Testing Delayed

[Obnoxious1]

Thank you for your remarks.
Your reference to "Other Planet" is to Janet Norman-Bain, who coined the apt description/phrase "Wrong Planet Syndrome".
Children with Aspergers often have Separation Anxiety because they have difficulty with abstraction and thus any change in routine. They may also defend themselves with dissociative episodes.

For the life of me I could not remember her name but her books have really helped me (the parent of a child on the spectrum).

I'm glad that autistics have you as an advocate

 

[rmet4nzkx]

For the life of me I could not remember her name but her books have really helped me (the parent of a child on the spectrum).

I'm glad that autistics have you as an advocate

You are again, welcome.
BTW watch All My Children, it has a character, Lily, who has ASD and presents a very positive and accurate picture of ASD not only how important a structured and supportive environment is but how frustrating this disorder is for families and schools who deal with it. It also makes a positive point out of using her natural gifts and talents.

 

[Obnoxious1]

You are again, welcome.
BTW watch All My Children, it has a character, Lily, who has ASD and presents a very positive and accurate picture of ASD not only how important a structured and supportive environment is but how frustrating this disorder is for families and schools who deal with it. It also makes a positive point out of using her natural gifts and talents.

I have never been one for watching soaps but I might check that out

Did you see the PBS special quite some time ago called "Autism Then and Now"? It was one of the better programs that I have seen.

I agree with using their natural gifts but I think that too many people have seen Rainman and think that they understand autism and expect savant skills. As much as I love that movie and as much as it raised awareness I'm afraid it did more to make autistics look like circus acts than it did to show an accurate picture.

Hopefully the OP will at least consider talking with her doctor about it. It can never hurt anything to have it checked and if it is the kids situation they will be able to work with the real problem instead of struggling with symptoms and never really getting the specific help the child needs.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

I have never been one for watching soaps but I might check that out

Did you see the PBS special quite some time ago called "Autism Then and Now"? It was one of the better programs that I have seen.

I agree with using their natural gifts but I think that too many people have seen Rainman and think that they understand autism and expect savant skills. As much as I love that movie and as much as it raised awareness I'm afraid it did more to make autistics look like circus acts than it did to show an accurate picture.

Hopefully the OP will at least consider talking with her doctor about it. It can never hurt anything to have it checked and if it is the kids situation they will be able to work with the real problem instead of struggling with symptoms and never really getting the specific help the child needs.

There have been many PBS programs on Autism over the years, also many movies cover some aspects of it as well, Sevants are only a small portion and there are as many exceptions as there are those who follow the rules.

But Lily's character has been developed over a few months so she is much better adapted than when she first arrived. Soaps often explore themes before primetime does, in this case they have been very sensitive, so it does not make it look like a circus act.

 

[notsmartmark]

Here are the concerns and strengths that I could glean from your posts. I suggest that you continue to identify concerns and strengths and talk to your doctor and other professionals in these terms.

Background
7 years old
Female
Intake family: Bio-Mom/Dad
Stay at home mom
4-year-old sister
15-month-old brother
Grandfather passed two years ago

Home/Parent (concerns & strengths)
Talkative and active at home
Increased aggression, especially towards sister
Controlling behaviors towards siblings
Defiant, doesn’t want to follow rules
Starting to lie a lot
Self-absorbed
Moves from task to task, always moving or jumping
Does not seem happy or satisfied
Narrow-minded
Repeats thoughts and sentences
Does not listen
Limited eye contact
Manipulative
Lots of access to books/educational toys, not interested in
Wrote name and alphabet at about 2 1/2 years of age
She would often grab anything and just copy and rewrite the words.
She knew her alphabet prior to entering kindergarten
Inconsistent academics – including, some days knows sight words, some days misses some
Mixes “d”/”b” and “t”/”n,” but is much, much better
Sometimes reads “no” as “on” and adds letters that are not present
At times, stands with her belly sticking way out and a big curve in her back

Playgroup (birth – present)
Meets weekly
Has friendships w/ other children

Preschool ’01-‘03(?) 2 years
Mom describes as barely talking in class
Did not develop friendships

SY ‘03/’04 - Kindergarten
Concerns raised 1st conference – possible retention
Speech/Language Evaluation - scored borderline low average.
Attended Summer School ’04
Hard time being dropped her off but was happy when picked up
Teacher reported inconsistent (academics?), but ready for first grade

SY ‘04/’05 – 1st Grade
1st reporting - below in reading
2nd reporting – possible retention
Has friends (mom statement)
Daughter does not want to go to school
Complains about writing in her journal and centers.
Complains at school of being sick, arm, eyes, leg hurting, etc.
Complains at lunchtime and has often gone to office and called home.
Comes home happy, usually, saying she had fun at school
School indicates she is not sick
Receives small group reading support
Teacher reports stress with curriculum
School states issues with self-confidence and is unsure of herself
Speech/Language Evaluation – SS 85-89, borderline low average.
Pediatrician recommended learning/attention evaluation before retaining.


Good luck

 

[Obnoxious1]

Here are the concerns and strengths that I could glean from your posts. I suggest that you continue to identify concerns and strengths and talk to your doctor and other professionals in these terms.

Background
7 years old
Female
Intake family: Bio-Mom/Dad
Stay at home mom
4-year-old sister
15-month-old brother
Grandfather passed two years ago

Home/Parent (concerns & strengths)
Talkative and active at home
Increased aggression, especially towards sister
Controlling behaviors towards siblings
Defiant, doesn’t want to follow rules
Starting to lie a lot
Self-absorbed
Moves from task to task, always moving or jumping
Does not seem happy or satisfied
Narrow-minded
Repeats thoughts and sentences
Does not listen
Limited eye contact
Manipulative
Lots of access to books/educational toys, not interested in
Wrote name and alphabet at about 2 1/2 years of age
She would often grab anything and just copy and rewrite the words.
She knew her alphabet prior to entering kindergarten
Inconsistent academics – including, some days knows sight words, some days misses some
Mixes “d”/”b” and “t”/”n,” but is much, much better
Sometimes reads “no” as “on” and adds letters that are not present
At times, stands with her belly sticking way out and a big curve in her back

Playgroup (birth – present)
Meets weekly
Has friendships w/ other children

Preschool ’01-‘03(?) 2 years
Mom describes as barely talking in class
Did not develop friendships

SY ‘03/’04 - Kindergarten
Concerns raised 1st conference – possible retention
Speech/Language Evaluation - scored borderline low average.
Attended Summer School ’04
Hard time being dropped her off but was happy when picked up
Teacher reported inconsistent (academics?), but ready for first grade

SY ‘04/’05 – 1st Grade
1st reporting - below in reading
2nd reporting – possible retention
Has friends (mom statement)
Daughter does not want to go to school
Complains about writing in her journal and centers.
Complains at school of being sick, arm, eyes, leg hurting, etc.
Complains at lunchtime and has often gone to office and called home.
Comes home happy, usually, saying she had fun at school
School indicates she is not sick
Receives small group reading support
Teacher reports stress with curriculum
School states issues with self-confidence and is unsure of herself
Speech/Language Evaluation – SS 85-89, borderline low average.
Pediatrician recommended learning/attention evaluation before retaining.


Good luck

What qualifies you to tell a poster what should be addressed by her doctor?

I would be interested in knowing your qualifications, if any exist.

 

[notsmartmark]

What qualifies you to tell a poster what should be addressed by her doctor?
I would be interested in knowing your qualifications, if any exist

What the holy heck are you talking about. The information I gave was solely pulled from esu's posts. Did you happen to read them? Her pediatrician recommended learning/attention evaluation before retaining. Her doctor is already part of the process.

My background:
25 years working in special/general ed;
Worked in classes from Kindergarten through transition age, 21;
Credentialed, general education, special education, severely handicapped;
Worked w/ students who are deaf, deaf/blind, deaf/autistic, autistic, hearing impaired, mental retardation, health impaired, EBD, numerous syndromes and drug impacts, and on, and on;
Administration support for last 11 years;
Responsible for assisting with the developing programming, process and procedures;
Develop, design, build, and sell special education databases that manage special education programs.
I am severely disabled - physically disabled with neuropathic pain.
What are you qualifications?

 

[rmet4nzkx]

Mark,
What do you think you are proving?
While OP may provide a list of observations, there is usually some sort of a questionaire where these observations might be recorded. Each of these observations is found in ASD, the child will require futher testing to determine the cause. Providing such a list might preclude appropriate testing and objective assessment.
What you are doing here is questionable.

 

[notsmartmark]

Then you do not understand the special education process.
Mom is indicated that they are in the referral process, the process to determine if evaluation is necessary. During the referral process the goal is to indicate the chief complaints. Mom has indicated her complaints within a rambling list of school procedural concerns. My attempt was to help her weed out the procedural problems and list her complaints. These complaints do not preclude testing, they help identify necessary testing during the evaluation period. That is the appropriate process.

 

[Obnoxious1]

What the holy heck are you talking about. The information I gave was solely pulled from esu's posts. Did you happen to read them? Her pediatrician recommended learning/attention evaluation before retaining. Her doctor is already part of the process.

My background:
25 years working in special/general ed;
Worked in classes from Kindergarten through transition age, 21;
Credentialed, general education, special education, severely handicapped;
Worked w/ students who are deaf, deaf/blind, deaf/autistic, autistic, hearing impaired, mental retardation, health impaired, EBD, numerous syndromes and drug impacts, and on, and on;
Administration support for last 11 years;
Responsible for assisting with the developing programming, process and procedures;
Develop, design, build, and sell special education databases that manage special education programs.
I am severely disabled - physically disabled with neuropathic pain.
What are you qualifications?

In this post you intentionally steered the poster away from what should be considered a legitimate concern

There was raised concerns about diagnosing on this board, but I feel pretty good about this diagnosis, and I am ready to make it:
rmet4nzkx, you have a bias towards Asberger's and need to be careful with the single focus information you are providing this parent.

You offered no basis for your determination and ignored valid attempts to show the OP that she should be concerned about the suggestions and instead came back with a list that she provided for the board in the first place.

You have not seen this child so it would be impossible for you to rule out an ASD diagnosis. It's even more impossible to believe that you have much to offer when you make unsubstantiated claims at the credibility of another poster and refuse to answer for your drivel.

 

[tigger22472]

As a mother with a child diagnosed with Aspberger's some 8 years ago I will give a little insight also.

My son had those little 'quirks' that as a small child you think are 'cute' but weird. The first indication of this that was not picked up on was when he was born. He was ill and was in the hospital for a week. Doctors and nurses would laugh about how they could poke and prod him with needles and never hear a peep from him but look out if he had a dirty diaper, he was coming unglued. As he got older we realized that pain was an issue. He learned as he grew older when something SHOULD hurt in order to get attention(not that he wasn't getting it) but in reality it didn't hurt like a 'common' person.

He had a lot signs of OCD, but again in 1993-95 they just seems to be funny little things. We had a lot of anger issues and some over what were trivial things. If I said for instance that I was go to the restroom and then start dinner, if I didn't go to the restroom first but started dinner this was a HUGE issue. He would be upset to the point of banging his head on the floor and throwing a fit.

I too started assuming ADHD. At three I had him evaluated and of course like a lot of kids he was a perfect angel at the doctor's office. I left one day and noticed a diagnosis of "Persuasive Developmental Disorder' on the paper when I got home. The doctor had not discussed this with me and when we returned he fully explained that and officially diagnosed him with Aspberger's.

When you hear autism you think Dustin Hoffman in Rainman. That wasn't my son!!! How dare he diagnosis him as this. Fact is though, it all fit! Today at 11 years old we've had our ups and downs but we're not medicated. We'd learned he has his strengths (spelling like you wouldn't believe and singing) and his weaknesses. We work on the weaknesses and we get through the OCD.. we don't have the outbursts we had. The MOST important thing is consistancy... ALWAYS! and that applies to ADD also.

Good luck with the diagnosis, if there is one but realize that every diagnosis has it's good and bad parts adn you deal with what you get.

 

[Obnoxious1]

Then you do not understand the special education process.
Mom is indicated that they are in the referral process, the process to determine if evaluation is necessary. During the referral process the goal is to indicate the chief complaints. Mom has indicated her complaints within a rambling list of school procedural concerns. My attempt was to help her weed out the procedural problems and list her complaints. These complaints do not preclude testing, they help identify necessary testing during the evaluation period. That is the appropriate process.

The chief complaint cannot be determined without examining the child and ruling out neurological disorders.

 

[Obnoxious1]

As a mother with a child diagnosed with Aspberger's some 8 years ago I will give a little insight also.

My son had those little 'quirks' that as a small child you think are 'cute' but weird. The first indication of this that was not picked up on was when he was born. He was ill and was in the hospital for a week. Doctors and nurses would laugh about how they could poke and prod him with needles and never hear a peep from him but look out if he had a dirty diaper, he was coming unglued. As he got older we realized that pain was an issue. He learned as he grew older when something SHOULD hurt in order to get attention(not that he wasn't getting it) but in reality it didn't hurt like a 'common' person.

He had a lot signs of OCD, but again in 1993-95 they just seems to be funny little things. We had a lot of anger issues and some over what were trivial things. If I said for instance that I was go to the restroom and then start dinner, if I didn't go to the restroom first but started dinner this was a HUGE issue. He would be upset to the point of banging his head on the floor and throwing a fit.

I too started assuming ADHD. At three I had him evaluated and of course like a lot of kids he was a perfect angel at the doctor's office. I left one day and noticed a diagnosis of "Persuasive Developmental Disorder' on the paper when I got home. The doctor had not discussed this with me and when we returned he fully explained that and officially diagnosed him with Aspberger's.

When you hear autism you think Dustin Hoffman in Rainman. That wasn't my son!!! How dare he diagnosis him as this. Fact is though, it all fit! Today at 11 years old we've had our ups and downs but we're not medicated. We'd learned he has his strengths (spelling like you wouldn't believe and singing) and his weaknesses. We work on the weaknesses and we get through the OCD.. we don't have the outbursts we had. The MOST important thing is consistancy... ALWAYS! and that applies to ADD also.

Good luck with the diagnosis, if there is one but realize that every diagnosis has it's good and bad parts adn you deal with what you get.

Just giving you a thumbs up from another spectrum mom

Too often their symptoms are hidden by wrong diagnosis and our children suffer needlessly. I'm glad that your son is on the right track.

 

[ENASNI]

Just giving you a thumbs up from another spectrum mom

Too often their symptoms are hidden by wrong diagnosis and our children suffer needlessly. I'm glad that your son is on the right track.

I like when you get out your light Saber OBIE1 and may the force be with you and your child OP/

(no I am not a Star Wars Nut..) I just like it when good information is given it makes me Glow...

 

[Obnoxious1]

I like when you get out your light Saber OBIE1 and may the force be with you and your child OP/

(no I am not a Star Wars Nut..) I just like it when good information is given it makes me Glow...

I'm glad you got a warm glow

Hopefully the OP is still reading and can gather enough truth from the responses to at least mention it to her doctor. I hate to see these kids suffer.