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Asperberger's diagnosis criteria?
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<blockquote data-quote="OTE" data-source="post: 14025"><p>As you said, an Aspie diagnosis is an art, not a science. For some kids it's very clearly Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) but for others it's not so clear. Since there is no medication or other "cure" (and most Aspies don't want such a thing anyway), the point of diagnosis is only to help you and your child understand the thought patterns. With understanding you can help your child function within the limits society sets on us. Often you need the diagnosis to get services from schools, health insur and maybe something like daughter services. But don't focus on the diagnosis in the long term. Focus on how that label can help you and your child. eg having the diagnosis is not going to tell you why your child rages. It can point to possible reasons but it is not going to give you the reasons.</p><p></p><p>You've identified a number of reasons including transitions and sensory overload. Obviously you're working with the psychologist to help him develop better ways of responding to the feelings that he has when in these situations. And obviously with some of these issues it's a matter of developing a tolerance, so they build up a tolerance by increasing exposure. I can tell you that my Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kid doesn't have a problem with transitions because we worked on that for a period of years. Which is not to say that he doesn't have trouble giving up his obsessions but the general inability to transition is gone. The example you use of having a meltdown because his objects that are lined up are disarranged is a good one. Mine still gets upset at these things but recovers very quickly now. Again, it took time and finding ways he would accept to develop the tolerance. eg you might try getting a kitchen timer for him. When the cards fall on the floor get him (over time by doing it yourself at first and so forth) to set the timer for 10 minutes. Tell him by the time the timer rings the cards will be arranged again and work with him to pick them up and arrange them. It might also help to sing his favorite song, recite the alphabet, times tables or whatever sooths him while doing this. So he has both something that he can do in his head when in an upsetting situation (reciting or singing) and an anticipation that it will be right shortly. Didn't mean to go on but want to say that by doing things like this every time it happens he learns to do this himself and eventually will not have a serious reaction when it happens.</p><p></p><p>Same sort of thing with playdates. He develops the tolerance for change by anticipating a good time during that time, not the friend specifically. So when a friend cancels immediately go into Plan B which is that the two of you do something special that he really likes. He learns to associate special time vs specific friend and eventually will substitute something fun by himself.</p><p></p><p>The advantage of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) class at school, a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) specific therapist, etc is that these people have a bag of tricks to help you with these things. And the younger you start the sooner these things will work. Since mine was identified young I can say that by 10 most of this was resolved. You're getting a later start but you'll get there.</p><p></p><p>Couple of other thoughts... the slight hyperlexia but inability to get concepts is typical. The teachers should be using the std Learning Disability (LD) techniques to work on it. Again, mine is 12 and we're finally starting to see progress with this now that he has a good teacher who understands Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). The black and white and literal thinking is classic. What the child needs, and the social skills classes are the same is a list of rules, a lot of role playing. So make a list of those acronyms, slang, expressions, etc and put it on the wall in his room. When he hears one, instead of reacting he can go to the list to see what it means or remind you that it's one that hasn't been added and the two of you put it on the list. It becomes an academic exercise that the two of you engage in jointly, he is not left out, he's included. All of society's rules, walking up to someone and sticking out your hand and saying "Hi my name is x what's yours" is something that he practices as an academic exercise. Repetition is how he learns. It will never be natural to him but it will become his practice. My son and I for the last yr have been talking about strangers vs friends. He sees people as one or the other. School tells him that all kids are friends. So is a 16 or 18 yr old his friend? How do you teach him to know the difference? How does he know when a stranger has become a friend? So we're working on a set of rules. That's not easy for me but with enough organization and structure we'll get there.</p><p></p><p>eg about the clothes.. he's told you that it's less stressful for him to have rules for clothes, set outfits, only a couple of options. Given his penchant for organization this is classic. He's not going to understand what matches with what without written specific rules. So having all those options creates stress for him and stress leads to... So set up his clothes in his room, when he gets them back, in outfits rather than by type of clothes. All these little stress reduction things will help.</p><p></p><p>Loads of us here have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kids so just tell us what you're having trouble with and we can offer suggestions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="OTE, post: 14025"] As you said, an Aspie diagnosis is an art, not a science. For some kids it's very clearly Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) but for others it's not so clear. Since there is no medication or other "cure" (and most Aspies don't want such a thing anyway), the point of diagnosis is only to help you and your child understand the thought patterns. With understanding you can help your child function within the limits society sets on us. Often you need the diagnosis to get services from schools, health insur and maybe something like daughter services. But don't focus on the diagnosis in the long term. Focus on how that label can help you and your child. eg having the diagnosis is not going to tell you why your child rages. It can point to possible reasons but it is not going to give you the reasons. You've identified a number of reasons including transitions and sensory overload. Obviously you're working with the psychologist to help him develop better ways of responding to the feelings that he has when in these situations. And obviously with some of these issues it's a matter of developing a tolerance, so they build up a tolerance by increasing exposure. I can tell you that my Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kid doesn't have a problem with transitions because we worked on that for a period of years. Which is not to say that he doesn't have trouble giving up his obsessions but the general inability to transition is gone. The example you use of having a meltdown because his objects that are lined up are disarranged is a good one. Mine still gets upset at these things but recovers very quickly now. Again, it took time and finding ways he would accept to develop the tolerance. eg you might try getting a kitchen timer for him. When the cards fall on the floor get him (over time by doing it yourself at first and so forth) to set the timer for 10 minutes. Tell him by the time the timer rings the cards will be arranged again and work with him to pick them up and arrange them. It might also help to sing his favorite song, recite the alphabet, times tables or whatever sooths him while doing this. So he has both something that he can do in his head when in an upsetting situation (reciting or singing) and an anticipation that it will be right shortly. Didn't mean to go on but want to say that by doing things like this every time it happens he learns to do this himself and eventually will not have a serious reaction when it happens. Same sort of thing with playdates. He develops the tolerance for change by anticipating a good time during that time, not the friend specifically. So when a friend cancels immediately go into Plan B which is that the two of you do something special that he really likes. He learns to associate special time vs specific friend and eventually will substitute something fun by himself. The advantage of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) class at school, a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) specific therapist, etc is that these people have a bag of tricks to help you with these things. And the younger you start the sooner these things will work. Since mine was identified young I can say that by 10 most of this was resolved. You're getting a later start but you'll get there. Couple of other thoughts... the slight hyperlexia but inability to get concepts is typical. The teachers should be using the std Learning Disability (LD) techniques to work on it. Again, mine is 12 and we're finally starting to see progress with this now that he has a good teacher who understands Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). The black and white and literal thinking is classic. What the child needs, and the social skills classes are the same is a list of rules, a lot of role playing. So make a list of those acronyms, slang, expressions, etc and put it on the wall in his room. When he hears one, instead of reacting he can go to the list to see what it means or remind you that it's one that hasn't been added and the two of you put it on the list. It becomes an academic exercise that the two of you engage in jointly, he is not left out, he's included. All of society's rules, walking up to someone and sticking out your hand and saying "Hi my name is x what's yours" is something that he practices as an academic exercise. Repetition is how he learns. It will never be natural to him but it will become his practice. My son and I for the last yr have been talking about strangers vs friends. He sees people as one or the other. School tells him that all kids are friends. So is a 16 or 18 yr old his friend? How do you teach him to know the difference? How does he know when a stranger has become a friend? So we're working on a set of rules. That's not easy for me but with enough organization and structure we'll get there. eg about the clothes.. he's told you that it's less stressful for him to have rules for clothes, set outfits, only a couple of options. Given his penchant for organization this is classic. He's not going to understand what matches with what without written specific rules. So having all those options creates stress for him and stress leads to... So set up his clothes in his room, when he gets them back, in outfits rather than by type of clothes. All these little stress reduction things will help. Loads of us here have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kids so just tell us what you're having trouble with and we can offer suggestions. [/QUOTE]
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