Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New profile posts
Latest activity
Internet Search
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
Opposition defiant disorder
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="BusynMember" data-source="post: 332397" data-attributes="member: 1550"><p>I really think, if your son sounds like my son, you should read up on Aspergers more. It is often missed by professionals and it does need intervention or the child will not learn the necessary social skills for life. I don't see how the neuropsychologist could not question Aspergers if your son repeats things he hears, has an early interest in letters/numbers/colors/memorizing things (these kids can be early readers, yet have no comprehension), has poor eye contact, and can not sit still. The not sitting still often gets a wrong diagnosis of ADHD. Does your son have trouble stopping one activity and moving on to another? Does this cause him to rage? Does he get upset in crowded, busy places?</p><p></p><p>It is common for spectrum children to have stomach problems too. Mine doesn't, but a lot do. I'd test for both.</p><p></p><p>Here is an article I found about Aspergers in childhood:</p><p><strong>What are some common signs or symptoms?</strong></p><p></p><p> The most distinguishing symptom of AS is a child's obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other. Some children with AS have become experts on vacuum cleaners, makes and models of cars, even objects as odd as deep fat fryers. Children with AS want to know everything about their topic of interest and their conversations with others will be about little else. Their expertise, high level of vocabulary, and formal speech patterns make them seem like little professors. </p><p> </p><p> Children with AS will gather enormous amounts of factual information about their favorite subject and will talk incessantly about it, but the conversation may seem like a random collection of facts or statistics, with no point or conclusion. </p><p> </p><p> Their speech may be marked by a lack of rhythm, an odd inflection, or a monotone pitch. Children with AS often lack the ability to modulate the volume of their voice to match their surroundings. For example, they will have to be reminded to talk softly every time they enter a library or a movie theatre. </p><p> </p><p> Unlike the severe withdrawal from the rest of the world that is characteristic of autism, children with AS are isolated because of their poor social skills and narrow interests. In fact, they may approach other people, but make normal conversation impossible by inappropriate or eccentric behavior, or by wanting only to talk about their singular interest. </p><p> </p><p> Children with AS usually have a history of developmental delays in motor skills such as pedaling a bike, catching a ball, or climbing outdoor play equipment. They are often awkward and poorly coordinated with a walk that can appear either stilted or bouncy. </p><p> </p><p> Many children with AS are highly active in early childhood, and then develop anxiety or depression in young adulthood. Other conditions that often co-exist with AS are ADHD, tic disorders (such as Tourette syndrome), depression, anxiety disorders, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). </p><p> <strong>How is it diagnosed?</strong></p><p></p><p> The diagnosis of AS is complicated by the lack of a standardized diagnostic screen or schedule. In fact, because there are several screening instruments in current use, each with different criteria, the same child could receive different diagnoses, depending on the screening tool the doctor uses. </p><p> </p><p> To further complicate the issue, some doctors believe that AS is not a separate and distinct disorder. Instead, they call it high-functioning autism (High-Functioning Autism (HFA)), and view it as being on the mild end of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) spectrum with symptoms that differ -- only in degree -- from classic autism. Some clinicians use the two diagnoses, AS or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), interchangeably. This makes gathering data about the incidence of AS difficult, since some children will be diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) instead of AS, and vice versa. </p><p> </p><p> Most doctors rely on the presence of a core group of behaviors to alert them to the possibility of a diagnosis of AS. These are: </p><p> </p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">abnormal eye contact</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">aloofness</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">the failure to turn when called by name</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">the failure to use gestures to point or show</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">a lack of interactive play</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">a lack of interest in peers</li> </ul><p> Some of these behaviors may be apparent in the first few months of a child's life, or they may appear later. Problems in at least one of the areas of communication and socialization or repetitive, restricted behavior must be present before the age of 3. </p><p> </p><p> The diagnosis of AS is a two-stage process. The first stage begins with developmental screening during a 'well-child' check-up with a family doctor or pediatrician. The second stage is a comprehensive team evaluation to either rule in or rule out AS. This team generally includes a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and additional professionals who have expertise in diagnosing children with AS. </p><p> </p><p> The comprehensive evaluation includes neurologic and genetic assessment, with in-depth cognitive and language testing to establish IQ and evaluate psychomotor function, verbal and non-verbal strengths and weaknesses, style of learning, and independent living skills. An assessment of communication strengths and weaknesses includes evaluating non-verbal forms of communication (gaze and gestures); the use of non-literal language (metaphor, irony, absurdities, and humor); patterns of inflection, stress and volume modulation; pragmatics (turn-taking and sensitivity to verbal cues); and the content, clarity, and coherence of conversation. The physician will look at the testing results and combine them with the child's developmental history and current symptoms to make a diagnosis.</p><p> <strong>Are there treatments available?</strong></p><p></p><p> The ideal treatment for AS coordinates therapies that address the three core symptoms of the disorder: poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness. There is no single best treatment package for all children with AS, but most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better. </p><p> </p><p> An effective treatment program builds on the child's interests, offers a predictable schedule, teaches tasks as a series of simple steps, actively engages the child's attention in highly structured activities, and provides regular reinforcement of behavior. This kind of program generally includes:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> social skills training, a form of group therapy that teaches children with AS the skills they need to interact more successfully with other children</p><p> </p><p> cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of 'talk' therapy that can help the more explosive or anxious children to manage their emotions better and cut back on obsessive interests and repetitive routines</p><p> </p><p> medication, for co-existing conditions such as depression and anxiety</p><p> </p><p> occupational or physical therapy, for children with sensory integration problems or poor motor coordination</p><p> </p><p> specialized speech/language therapy, to help children who have trouble with the pragmatics of speech " the give and take of normal conversation</p><p> </p><p> parent training and support, to teach parents behavioral techniques to use at home</p><p> <strong>Do children with AS get better? What happens when they become adults?</strong></p><p></p><p> With effective treatment, children with AS can learn to cope with their disabilities, but they may still find social situations and personal relationships challenging. Many adults with AS are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, although they may continue to need encouragement and moral support to maintain an independent life.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BusynMember, post: 332397, member: 1550"] I really think, if your son sounds like my son, you should read up on Aspergers more. It is often missed by professionals and it does need intervention or the child will not learn the necessary social skills for life. I don't see how the neuropsychologist could not question Aspergers if your son repeats things he hears, has an early interest in letters/numbers/colors/memorizing things (these kids can be early readers, yet have no comprehension), has poor eye contact, and can not sit still. The not sitting still often gets a wrong diagnosis of ADHD. Does your son have trouble stopping one activity and moving on to another? Does this cause him to rage? Does he get upset in crowded, busy places? It is common for spectrum children to have stomach problems too. Mine doesn't, but a lot do. I'd test for both. Here is an article I found about Aspergers in childhood: [B]What are some common signs or symptoms?[/B] The most distinguishing symptom of AS is a child's obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other. Some children with AS have become experts on vacuum cleaners, makes and models of cars, even objects as odd as deep fat fryers. Children with AS want to know everything about their topic of interest and their conversations with others will be about little else. Their expertise, high level of vocabulary, and formal speech patterns make them seem like little professors. Children with AS will gather enormous amounts of factual information about their favorite subject and will talk incessantly about it, but the conversation may seem like a random collection of facts or statistics, with no point or conclusion. Their speech may be marked by a lack of rhythm, an odd inflection, or a monotone pitch. Children with AS often lack the ability to modulate the volume of their voice to match their surroundings. For example, they will have to be reminded to talk softly every time they enter a library or a movie theatre. Unlike the severe withdrawal from the rest of the world that is characteristic of autism, children with AS are isolated because of their poor social skills and narrow interests. In fact, they may approach other people, but make normal conversation impossible by inappropriate or eccentric behavior, or by wanting only to talk about their singular interest. Children with AS usually have a history of developmental delays in motor skills such as pedaling a bike, catching a ball, or climbing outdoor play equipment. They are often awkward and poorly coordinated with a walk that can appear either stilted or bouncy. Many children with AS are highly active in early childhood, and then develop anxiety or depression in young adulthood. Other conditions that often co-exist with AS are ADHD, tic disorders (such as Tourette syndrome), depression, anxiety disorders, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). [B]How is it diagnosed?[/B] The diagnosis of AS is complicated by the lack of a standardized diagnostic screen or schedule. In fact, because there are several screening instruments in current use, each with different criteria, the same child could receive different diagnoses, depending on the screening tool the doctor uses. To further complicate the issue, some doctors believe that AS is not a separate and distinct disorder. Instead, they call it high-functioning autism (High-Functioning Autism (HFA)), and view it as being on the mild end of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) spectrum with symptoms that differ -- only in degree -- from classic autism. Some clinicians use the two diagnoses, AS or High-Functioning Autism (HFA), interchangeably. This makes gathering data about the incidence of AS difficult, since some children will be diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) instead of AS, and vice versa. Most doctors rely on the presence of a core group of behaviors to alert them to the possibility of a diagnosis of AS. These are: [LIST] [*]abnormal eye contact [*]aloofness [*]the failure to turn when called by name [*]the failure to use gestures to point or show [*]a lack of interactive play [*]a lack of interest in peers [/LIST] Some of these behaviors may be apparent in the first few months of a child's life, or they may appear later. Problems in at least one of the areas of communication and socialization or repetitive, restricted behavior must be present before the age of 3. The diagnosis of AS is a two-stage process. The first stage begins with developmental screening during a 'well-child' check-up with a family doctor or pediatrician. The second stage is a comprehensive team evaluation to either rule in or rule out AS. This team generally includes a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and additional professionals who have expertise in diagnosing children with AS. The comprehensive evaluation includes neurologic and genetic assessment, with in-depth cognitive and language testing to establish IQ and evaluate psychomotor function, verbal and non-verbal strengths and weaknesses, style of learning, and independent living skills. An assessment of communication strengths and weaknesses includes evaluating non-verbal forms of communication (gaze and gestures); the use of non-literal language (metaphor, irony, absurdities, and humor); patterns of inflection, stress and volume modulation; pragmatics (turn-taking and sensitivity to verbal cues); and the content, clarity, and coherence of conversation. The physician will look at the testing results and combine them with the child's developmental history and current symptoms to make a diagnosis. [B]Are there treatments available?[/B] The ideal treatment for AS coordinates therapies that address the three core symptoms of the disorder: poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness. There is no single best treatment package for all children with AS, but most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better. An effective treatment program builds on the child's interests, offers a predictable schedule, teaches tasks as a series of simple steps, actively engages the child's attention in highly structured activities, and provides regular reinforcement of behavior. This kind of program generally includes: social skills training, a form of group therapy that teaches children with AS the skills they need to interact more successfully with other children cognitive behavioral therapy, a type of 'talk' therapy that can help the more explosive or anxious children to manage their emotions better and cut back on obsessive interests and repetitive routines medication, for co-existing conditions such as depression and anxiety occupational or physical therapy, for children with sensory integration problems or poor motor coordination specialized speech/language therapy, to help children who have trouble with the pragmatics of speech " the give and take of normal conversation parent training and support, to teach parents behavioral techniques to use at home [B]Do children with AS get better? What happens when they become adults?[/B] With effective treatment, children with AS can learn to cope with their disabilities, but they may still find social situations and personal relationships challenging. Many adults with AS are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, although they may continue to need encouragement and moral support to maintain an independent life. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
Opposition defiant disorder
Top