they need.

but I think a lot of the time, the children really does have ASD and doctors have missed it.

my daughter's paediatrician still insists she has ADHD not ASD, but professional psychologists who specialise in testing for ASD have pointed out she doesnt' have ADHD, that it is autism.

I didn't push it - I personally didn't see it. I was with the paediatrician and thought for several years it was just ADHD (I trained as a psychologist before giving it up when I had my daughter), but the instant the first psych she saw said she thought it was autism, it was very obvious and I kicked myself for not seeing it sooner.

I wish my daughter didn't, but she does. I dislike parents who want to get their child a label of autism when they don't have it - because it makes people question whether kids who genuinely have autism actually have it - it also makes people treat the diagnosis as if it's some kind of fake diagnosis. BUT I do understand why parents of children with serious issues try to get the label autism when the funding is available only for autism andnot other issues. We live in a world where funding goes to kids with labels, and without a certain label, no matter how much a kid needs help, they wont' get it.

Chasity - posted on 07/22/2011

Maybe I should of asked the question better. I notice when others post it could say "I have takin my child to 5 diff doctors and they all say its ADD and not autism, how do I get them to diagnose Autism?" "Or my son is 5 months and doesn't flip over, I think hes autistic?" That is what I was referring to as trying to get a diagnosis.

Dawn - posted on 07/22/2011

Sarah , autism isnt a contest to see who is more disabled. Your post isnt helpful. My son is high functioning aspergers. Trust me he is disabled. He has no higher executive functioning skills and cant keep track of anything like coats, shoes, etc and is 16 years old. Cognitive functions does not solely define disability. Autism isnt a stain on a child's name or character, its part of who they are.
I can tell you they dont just label ANYONE autistic. Its a long tough road to get that diagnosis. Its not a LABEL, its a diagnosis for a neurological condition. Dont cheapen the difficulties that others on the spectrum have because they have different abilities or disabilities than your child. Its not a contest with the winner having sole right to the title, autism.

Dawn - posted on 07/22/2011

Sarah , autism isnt a contest to see who is more disabled. Your post isnt helpful. My son is high functioning aspergers. Trust me he is disabled. He has no higher executive functioning skills and cant keep track of anything like coats, shoes, etc and is 16 years old. Cognitive functions does not solely define disability. Autism isnt a stain on a child's name or character, its part of who they are.
I can tell you they dont just label ANYONE autistic. Its a long tough road to get that diagnosis. Its not a LABEL, its a diagnosis for a neurological condition. Dont cheapen the difficulties that others on the spectrum have because they have different abilities or disabilities than your child. Its not a contest with the winner having sole right to the title, autism.

Julie - posted on 07/21/2011

Im suprised to hear that people have to pay for services or that autism spectrum should be covered by insurance please excuse this as im not from america and dont know how your system works,Im Irish and i have never had to pay for any tests or diagnosis my son had special preschool and special education free until he was 7 than went to mainstream school he has always had access to special help if it was needed he had free speech therapy until about age 8.It must be very distressing to have to try to cope financially as well as emotionally with such a diagnosis!

Lana - posted on 07/21/2011

Just another perspective I had stepson diagnosed with ADHD and was able to have that label removed and by the same treating pediatrician that diagnosed him. I have just had my 21/2 yo diagnosed with ASD and his pediatrician has said that depending on how he responds to the early intervention as he gets older the diagnosis can be either upgraded to full autism or even downgraded to aspergers or another milder form. but for now he has the access he needs to the specialised services that in a lot of cases are either out of my price range or not available without a diagnosis of a disability as there are so many people wanting them now. I was hoping my son was only going to need help with behaviour modification but it is more than that. My 4yo daughter has suspected Asperger's but i can not get final diagnosis for her for another 9 months until she has been at school for about 2 or months.

Julie - posted on 07/20/2011

I understand what you are saying but believe me no one wants anything to be wrong with their child,the thing is early intervention is vital to a childs development should be a problem,my son has mild aspergers and I firmly believe that because of early intervention he is a fine youn man of 16 today and very well adjusted,I dread to think where we would be if he hadnt been diagnosed when he was!

Sarah - posted on 07/19/2011

Do people not consider the long term consequences of the 'autism label' or any label for that matter!

It isn't us as parents that have to live with that label for the rest of our lives, it's our children! Services or no services, some of these children diagnosed that have such mild, mild symptoms, that is one hell of a stigma to carry with you the rest of your life. I say stigma in the sense that, some will look at our children, the ones who are barely on the spectrum anymore via early intervention being the their saving grace...and will say 'he/she isn't autistic.' Now a days, they'll label anyone autistic!

Then those more severely affected won't get the 'recognition' if you will, for the funding and research that they need.

I've read blogs of people saying, "I'm severely autistic, and I don't need to be cured...!" I'm absolutely dumb-founded by that statement...how can someone so severely impaired articulate so well?!

I have a verbal autistic child who can't even tell me he's sick...let a lone being able to say I'm autistic!

I do feel autism is being too loosely applied...what happened to the 'nerd syndrome', people who are just a little more quirky then others? I don't say that in an offensive way, I grew up as a loner (of my own free will, I didn't much feel the need to be around people). I had and still have my own quirks...but I certainly wouldn't have gone out to seek a diagnoses of aspergers.

Michelle - posted on 07/19/2011

Thanx Katherine thats exactly where i am at, at the moment nobody wants to do anything and thats why i am on such a push beacuse my son is only 4 and i know whithout a diagnosis he will fly inder the radar and fall behind his peers.

Katherine - posted on 07/19/2011

I also think having the diagnosis opens up a lot of doors for early intervention and help. If you don't have the diagnosis then you have no help in the schools, on a state level or anywhere else.

Rachel - posted on 07/19/2011

I had diagnoses of Cerebral Palsy, BiPolar Disorder, Aspergers, Send him to my house and I will straighten him out. For me none of them fit so i had to keep trying to get a diagnoses, whatever they wanted to call it that did. It took until my son was 13 to diagnose him PDD-NOS, had i had that diagnoses years ago i know there would have been more resources for us to tap. I have no idea why there are so many more opportunities for help for children with autism than with other mental health disabilities. B/C as much as I have learned about all the other things that can be wrong with kids I think their parents are having just as hard a time as I am. Just my thoughts.

Michelle - posted on 07/19/2011

i know where you are coming from. i am currently getting my son assessed for autism. I however know there is something wrong with him and profesionals have said that including the education department that come to the schools to assess special needs children. I have no help there are only 2 pead's in our city and unfortunatkey the one i have is expensive and doesnt do anyrthing. i am simply doing everything on my own and just knocking things off a list in catagories my son fits into. I have been told until he is 7 you can not get a child diagnosed with a learning diasability. I didnt want ot be a parent and when he got to 7 someone turn and say to me this is what he has you should have got him tested or seen to earlier.

Elizabeth - posted on 07/17/2011

I have a seven year old son with high functioning autism. I felt something was wrong with him when he was six months old. He wouldnt respond to his name, and then as he got older, he didnt reach his milestones on time, and he couldnt talk. I had raised 6 other children by the time he came along(four of them were my stepchildren, and 2 were my own), and when I took him to his pediatrician he insisted nothing was wrong with him. He said all kids his age(3-4 years) lined things up, and didnt play with other kids, and wouldnt respond to their names, and that he didnt need to talk cause his older siblings did it for him. I felt he was wrong. So I took him to my other childrens pediatrician, and he told me that usually, if a first time mother comes in and tells him that something is wrong with their child, he is more apt to think that maybe they are over reacting, but when he sees a mother who has had more than one child who comes in and says something is wrong with their child, he tends to believe it right away because those mothers have something to compare it to. He sent me to a specialist who diagnosed my son with autism, and aspergers. My little one had behaviors that I never saw in any of my other 6 children and my gut told me that something was wrong. I tend to believe that whether it is a first time, or 6th time mom, deep inside their gut, they know when something isnt right with their child, so most of them would push until they find out why.

Allison - posted on 07/16/2011

I agree, I also knew something was wrong with my son, I was hoping it was somjething easy to fix but he was diagnosed with Aspergers. Admittedly not full autism but still on the sprectrum and still difficult to deal with. I think there is a lot of information out there for mums and dads, but it should be read with caution. Just because your child has one or two symptons described in the info does not mean it is autism. Get a diagnosis first before you get yourself worked up about possible problems.

Tara - posted on 07/16/2011

My daughter was misdiagnosed with ADD and was finally diagnosed correctly with Asperger's Syndrome. It took 3 mos of testing and it was expensive, but I am happy to know that she can come off of the medication and can get the correct mental health that she needs and better direction at school!

Cherie - posted on 07/16/2011

We battled for 2 and a 1/2 years to get a diagnosis for our son. He went from a bright interested cuddly baby to one who would scream at bright lights and noises, could no longer handle shopping centres, crowds or strange places and was utterly and totally dependent on routine. He stopped seeking cuddles and kisses and refused to be touched. His language dropped from incredibly fluent to nearly unintelligble - if he deigned to use words at all. We didn't want a "label" for the sake of it, I wish with all my heart that our specialist had said, "it's a phase he will grow out of". But that won't happen. The best thing about being given the diagnosis and label? We know what direction to go in, we know what therapies we need to seek and where to push for help. We have learnt that our health system will not help, we have to save and struggle and sacrifice in order to get the therapies we need for our boy. Our reward? A happy little boy who is now content to use his words, who find enjoyment in going to the park, who turns to Mummy for cuddles - just because he can. Getting that diagnosis? It was so important because it gave me my baby back...

Laura - posted on 07/15/2011

I agree that alot more parents are thinking autism. I have been approaced by parents who say they believe their kid is on the spectrum. I ask them why do you think that? What are they doing? Then I ask them if they act like my daughter who does have a lot of the characteristics of autism. I think since it's been brought to attention more and more lately and with the media saying it's on the rise, that a lot of people must think their kids is that 1.

I thought about it and researched it for years before my daughter was seen by a doctor. She has a lot of the symptoms, but after seeing many doctors, she's not pervasive. Some see the signs and others don't. So instead of one diagnosis she got five.

Now after our six month checkup, she'll be tested for Rett syndrome. The doctor was watching and listening to her and she displayed a few new symptoms that I thought was just her. After talking about it and doing some research, rett does seem to fit her. I really hope that the testing does come back negative on this.

Venna - posted on 07/15/2011

We are going to be seeking our sons diagnosis very soon, he has an isp coming up and we are going to be asking for a syc eval for him. I guess there are other services that he can be getting through the center that we are already working through prayers please your into that. I am but I respect that not everyone is. Good luck to all.

Sarah - posted on 07/14/2011

Personally...the minute my son can acknowledge that he is even on the autism spectrum, will be the day I battle like hell to have the label removed!! That would show me that he has a better awareness and understanding of things around him. Currently he is 9, functions and behaves like he's between 4-5 yrs, but is apparently considered 'high high functioning'!
Seriously...if this is as good as it gets, I should just quit beating a dead horse, and give up now!

Connie - posted on 07/14/2011

I don't know why people want to hear that kind of diagnosis because it is not a fun one to hear! I wish with all my heart that my son had not been put on the Autism Spectrum but I can not change that dx and he is still my son and I love him very much and worry about him all the time but he is high functioning at alot of things...

Dawn - posted on 07/14/2011

My youngest who has a dx of autism, IEP no problem, elder son with dx of aspergers... 4 yr fight to get an IEP. Thats part of why parents look for autism dx. getting that IEP and educational accomodation and support is the name of the "game". In addition ins mandates require certain treatments to be paid for by ins for autism but pdd-nos or aspergers get nothing.

Heather - posted on 07/14/2011

I know when I was at the dr's with my son he's 2 1/2 he has night terrors and is verry busy bounces and spins for hours straight (really non stop) we thought like his sister we would be told ADHD but after about 31/2 hours she says I think some thing else is going on. She has this love talk about a pizza and how like autism and adhd/add and other thing as such they are many thing in and everyone like their pizza differently and in every body these things can look the same and difeert at the same time. She said Theo is show signs more like autism then adhd she also thought that I would get mad at th dx of autism. the final dx was autism adhd a speach delay and night terrors. I told her why would I get mad I came to you because we new something was not right we did not know what but there was just something. I do have a friend who's drs are saying autism maybe but a sensory problem she has had her son to many drs and just want the right answer not the it might be this or that or something else . I know all we want is to know what and how to help our children learn and grow to be the best them they can be.

Cheri - posted on 07/13/2011

I am one of the parents that would prefer a diagnosis of autism so I will give you my perspective. My son was diagnosed with PDD-NOS a year ago at a clinic that specializes in autism spectrum disorders. We did not want this diagnosis but we were not surprised when it was given to us. We knew our son would have developmental issues because he was born at 24 weeks. We had started questioning things a few months before his Early Childhood Intervention teacher as well as his speech therapist mentioned the possibility of autism or PDD-NOS. We had seen odd behaviors from as early on as 18 months but everything was always attributed to his extreme prematurity. Even though we were expecting the diagnosis, it was still hard to swallow. I don’t think any parent necessarily wants their child to be diagnosed with any form of autism. They simply want their child to get the help he/she needs and that doesn’t always happen with some of the alternate diagnoses. We are taking our son to a developmental pediatrician tomorrow because his original symptoms began to escalate about 6 months after his diagnosis. I am very concerned that this new doctor is going to tell us that in fact he is not on the spectrum but instead has a sensory processing disorder. My husband says I am just being paranoid but our son’s OT recommended that I read The Out of Sync Child and after doing so I began to wonder. My husband and I still firmly believe that our son is on the spectrum, as do a few of our family members and friends who have experience with children and adults on the spectrum. There are many more however who don’t believe he is on the spectrum simply because he doesn’t fit their idea of autism. They don’t understand the concept of a spectrum disorder. I think one of the reasons parents "want" their children to be diagnosed with autism or something on the spectrum instead of just a sensory disorder is because autism is more widely accepted and treated. I, for one, am concerned that if the PDD-NOS diagnosis is removed our son won’t get the help he needs in school.

Venna - posted on 07/09/2011

Wow my son has not been diagnosed yet but we are involved with the early intervention program because he is just 20 months old. My husband really wants to get his diagnosed and we had actually had an argument about it the other day because he wanted to get him diagnosed and I was more concerned about dealing with the symptoms at that point. However, I can see where he is coming from because he is that type of person that he likes to look things up and he likes to know what his son is going through and where they had us looking up sensory processing disorder stuff to get an idea of what he is going through that is not his diagnoses. So we are also going to start our appointments with the hearing and eye doctors because the therapists don't think that zachery my son is tracking as well and they don't think that he can hear certain pitches well. We will see I am also so fed up with the health car system as it stands right now, we are very fortunate enough right now to be getting assistance from the government though thank the lord for that though. I am sure we would have been pretty well stuck if we were not able to get help through our area. We live in an area that is pretty on top of our special needs community. I can't imagine parents wanting diagnoses when they don't need one. My son just came off of a really bad week and it was really bad and I know that this is only the beginning and there are going to be many more days like those and it is like the other mother said just when you think you are ready to pull your hair out then he will run up to me and wrap his arms around me and mouth me and then suddenly all my worries just fade away and it is awesome. I with the best of luck to everyone out there I think that we are going to have to enter the diagnoses arena very soon probably on his 2 year check up but I will go with paper work and assessments and everything that way they will not have to much room to tell me that I am over reacting. When we started this journey he was about 9 months behind and now I think he is anywhere from 5 to 6 months behind I am not sure yet because we have not been able to finish the assessment yet but we will. Good luck to you all and I am sure I will see you on here. Have a great Saturday.

Sarah - posted on 07/08/2011

I completely agree with you Chasity! When my oldest son was diagnosed almost 4 years ago, I prayed for anything but autism, even though it was really quite obvious. More and more people like you said, just want to push and push, until someone finally says what they want to hear!
A toddler jumps up and down and flaps their arms, so they must be autistic, right! Alot of toddlers do that, as a way to self regulate! My youngest son did that, he also grew out of it, he is not on the spectrum! However my 9 year diagnosed son does, that is not normal!
What ever are people going to do when they tighten down the diagnostic criteria with the new DSM 5?

Katherine - posted on 07/06/2011

It is a sense of closure. And then you can begin to take steps to do something about it instead of thinking your child misbehaves, or does unusual things just because.