Book about Aspergers

[katiekat]

OMG...I am reading this book I just got-Parenting Your Asperger Child by Alan Sohn and Cathy Grayson-and I am in complete amazement. It could be called Parenting Sean. Every bizarre little thing he does is mentioned in this book. I know he's got ADHD but I know he's got something else going on. There is even a sub-type called ADHD, OCD, Fantasy Child that could have been written about him personally. I can't believe that Aspergers has not been given as a possible DX before. Although it does say that the average age for a DX of Aspergers is 8. The more I read the more I think this is it. It even mentions children who are obsessed with Yugioh.

[charliegirl]

I hope you can get some great ideas from that book. If they can help you understand what makes Sean tick, it can help you find ways to deal with him. I'm so glad you are finding answers finally!

[misty]

I'm glad too.....I do remember someone mentioning before that Sean could be on the Asperger spectrum....having the book to help validate that will hopefully help the Drs decide to test him for it. I hope so. You do need to have answers so you can get him the help he needs!

[jj]

It's kind of weird how many parents end up pin-pointing what their child has before the doctors do.

KK, I'm curious. Did you ever listen to the "sounds of aspergers" in this thread:

adhdldsupport.proboards107.com/index.cgi?board=autism&action=display&thread=1168213967

I know I thought my grand nephew was autistic and really didn't know much about aspergers but when I heard how most of them talk and the details of aspergers, I knew right then he was in fact aspergers.

[katiekat]

Yes, the very first psychologist we went to said Aspergers. But everyone else said no way. So I never looked into it too much. I am always thinking "this is it" and it never is. His symptoms fit so many things. Although Aspergers is not such a great dX to get I would like one that the professionals can agree on. And if that is what it is then lets start helping. I have been saying the same things since before Sean started kindergarten and we are still nowhere. We got all these dxs and now someone else says no that's not it.

[bugsmom]

KK, its sound as though you may be onto something. Wouldn't it be great to get the right dx and then a suitable school enviorment. I agree with JJ, the parents are key to the right dx. Keep on keeping on...you'll get there and we'll all be cheering! ;D

[jj]

No matter what the DX turns out to be - bad or good - it is always better knowing what you are dealing with. I hope the day comes when you'll be able to say you are satisfied with Sean's DX or Dx's.

Is there a way to go back to the docs that said, "No way, he isn't aspergers" and find out why they say that? Or do you already know?

[katiekat]

They said no because for one thing he communicates with others. Now having done some reading I learned that although Aspergers is on the Autistic spectrum it is different from Autism. People with Aspergers DO talk to others and are often early talkers with large vocabularies-which Sean was. Also the fact the he does not "stim." He does not rock or hand flap-but those with Aspergers do not necessarily have to do those things. From what I have learned unless a doctor has lots of experience with Autism that Aspergers is frequently misdiagnosed.

[jj]

The G-nephew I was talking about is very verbal. I think I mentioned in another thread that although he is very verbal and seems very intelligent, I also thought he repeated things verbatim. For example he would repeat things that his Dad very likely said in a sermon (his Dad is a minister) but like it is "his" knowledge and not his Dad's and it would just come out of the blue without any previous conversation leading up to what he said. Hard to explain....

And just as I am typing this I'm wondering if that isn't what Sean was doing with thinking what a perfect Christmas should be like with the hot chocolate/ the skiing. (Repeating exactly what he heard on T.V. or from some other person)

My G-nephew can be very loving and very friendly but....well, this is the best way I can explain it.....When he would come to my house for a visit (after not seeing him for ages) he wouldn't look at me but rather walk right past me (as if he owned my house) and go from thing to thing, as if he is looking for something, and the touching! He had to touch everything just like you mentioned Sean was doing with the tree (I had forgotten about that until just now).

The difference I see between my G-nephew and Sean is my nephew has never been oppositional and is really a very mellow kid as far as I can tell. But of course I don't live with them and my niece and nephew-in-law DO NOT want to talk about anything as far as DX's for their kids. (They have more than one that is somewhere in the Autistic spectrum).

[katiekat]

Everything you are saying about your g-nephew sounds just like Sean. Is he officially DX'ed or are they in denial? Just wondering since you said they don't like to talk about it.
And yes, the hot chocolate and skiing are both things that he saw on TV. He also repeats things back that he heard someone else say. Sometimes he doesn't even know what it means but he will just say it. He often repeats things that were part of a conversation on a tv show. He also uses words that are too "old" for a child his age. He will say "can this be mended?" instead of fixed like most kids would say. He often uses words incorrectly as well. Like once I asked him how his day was and he answered that it was very faintly.