My ASD Child

Question My 7-year-old son has been diagnosed with ADHD. The pediatrician also thinks that he may have Aspergers or Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. After researching the two diagnoses, I see that they are very similar. What type of testing can I have done to determine what kind of help my son needs? Answer Like Autism and Aspergers, Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) is one of the five subtypes of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. Children diagnosed with PDD-NOS will have less social impairment than a youngster with Autism or Aspergers. The Autism Spectrum Disorders are: 1. Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified 2. Autism 3. Asperger syndrome 4. Rett syndrome 5. Childhood disintegrative disorder To confuse matters, there is a division among therapists on the use of the term Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), which is the same thing as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Many use the term PDD as a...

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is an umbrella term for a variety of disorders that affect the way the brain processes auditory information. It is not a sensory or inner ear hearing impairment. Kids with APD usually have normal peripheral hearing ability. However, they cannot process the information they hear in the same way as others do, which leads to difficulties in recognizing and interpreting sounds, especially the sounds composing speech. Click here for the full article...

"My daughter is 18 and has Aspergers. Hers is particularly with anti-social behavior and thoughts. My entire family is ridiculing me for not forcing her to get her drivers license, but she is scared and doesn't want to. Should I force her to? Am I wrong?"  Click here for my response...

"Our son with high-functioning autism (age 12) has never really had the 'official' discussion about what to expect in puberty. We may have waited too long at this point, but in any case, how can we approach this topic in a way that a person with his challenges can understand (he takes most things very literally by the way - and is a bit immature for his age)?" Click here for the answer...

Auditory Integration Training (AIT) was used in the early 1990s as a treatment for autism. It has also been promoted as a treatment for ADHD, depression, and a wide variety of other disorders. It typically involves 20 half-hour sessions over 10 days listening to specially filtered and modulated music. The American Academy of Pediatrics and three other professional organizations consider AIT to be an experimental procedure. AIT aims to address the sensory problems such as hearing distortions and hyperacusis (i.e., oversensitive hearing), which are said to cause discomfort and confusion in children suffering from learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders. These hypersensitivities are believed to interfere with a youngster’s attention, comprehension, and ability to learn. The training typically involves the youngster attending two 30-minute sessions per day, separated by a minimum of three hours, for ten consecutive working days. The youngster listens via headp...

"I spent two years fighting with our local public school system to get my son OT, SLP, and appropriate modifications and resource for his diagnosed disability. After so many meetings with county level Special Ed administrators who refused almost every resource until advocates were involved, we decided to quit fighting the school and just fight for our son. K12 is a public school and my son has an IEP and a case manager. We continue to have meetings with a committee that sign off on modifications. My son's case manager works with me to give me the support I need to make sure the modifications are appropriate and in my son's academic best interests. Before you shake your head at the crazy home school mom, understand that I am a certified teacher who taught in public school before becoming a mother. As a teacher I can tell you my son is receiving a great education that does not force him conform or endure ridicule for his differences. My question is, what is ...

Adults with Aspergers (high functioning autism) often face challenges with social interaction, impaired motor skills, sensory processing issues, repetitive patterns of behavior, and intensely focused interests – all of which might interfere with their ability to complete activities of daily living in a manner similar to their peers. Increased awareness and knowledge about Aspergers has opened many avenues to help adults with Aspergers adjust to life’s demands. One such avenue is Occupational Therapy (OT), which attempts to address the following: • Age-appropriate interactions • Behavior modification • Communication and social skills • Coping • Family education • Imitation skills • Independent living skills • Motor skills • Repetitive behaviors • Self-care • Sensory skills • Social skills OT is a discipline that utilizes purposeful activity to obtain, regain and/or maintain one’s highest level of daily functioning, work, play and leisure activitie...