thread: Aspergers/Autism/Sensory Integration Chatter #3

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  1. #1
    Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

    Jan 2005
    Funky Town, Vic
    7,070

    Fark fark farkity fark.

    Had an appt here today with our neurotherapy chick. She wants further investigation becuase she doesn't believe ds has Aspergers and is leaning towards ADHD and ODD.

    Why? - Superior language skills. Massive engery levels and inability to concentrate for a decent periods, the huge anger/rage issues when he can't have his own way.

    I'm not surprised really. I like and trust this girl and she says - he is very perceptive of the environment around him, he is aware of the effect of his behaviour on others (and in fact often threatens to "go off") and CAN behave perfectly when it suits him. In fact he is quite the little charmer.

    Recently I have been noticing these things too. Foolishly I thought it was all the hometherapy I've been doing with him . I'm sure it has helped.....but when xp called me a few weeks ago to tell me ds was the life of the party at his place I thought we were making leaps. He strides to the front door to greet his grandads work buddies, shakes their hands and asks how their day is. Sits on the wives knees and makes jokes and chats away.

    He has started to deal with other kids better - he is able to walk away from problems, and seems to have a better understanding of friendships. He made friends with a few kids on bikes out the front last week. He has no problem approaching people anymore. In fact he walked straight up to a group of guys down the main street (one of them had a snake!), puts out his hand and said "Hi, I'm Mitch, and that's my dad over there, can I see?" Surely this isn't Aspergers/Autism?

    But what about the silly rituals - The Simpsons, the trains, Star Wars.......

    I'm so tired from thinking about it. Bourbon time.

  2. #2

    Dec 2005
    not with crazy people
    8,023

    to hard to say babe...shiata brick and al the compost with it!!!!

    Know what I find so dame frustrating...the fact that our kids haveto have a 'label' to get any sort of help what so ever.

    My pead discribed the difference of autism/aspy to me last week..autism is more non social were aspy is more in your face social...Mateauz is full on in your face/take me home I dont care sort of kid were Wilhelm is the dont touch me/get the fark out of my space kid KWIM?? so in a way yes...M man is showing true traits of aspys

    I that something get's sorted quickly for you guy's...friggen rollercoaster crap!!!!

    *maz passes flaggon over to Lu*

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    Sydney NSW
    4,837

    Hugs Lu, the aspy boy in my class does heaps of those things too which confuses me, he doesn't even have any obsessions.
    Riley has been throwing hysterical tanties where he punches DD2 if things don't go his way, he is fine with everyone else except her
    The OT got him to eat 2 baked beans today but when we got home he siad he wasn't eating them again and ate mashed potato for dinner and refused even chicken.

    Pass me the bourbon too- between dealing with my full on sensory seeking aspy at school then coming home to DS I am at the end of my rope.

  4. #4
    BellyBelly Member
    Add Yeddi on Facebook

    Aug 2010
    In a library somewhere...
    788

    In fact he walked straight up to a group of guys down the main street (one of them had a snake!), puts out his hand and said "Hi, I'm Mitch, and that's my dad over there, can I see?" Surely this isn't Aspergers/Autism?

    But what about the silly rituals - The Simpsons, the trains, Star Wars.......

    I'm so tired from thinking about it. Bourbon time.
    Go with your gut. You know your child better then the "single serve" psychologists (a bit of a Fight Club reference there but you know what I mean). Being interested in people isn't an instant autism rule out. My daughter used to do a similar thing. Some kids on the spectrum learn everything there is about space, or dinosaurs etc. My DD's tick was collecting information about people - this is why she's a PPD-NOS rather than straight out aspergers. The thing is, she didn't actually CARE about the people themselves, she just wanted to know the details so she catalogue them. What's your name? What are you doing? - Basically, narrate your life... It used to drive me balmy! Her biggest problem ( and still is) is a lack of discrimination. She will go up to ANYONE. Engage with ANYONE. Wants to talk to ANYONE. Wants to show affection to ANYONE - including wanting to give the repair man she's only met five minutes ago a kiss and cuddle goodbye - scary. Understanding social boundaries is also about being discriminatory. The thing I've personally found through speaking with other parents and personal experience is that a lot of autistic kids need a lot of help understanding the idea of "degree". To them it's either all or nothing, black or white, full or empty. It's all about RULES. If this is wrong then the complete opposite must be right...

    Is he discriminating between who he approaches and who he doesn't? Is the interest he shows in the people themselves or is he following a script? Does he actually want to get to know them, is he looking for a connection? Or is this a new tick where he's just collecting information? This is the fundamental question.
    Last edited by Yeddi; August 23rd, 2010 at 08:13 PM.

  5. #5
    Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

    Jan 2005
    Funky Town, Vic
    7,070

    *Lulu grabs the flagon, sinks the lot and passes around the Bourbon.

    Further points -

    *we raced through the dx to beat the clock for funding. Dx psych wasn't entirely happy with concrete aspy dx and did mention PDD-NOS and shades of other bits but god love her pushed it through for the $$$ and therefore extra help with intervention.

    *ODD was something I did research, in fact before Aspergers. ADHD didn't even want to consider because of the constant mentions of medication. He really does ping off the walls though.

    *He has not rated very high on the sensory tests either. After all that crap with the other stupid OT, a proper Autism-y OT has come to this conclusion. It's still there though.

    I don't think he is ticking things off (totally get what you mean RE), he seems to really be looking for connections lately. There is to AND fro. When on form he is charming. He engages people right back - when he approched the snake people, apparently he did it with such a smile they all grabbed him and gave him head noogies and he laughed his butt off.

    Jury isn't out either way but the ODD has always been at the back of my mind.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Apr 2010
    1,118

    Had another minor argument today ... this is about a thermometer that remembers minimum and maximum temperatures. To clear the memory, you press reset. Pressing min (or max) twice returns you to the ordinary temperature.

    "Can I press the min button?"
    "Er, yes ..."
    "It says zero!"
    "That was last night's minimum. Press the reset button so we can find out tonight's"
    "I pressed min again! See, it says six again!"
    "That's just the current temperature, press reset"
    "I already pressed min!"
    "Can you press the reset button then?"
    "But I already pressed min!!!!"

    Ugh. I just took it off her and did it for her and showed her that now the min, max and normal temperatures were all 'six'.

  7. #7
    Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

    Jan 2005
    Funky Town, Vic
    7,070

    good o - then next time she wants to press stuff, ask her which button does what...

    Maz, I don't mind the labels as long as we have access to help and early intervention.

    The best thing about it all is the fact I have got this funding. Without it I would not have been able to access the people that are helping me. Oh yes, I know my son better than anyone and we share a certain brainspace - but these people know about brain function and neuroplasticity in ways that I don't. These are the people that have a passion for the inner workings of the mind and have studied it for years, done stats, research and observations on many more children than just mine.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    Sydney NSW
    4,837

    I have had the BEST day!! I went to an inservice course run by Sue Larkey on Autism/ASD and sensory issues and it was inspiring and helpful and fantastic. She is an amazing speaker and I came home wanting to be her!! She started out as a teacher who had an autistic boy in her class and no extra help or training and has gone on from there to be an expert in ASD especially teaching.
    Some of the great quotes I got from today were:

    To know someone with autism is not to know autism. Everyone is different even those with ASD
    Choose your battles
    Without a label you will be mislabelled like badly behaved/rude/undisciplined .

    I have written a couple of pages of notes and I have some handouts too. She has written a number of books which I am hoping the school will buy.
    Anyway enough of my new girl crush LOL

  9. #9
    Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

    Jan 2005
    Funky Town, Vic
    7,070

    I'm SO JEALOUS!!!!!

    Isn't it amazing to hear someone so passionate - and what a fascinating subject.

    I'm really annoyed I never became a teacher, because I'd love to be able to support kids in the school system...bit too late now dammit!