My ASD Child

Question My 15-year-old son was diagnosed with ASD [level 1] at the age of 12. I have heard that this disorder is highly genetic and have thought for many years now that my husband, John, also has ASD. When I first met John, I thought he was just a little “weird” and was hurt by his lack of concern for my feelings. Although I love him dearly, he is somewhat of a “heartless freak” (he has told me that I am an “overemotional troublemaker”). Is there a way for me to know for sure whether or not he has autism short of suggesting an assessment by a professional? He denies having a lot of the same characteristics as our son and has adamantly refused to get a formal diagnosis. It's important for me to know one way or the other so I can adjust my expectations accordingly. Answer Although not a replacement for a professional diagnosis, the following questionnaire will give you some insight into whether or not your spouse has this disorder. If you answer ‘yes’ to most of the fo...

Question Our son was recently diagnosed with ASD, and now my wife and I think that I may be on the spectrum too - but we're not sure. Is there a self-test that I can take to see whether or not I have it without going to a doctor for a formal diagnosis? Answer If you answer “true” to most of the statements below, then you probably have ASD [level one]. However, this self-test should not be viewed as a ‘diagnostic tool’ per say. True or False: 1. As a child, I didn’t enjoy playing games involving pretending with other children. T or F 2. Friends don’t talk to me about their problems because they find that I don’t understand them. T or F 3. Friendships and relationships are just too difficult, so I tend not to bother with them. T or F 4. I can’t figure out what another person might want to talk about. T or F 5. I can’t sense if I’m intruding, even if the other person tells me. T or F 6. I can’t tell if someone else is interested or bored with what I am ...

Question I am a young adult who was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome while in the Mental Ward at a local hospital. This diagnosis was made by a clinical Psychiatrist without any type of "testing". Just an interview about my past and present history. I read online about Asperger Symptoms and I totally agree with his diagnosis. I have hand flapping when excited, sensitivities to sounds, trouble making eye contact, difficulty understanding people's emotions, and I have an interest mainly just in music and weather and it's hard to make friends. I'm unable to get along with people well and can't hold down a job. I told my primary Psychiatrist about the diagnosis and she kind of blows it off and says the hospital can't make a diagnosis of Aspergers without "testing" being done. What type of testing would need to be done? The Doctor at the hospital that diagnosed me said he has many patients who have Aspergers. I do not second guess his opini...

In general, the DSM bases diagnostic criteria for Aspergers on the following: Absence of a significant delay in cognitive development Absence of general delay in language development Impairment of social communication Impairment of social imagination, flexible thinking and imaginative play Impairment of social interaction In the classroom, Aspergers may manifest in behaviors which include, but are not limited to: Average to excellent memorization skills Clumsy walk Conversations and activities only center around themselves Inability to usually socially appropriate tone and/or volume of speech Lack of common sense and/or "street smarts" Lack of empathy for others Lack of facial expressions May be teased, bullied or isolated by peers May excel in areas such as math or spelling Often very verbal Poor eye contact Talking about only one subject/topic and missing the cues that others are bored The general features exhibited by kids diagnosed with As...