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LilithPaige

6 Year old ADOS assessment?

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Hi there,

 

I wondered if anyone has experience of an ADOS assessment, I have been advised by the school to seek one for my 6 year old boy. I really have no idea what to expect - I'm not sure I understand even what signs I should be looking out for in my child, feeling rather confused about the whole thing to be honest.

My son is seeing a speech therapist as he is having difficulties with some sounds B's and P's in particular. He seems quite young for his age compared to my older two boys, he will interact little with other children he seems to want to make friends but is just too involved in his own thing(?) he loves computer games, will scream the house down if I take his DS off of him ... he is a nice boy, loves kisses and cuddles. The school think he has difficulties following multi step instructions.

GP appointment made for middle of April to discuss the next step for a ADOS assessment. He really doesn’t seem very different to his older brothers at that age.

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The signs they look out for are poor eye contact (they seem to make a big issue out of that), special interests, voice and intonation. ability to read and express emotions, etc. Does he have a particular sensory issues - bright lights, lous/sudden noises, touch, taste, smell, crowded places?

 

The ADOS assessment is suitable for any age, and not difficult. There are noright answers. He'll be asked a few questions, asked to pick a few objects from a little bag and to make a story out of them, and also try to explain what's happening in a picture book about flying frogs! I messed that up due to the stress of getting there (busy, noisy roads, etc.). I think there was another little test too, but I can't remember it now.

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Thank you Mihaela its nice to know what to expect! I suppose Malakai's eye contact really isnt the best but usually he is very quick to find something and focus on that so I think thats normal? He hates loud noises and is a very picky eater but other than that I dont think anything stands out. He isnt much of a story creator though so Im not sure how that will go! I feel like now that someone has said it I am constantly watching him and everything he does to look for signs I haven’t seen before. I guess my biggest concern is the fact that my cousin has a child who is Malakai's age and if my boy had long hair they would look identical and she has been diagnosed with autism, I know that looking similar makes no difference but it is what is stuck in my head! I work in mental health and see a few learning disabilities and i know it isnt nessercarily a bad thing, Im just getting myself worked up now for no reason! haha It will be fine either way.

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It's perfectly natural to look for signs. Any parent would - or at least should. I had to look for my own signs, as until then no psychiatrist or doctor had bothered to put two and two together, for their training in autism was minimal. I was amazed at just how many signs there were. I wouldn't worry about his story-making abilities, for that alone can suggest autism. Parents can often sense a difference in their children when other cannot. It's very interesting that you see a resemblance between Malakai and your cousin's daughter. Can you trace a possible hereditary link on that side of the family? Don't forget that earlier generations may never have diagnosed. I traced a clear line back to my grandmother - six blood relatives all on my mother's side of the family.

No, it's not a bad thing at all. The only bad thing is how the neurotypical world will treat him throughout his life. In my own case, due to a very late diagnosis (a direct result of the deaths of my parents) I've been treated shockingly by people and organisations who should have known better. Now that I have it, maybe, just maybe, things will improve. My life has been difficult beyond belief - and all because I was born 'different'. So please take this as a warning. Even today, with wide knowledge of autism I know of many children and adults who are being treated badly. There's still an enormous need for better awareness and training.

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