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aspergers 3 year old

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If you have had a child diagnosed with AS I was just wondering what their communication was like as a preschool child. At 3, for example was their speech/ verbal communication different to their peers and if so, in what ways?

 

Thanks for any input .

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This is probably one of those 'How long is a piece of string?' questions so you will probably get a big difference in replies.

 

At three, Kerre (male), had a pretty extensive vocabulary and spoke in sentences. However, he didn't speak a good deal - it was as though he wanted it all to be perfect so was not prepared to experiment. He also displayed a good deal of echolalia at this stage and repeated, verbatim, things he had heard. He was not a spontaneous speaker and rarely initiated conversation.

 

Why do you ask?

 

Barefoot

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The criteria for a dx of AS still remains the same and that is no speech delay. If there is a delay then the dx should be High Functioning Autsim.

 

Oracle

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This is probably one of those 'How long is a piece of string?' questions so you will probably get a big difference in replies.

 

At three, Kerre (male), had a pretty extensive vocabulary and spoke in sentences. However, he didn't speak a good deal - it was as though he wanted it all to be perfect so was not prepared to experiment. He also displayed a good deal of echolalia at this stage and repeated, verbatim, things he had heard. He was not a spontaneous speaker and rarely initiated conversation.

 

Why do you ask?

 

Barefoot

 

Thanks. It is just I have some concerns about my sons social skills. His speech is not delayed and I was just wondered if children with AS displayed any differences with their speech from a young age.

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The criteria for a dx of AS still remains the same and that is no speech delay. If there is a delay then the dx should be High Functioning Autsim.

 

Oracle

 

Thanks. I was just wondering that even though their is no speech delay whether there was a difference in how they used their language to communicate with others from their peers.

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Sam definatly has Aspergers.

 

At 3 his speech was delayed.

He does not have autism as Nathan does, he has word finding difficulties* and that truly slowed him down and required input from a specilaist nursary at a very early age

 

(Sam was in a special nursary from 2 and placed in a special school dealing with autism at 4, by 5 thanks to intensive speech theraphy he was included in mainstream as he could make himself understood even though he still has the 'oddness' of speech associated with Aspergers.)

 

*Sam is classed as being gifted with complex specific learning difficulties*

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In my son's case his speech and language was (superficially) extremely advanced, and he sounded like a little adult when he talked, even as a little child.

 

Now he's 17 he just grunts, of course!! :lol:

 

Bid :)

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Hi My son mathew's speech was fine and in some ways advanced! he was speaking in small sentences from 17mths. we did always no he had problems from the word go though, in all the other areas! it was until 4 1/2 I began to think AS then he was diagnosed at just over 5!

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Hi my experience is similar to bid.Ben had a complex vocabulary from an early age.Now at 8 he has been assessed as having the vocabulary of a 16-21 year old.Ben's difficultiies are more noticable in the area of social communication.Karen

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The criteria for diagnosing AS or HFA was not created by me. As it stands at the moment this is what it says:

 

taken from source

 

ICD 10 (World Health Organisation 1992) Diagnostic Criteria

 

A. A lack of any clinically significant delay in language or cognitive development.

 

Diagnosis requires that single words should have developed by two years of age or earlier and that communicative phrases be used by three years of age or earlier. Self-help skills, adaptive behaviour and curiosity about the environment during the first three years should be at a level consistent with normal intellectual development. However, motor milestones may be somewhat delayed and motor clumsiness is usual (although not a necessary diagnostic feature). Isolated special skills, often related to abnormal preoccupations, are common, but are not required for diagnosis.

 

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) Diagnostic Criteria

There is no clinically significant general delay in language (eg: single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).

 

FIGURE 1: ICD-10 criteria for autism

 

Delay in, or total lack of, development of spoken language that is not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through the use of gesture or mime as an alternative mode of communication (often preceded by a lack of communicative babbling)

 

Oracle

Edited by oracle

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Sam definatly has Aspergers.

 

At 3 his speech was delayed.

He does not have autism as Nathan does, he has word finding difficulties* and that truly slowed him down and required input from a specilaist nursary at a very early age

 

(Sam was in a special nursary from 2 and placed in a special school dealing with autism at 4, by 5 thanks to intensive speech theraphy he was included in mainstream as he could make himself understood even though he still has the 'oddness' of speech associated with Aspergers.)

 

*Sam is classed as being gifted with complex specific learning difficulties*

 

Thanks for your reply

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In my son's case his speech and language was (superficially) extremely advanced, and he sounded like a little adult when he talked, even as a little child.

 

Now he's 17 he just grunts, of course!! :lol:

 

Bid :)

 

Thanks Bid. That is what I thought - that you may get some very advanced talkers!

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Hi My son mathew's speech was fine and in some ways advanced! he was speaking in small sentences from 17mths. we did always no he had problems from the word go though, in all the other areas! it was until 4 1/2 I began to think AS then he was diagnosed at just over 5!

 

 

Thanks. I thought some AS children may be advanced with speech.

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Hi my experience is similar to bid.Ben had a complex vocabulary from an early age.Now at 8 he has been assessed as having the vocabulary of a 16-21 year old.Ben's difficultiies are more noticable in the area of social communication.Karen

 

 

Thanks. That is interesting to know.

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The criteria for diagnosing AS or HFA was not created by me. As it stands at the moment this is what it says:

 

taken from source

 

ICD 10 (World Health Organisation 1992) Diagnostic Criteria

 

A. A lack of any clinically significant delay in language or cognitive development.

 

Diagnosis requires that single words should have developed by two years of age or earlier and that communicative phrases be used by three years of age or earlier. Self-help skills, adaptive behaviour and curiosity about the environment during the first three years should be at a level consistent with normal intellectual development. However, motor milestones may be somewhat delayed and motor clumsiness is usual (although not a necessary diagnostic feature). Isolated special skills, often related to abnormal preoccupations, are common, but are not required for diagnosis.

 

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) Diagnostic Criteria

There is no clinically significant general delay in language (eg: single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).

 

FIGURE 1: ICD-10 criteria for autism

 

Delay in, or total lack of, development of spoken language that is not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through the use of gesture or mime as an alternative mode of communication (often preceded by a lack of communicative babbling)

 

Oracle

 

 

I think the issues are that there is no delay in speech as such before 3 but there may be a delay after 3 and also children may use language/speech differently that other children which could give you some early pointers towards AS (even though there is no tecnical delay before 3). Also, some AS children can be more advanced in speech as a young child i.e. speaking early in sentences etc (which rings true to some of the people who have replied)

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my daughter had very advanced speech, but pead always felt there was some ecolalia there (but used correctly in context) She had a "crisis " last summer and regressed in many areas, with her language the social interaction with peers has been completely missing. Last week, age 4, she spontaneously spoke to a child sitting next to her at nursery for the first time in 1 1/2 years!!! :D

 

Her pead believes she is AS, but as she has recently been found to have global brain damage, pead isn't in a hurry to dx :huh:

 

A x

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I'm currently under the process of being assessed for Aspergers myself (appointment in November). I asked my mum what my talking was like as a young child and she said that although she could have a conversation with me from quite a young age, I rarely initiated talking. This carried on and is still true to a large extent now, though I'm much better at initating conversations now. I did - and still do - leave pauses in odd places (usually because I lose track of the words but sometimes, well, I don't know why). I would often speak through my mum if someone asked me a question and often still speak through DH. I used to speak extremely fast, so much so that hardly anyone could understand me, but I've slowed down a lot. I'm still fast, but can be understood now. I also have no definable accent.

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If you have had a child diagnosed with AS I was just wondering what their communication was like as a preschool child. At 3, for example was their speech/ verbal communication different to their peers and if so, in what ways?

 

Thanks for any input .

 

 

Hi, my son is nearly 13 now. His speech was never delayed as such, in fact he was advanced with his speech, but when he was very little he had some odd little speech related 'habits'.

 

Everytime he said a sentance, he would start it with "actually" and whenever anyone started to say anything to him, he would cut them off just as they'd started and say, "what do you mean" before he had even listened to the whole sentance. When he was very little he never spoke when he was outside the house so people didn't believe me when I said that at 2 he was fully verbal!! :lol:

 

He used to like me to read the same book to him every night and when we reached particular points in the book he would chip in with exactly the same comment or word as if on cue!

 

He is still very pedantic when it comes to speech and heaven forbid if you make an error when you're speaking!! :D

 

~ Mel ~

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Thanks. I was just wondering that even though their is no speech delay whether there was a difference in how they used their language to communicate with others from their peers.

 

That's my understanding, that their early speech development is normal but they still have difficulties in communication in the social use of speech, being literal, difficulties recognising non-verbal communication, tone of voice or facial expressions

 

Lx

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There is a difference in the way that children with AS communicate I have seen this with both sons. I had questions and answer sessions with my two as opposed to a real conversation when they were younger.

 

I posted the criteria because if there has been a delay in speech then a dx of Aspergers can not be given although it is now being used. The fact is that the criteria for diagnosis has not changed - but Consultants are moving the goal posts themselves. Probably because AS is a cost effective dx :( My youngest had a speech delay at 3 he was none verbal now aged 9 he is as verbal as his 19 year old brother with AS. He was given a dx of HFA and that is correct. Also they can't then decided when a child is 9 that they then have AS. You can not put the clock back and wipe out a speech delay.

 

As you can probably tell this is something I feel strongly about and I do so because I do believe that a dx of AS is now being handed out like a tube of smarties just to save service providers money :( and also dare I say to help parents feel better because they sell AS as being less autistic.

 

Sorry I will shut up now.

 

Oracle

Edited by oracle

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The diagnostic criteria for AS used in America is slightly different in that it states that there can be a language delay or not.

 

My son with AS had early language development (speaking in sentences by the time he was a year old), my youngest son was not given an AS dx because he had a significant delay in language development. I do know of people, and possibly on this forum, who have children with AS and a delay in language.

 

Although Bill's language developed early he did regress around the age of 2 1/2 - 3.

 

Flora :D

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Found this thread really interesting. Both our dd's had language delay.....most severe in our eldest. The other difference was that once our eldest began to talk her speech and language developed very, very rapidly, with her catching her peers up by school age. Our youngest dd had better speech and language ability at a younger age than our eldest, but progressed at a much slower rate and continues to do so, and although she is now 6 she still has difficulty, tends to rely on repetitive phrases, speaks in high pitch tone, and struggles with conversation...mainly using speech to request/demand and to have her needs met as quickly as possible. Our eldest is dx AS and our youngest ASD, and I have no doubts on either dx.

 

On our Early Bird Plus course we were told that those dx AS generally did not have language delay, but not in every case.

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my son hasnt been dx

but i think this is also because he was delayed globally with everything

at 3 his speech was poor and they used alot of visual stuff and signing -makton to try to get feedback ect.....

 

they meaning hospital nursery/and playgroup......

at home i had to guess alot what he wanted ect....or go through a list with him................alot of the tantrums/meltdowns occured because of this too

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my daughter had very advanced speech, but pead always felt there was some ecolalia there (but used correctly in context) She had a "crisis " last summer and regressed in many areas, with her language the social interaction with peers has been completely missing. Last week, age 4, she spontaneously spoke to a child sitting next to her at nursery for the first time in 1 1/2 years!!! :D

 

Her pead believes she is AS, but as she has recently been found to have global brain damage, pead isn't in a hurry to dx :huh:

 

A x

 

Thanks very much for your reply. Glad she's had great leaps at nursery!!

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Because of my sons delay with speech he was diagnosed HFA, they were reluctant to diagnose AS because of it.

 

Maybe he will go on to get an AS diagnosis one day?

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Because of my sons delay with speech he was diagnosed HFA, they were reluctant to diagnose AS because of it.

 

Maybe he will go on to get an AS diagnosis one day?

 

I will not let this happen with Matthew if I can help it which may be me just being stubborn. But you can't ever have a dx of AS if there was a speech delay because you can't ever put the clock back and and wipe out the delay. I realise that I am being pedantic about this but this is because I think the way the dxing is being moved around is being done so to fit in with budgets rather than the child.

 

Sounding like a broken record the way it stands in the UK re criteria for dx a speech delay would be HFA and no speech delay would be AS. Consultants however are moving the goal posts themselves but there has been no official change set by the ICD 10 WHO or DSM-IV diagnostic criteria (1994).

 

This link probably explains it better than myself.

 

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.html#DSM

 

Oracle

Edited by oracle

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I will not let this happen with Matthew if I can help it which may be me just being stubborn. But you can't ever have a dx of AS if there was a speech delay because you can't ever put the clock back and and wipe out the delay. I realise that I am being pedantic about this but this is because I think the way the dxing is being moved around is being done so to fit in with budgets rather than the child.

 

Sounding like a broken record the way it stands in the UK re criteria for dx a speech delay would be HFA and no speech delay would be AS. Consultants however are moving the goal posts themselves but there has been no official change set by the ICD 10 WHO or DSM-IV diagnostic criteria (1994).

 

This link probably explains it better than myself.

 

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.html#DSM

 

Oracle

 

 

Thanks Oracle,

 

Do AS children receive less help than HFA then? Why is this??

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I don't think that there is much difference in the help received I think the words High Functioning give them their out clause in both cases :( Which is another thing I feel strongly about :angry: because what do they mean by High Functioning? It's all based around IQ and that has diddly squat to do with life skills.

 

The reason that I will not let them change Matthew's dx is because until the criteria is officially changed, they can never step back in time and make him without the speech dealy that he had - does that make sense? It's the :devil: in my I am afraid.

 

Oracle

 

[

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Hi

 

This is a tricky one. My son if nearly 5 and his speech and language appear to be excellent eg can hold a conversation with him (when he's in the mood!) and he can sound very adult using long words like 'delicious', etc. But yet several specialists have said they think he has diffuculty understanding things (proven that he responds well when shown visual information). Specialists are having difficulty assessing extent of difficulties because he's a clver cookie and been able to use his wits to get by. Apparently children can regress as well. Guess they're all different, so it's a difficult question to answer.

 

Best wishes

 

Caroline.

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hi my sons speech was severly delayed and didnt create sentences until he was four he just filled them with gobldegook. however when he did his speech was extremly pedantic. his manners impeccable but way too formal for a five yr old, he is actually known as the lil proffessor!

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T didnt speak till he was four, he just squeeked and made singsong noises. He never babbled either as a baby. He speaks fine now though, just mumbles a bit lol. Dont know if thats cos hes 13 or the AS though! :blink:

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My 3yr-old has a dx of AS. His spoken language is excellent but he sounds very old-fashioned. It's a bit like having an old man in a 3yr-old's body. :) His comprehension is not so great. He can find it difficult to understand things like prepositions and different tenses.

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