Hi, i'm kind of new

[stressedmumto2]

Hi, I'm kind of new have posted a few times but I haven't really introduced myself.

 

I have 2 children, one has been dx with adhd, poss aspergers, poss odd. He is in mainstream school and is aged 7.

 

My son was seen by SALT and education physcologist who both almost word for word said that they felt he didn't meet the criteria for a diagnosis for aspergers as his interests wasn't to the inclusion of everything else.

 

His speach appears fine and he doesn't take things literally about the only thing that makes me think maybe has has Aspergers is that he's very obsessional about people (1 friend in paticualr) and he used to be obsessed with fish, I also understand that this could just be strong interests. He also doesn't seem to understand concequences, reasons and that he will not get things his own way. He will be disruptive, violent and thinks that by being this way he can stay out late etc even though he never gets to. I have tried to make him understand that it's not safe for him to play out when it's dark etc but he doesn't understand. Maybe this is juat part of his adhd and nothing else.

 

When he was at playschool they done a conors scale and aspergers something (can't remember now)and his score was 29 for aspergers, the home one showed 24 this was said to me at the time that he did have aspergers traits. But since he's been at school most of the behaviour which determined the scores then has changed and are not so easily obvious. At school they do not think he has aspergers.

 

He appears to make eye contact but at other times it's like he is looking through you again when SALT assessed him they said that he makes eye contact.

 

I don't know what to do, part of me thinks there is something other than just adhd and for a while I thought it was Aspergers but it seems more to me now that maybe it isn't.

 

Are schools normally very good at picking up on stuff like this ?

 

his speach is fine, he doesn't take things literally, he does make eye contact but then could eye contact be because when he was at playschool they tried hard with this or would a child with aspergers still not want to make eye contact ?

 

When he was at playschool he never wanted to mix with the other children, only had 2 friends but at school he has lots of friends, 1 specail frined but lots and now he considers anyone to be a friend even strangers if they say hello to him nicely, lol

 

I'm so confused

 

[ceecee]

The only thing i can personally say is that i do not have obsessions and my eye contact is fine.However apart from the poor short term memory box i tick every other box as someone with aspergers.i think it is possible from what i have read to get a diagnosis of A.S> even if your eye contact is ok and you don't have obsessions, especially if you are ticking the other boxes.

 

Welcome to the forum, hopefully you will be able to get help support and advice that you need on here.

[something_different]

welcome to the forum

[rainbow queen]

<'> <'> <'> BIG HELLO TO YOUXXX

[elaine1]

hello , its a problem isnt it when they tick nearly all but not quite all of the boxes. Hopefully someone will sort it for you. welcome to the madhouse!

[UltraMum]

Hi there - there are so many shades along the spectrum ... and so many different aspects to each of our children.

 

Again - some schools are good at picking stuff up and others less so.

 

It sounds as though you are having more problems at home than anywhere else .. have you thought of contacting your local CAMHS team - find them here

[Elanor]

Hi

 

Most schools are poor at picking up the signs of AS. So are lots of SALTs and ed Psychologists. My best advice is to read something good on AS (eg Tony Attwood) and see if the book is ringing any bells for you.

 

Also, it is sheer ignorance to say that a child hasn't got AS unless he has obsessive behaviours. AS is part of a spectrum, and there are a range of behaviours exhibited to varying degrees. My son has Aspergers, but doesn't have obsessions - he's rather good at eye contact too.

 

If you have concerns, get a referral to your local CAMHS - and try to find out if someone there has a specialism in the autistic spectrum (try your local NAS group). The signs of AS can be subtle, and get missed by lots of people, to the disadvantage of the child who deserves to be better understood.

 

Elanor

[mel_jayne]

HELLO AND WELCOME <'>

[loulou]

Hi,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

I have a 7 year old son who was diagnosed with ADHD 15 months ago. I thought something else was "going on" with him too. It's a very confusing area, especially as some of the "tick boxes" apply to AS and ADHD. I pushed for him to be assessed in the communication disorder clinic and he was diagnosed with ASD too.

 

I think it would be helpful for you to read a good book on AS (ie Tony Attwood as Eleanor suggested). You could keep a behaviour diary too, writing down all the things that concern you. Another book i found helpful was "The ADHD/autism connection" by Diane Kennedy.

 

You could go to your GP to ask for your son to be referred to someone who specialises in AS (ie CAMHS or a Communication Disorder Clinic).

 

Good luck, Loulou x

 

Ps My son sometimes gives eye contact, but other times he just gazes past me.

Edited January 9, 2006 by loulou

[ceecee]

Eleanor

 

i am good at eye contact and don't have obsessions.Like you say it doesn't mean you don't have aspergers.It's a pity the professionals don't realise this.

[DaisyProudfoot]

Hello and welcome

 

I was going to say what LouLou said!

 

Daisy