I think that almost every symptom can be attributed to more than one disorder. I know that Sensory Integration Disorder (SID), sensory integration disorder, seems to be a part of almost every disease. Or at least the sensory issues are - I dont' know if they actually diagnosis the disorder every time. But I think MOST of our kids could be helped with brushing therapy. After learning how to do it properly and getting the OK from the occupational therapist I used brushing therapy with all 3 of my kids. It helped them all. thank you was the youngest, and his brain I guess adapted easiest, so it was more obvious in him. Jess has the fewest symptoms, and no real diagnosis other than epilepsy, but it really helped her also. It decreased her migraines and made her MUCH easier to live with during her period. For Wiz it certainly helped him tolerate the family and he was less aggressive when he would allow the brushing.
ADHD is the diagnosis I think an overwhelming number of us start with. The various types and symptoms of ADHD seem to be part of so many disorders that I have a very hard time seeing it as a stand alone diagnosis. I know it is considered to be. And I have NO medical training other than what I have learned as a patient and parent. But it seems that so very very many of our kids have ADHD sx. With Aspergers Syndrome, ADHD really IS a symptom. It was described to me this way: ADHD is part of the Aspergers, but if it isn't written as a separate diagnosis then there are not as many services available to the child. The insurance companies tend to squawk over various treatments if ADHD isn't "formally" a diagnosis, but it isn't a "primary" diagnosis for my Aspie.
Since I don't care WHAT they call it as long as he gets the help, I didn't fuss or fight it.
People with Aspergers perseverate or obsess on things. Often they have one big topic of overwhelming interest and NO interest in many other things. Depending on the degree of it, the Aspie may or may not have a diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It also depends on how well they HIDE it, because some of them do learn to hide it. And even with the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) letters tacked on, the patient may or may not get treatment for the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - it may just be swept up into the other accomodations and medications.
But Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tendencies can also be bipolar. Same for ADHD, and so many other things..
My Aspie is NOT schizophrenic or bipolar. But he DID have hallucinations for a while. (VERY FRIGHTENING to me, esp as he was fixated on violence at the time).
Much of the time the diagnosis depends on the degree of the symptom, what the doctor sees most in the patient, what the doctor really HEARS the parents say, what he actually pays attention to, and what drug rep has been through or what paper he is writing.
Diagnosing mental illness is not like diagnosing strep throat - they can't just take a swab, make you gag, and grow some funky cells to see what kills them. Mental illness is more like the blind men who see the elephant for the first time - the different parts that they touch define what they consider the elephant to be, and the different parts the doctor sees/pays attention to define what diagnosis is given.
This is why it can take YEARS to get a correct diagnosis. It is why we encourage parents to push for very intensive testing whether it be from a neuropsychologist or a multidisciplinary team or a developmental pediatrician or whomever will work with you to tease out the right answer.
Oddly enough, the very first time we saw a psychiatrist (with the md - we had seen 5 or 6 psychologists by this time) she told me she thought the diagnosis would end up being Aspergers, but she wanted to wait and do some testing and she wanted me to THINK about trying stimulants for the ADHD part.
Ten years later lots of other docs have suggested lots of things, and many have been ruled out as conclusively as I guess you can rule them out. Not bipolar - no mania. Certainly depression, but mood stabilizers do nothing and with-o an antidepressant he tries to kill himself. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), OH YEAH, but it is treated by the same medication that handles the depression. ADHD, most certainly - and a non-stimulant medication is helpful with that.
And he doesn't sleep. So he gets a mild dose of an older anti-depressant at bedtime and it works like a charm.