I am not quite sure where I need to go from here. My lovely daughter is 3 and a half. She is in regular Pre-K and is doing fabulously. She had no issues with the changing of schedules, loves to eat most food, has small tantrums here and there and gets frustrated easily but gets over it quickly. She talks non stop about anything and everything, carrying on back and forth conversation as well. She is extremely social, but its obvious that it is not always appropriate. She is extremely lovey and loves giving others hugs and kisses, as well as cuddling. Does imaginary play. Her main and only issues seem to be Sensory. She flaps her arms when excited, hums sometimes when she eats, and puts her hands over her ears if something is too loud.
She is in occupational therapy 2 times a week for 45 minutes but that is the the only one she qualified for, and she barely qualified for that when we hard her evaluated. Her pediatrician ran some sort of Autism screening test on her that took around 2 hours, and decided she didn't qualify to go to the next level of screening.
What all of this is coming to is this... at her check up a few months ago her pediatrician says "She definitely has sensory issues which she is already in OT for, and maybe a touch of Asperger's or something" and shrugged it off like it was nothing. Just a touch of Asperger's or something? Should I be going to get a full blown screen and diagnosis done or should I wait? He said it like it was nothing. He isn't a nonchalant Doctor by the way... he is mostly on top of things and never puts my questions or concerns off like they aren't important, so the way he said it sorta caught me off guard. What should I do? Is it normal to not seek a full diagnosis?
It is WAYYYY too early to be so concerned. She has a couple of years before her wiring in her brain is even to the point it won't be changed around next week.
Please just listen to the doc. She is ever changing and growing right now. The OT and the doc will work together and if they see something worthy of concern they'll let you know.
I believe it was irresponsible of your Ped to say such a thing in that way, and that you should ask him what he meant.
Yes, it's normal. I doubt further testing would be helpful unless you can describe ways that she acts that indicate the need for further testing.
You describe behaviour that is typical for a child her age. Why do you think she needs further testing?
I suggest that when he says a touch of Aspergers or something he is considering the possibility of your daughter having some Aspergers behaviours and not be on the spectrum. I would ask him what he meant. Did he say this after you continued to voice this possibility?
I would trust your doctor based on your experience with him. I also suggest that if you feel something is off with her behaviour, you make an appointment with a doctor specializing in neurological and physical development. Your doctor might be able to refer you to one.
I have two grandchildren on what used to be on the.Asperger end of the spectrum. One is thirteen and began receiving services.10 years ago. The other is 5 and was diagnosed this year. As a result I've read a lot and been involved.with my oldest's grandson's evaluation and treatment.
If you think there is a concern then there is no harm in an in-depth evaluation. Should there be something to know, early intervention can make a lot of difference in developing skills.
However, unless your pediatrician specializes in developmental neuropsychology, he is likely not qualified to do it. A screening and a proper evaluation are two different things.
Why didn't you question him further? I would have said, what does that mean, "a touch of Aspergers"? Did you just stand there saying nothing? Call him back and speak with him if you found yourself mute during your appointment. You can also seek out a second opinion.
sounds like your ped feels that there's a possibility your daughter might be lightly touching on the very end of the spectrum, but feels you're already doing everything appropriate for her age.
if indeed she does have a touch of asperger's it probably can't be addressed or even diagnosed definitively until she's older.
i get why you're angsty, but unless you don't trust this doctor (and it sounds like you do) i'd trust him, and go back to him with further questions.
khairete
S.
I would. I would talk to a child psychologist or psychiatrist or possibly a developmental pediatrician. It's not just about a diagnosis but also about addressing her needs as she grows and changes. Your insurance company might require a diagnosis in order to pay for services. Also, it will be good to have notes about her now to compare as she grows. I just think it's in her best interest.
Asperger's (when the diagnosis existed - it no longer does) was the diagnosis given to those on the Autism Spectrum who are very high functioning.
It's not exactly easy to know what to do for someone with that diagnosis. You have to recognize the areas where she struggles and see if there is anything you can do to help her - therapy, services at school, etc. Our son has received speech since he was 2 1/2. He had a speech delay, but he's in 2nd grade now and speech is more about social skills and social communication. He's a routine kid. Dealing with changes can be a real challenge for him. He does have sensory issues, and OT has been a great help to him.
Because of the changes in the DSM, Asperger's is no longer a diagnosis. Our son was originally diagnosed with Social Pragmatic Communicative Disorder. We've often been asked if he was on the Autism Spectrum, and his new doctor (old one retired) said she thinks he might be. But time and time again, we've come to realize that it doesn't really matter to us. It might matter to the insurance company, and it might make a difference as to whether or not he qualifies for services. But it's more important to recognize his needs and to do our best to help him.
So your doctor might have thought since you were already addressing her needs, that a formal diagnosis didn't matter. I think it's better to know.
if you trust the dr continue with the ot and talk to her teachers to seee if they thing she needs further testing. but arm flapping when excited humming while eating and hands over the ears are normal things that i wouldn't worry about. both my children will cover their ears if something is too loud. my son loves to snap his fingers. so he (age 6 ) does it all the time. will stop if asked to and my dd sings herself to sleep. (well more like hums along to the glow worm) and nither of my kids qualify for any thing.
if the drs not concerned then i wouldn't worry about it. far too many kids are "diagnosed" with stuff these days and they probably just need a dietary change to be normal
I don't think Asperger's is a diagnosis anymore. The DSM-5 dropped it a few years ago. I'm not sure what diagnosis they give to kiddos now--Autism? What does her pre-K teacher think? I know they're not doctors, but they spend a lot of time with your child and see how they act compared to peers. They're usually a good judge if there is something a little different with your child. Good Luck!
No that isn't normal. You need to have her tested by a psych who will do a whole battery of tests. When my daughter was tested, I don't remember how many hours we were there or how many tests she did. However, I got a 50 page DETAILED report of all the findings and further...how to HELP her!
My daughter has Asperger's and ADD. She has an IEP for school that modifies her work so she can get passing grades and help when needed. She is a Jr in high school and has had her IEP since 3rd grade.
We got a tremendous amount of helpful information from her being tested. An example is that she has a problem with recall so all of her tests need to either be T or F or multiple choice. She can't fill in the blanks or essay answers because she can't remember details of what she just read. If the test question says, "what color was the house Billy lived in?" she won't be able to recall it on her own unless she has choices. So the teachers modify the tests for her so she is able to do them.
So definitely have her tested. It will make a world of difference for her in school in how to help her and if she does have social issues it will help with that also. I can't imagine a doctor not seeing the importance of that. Good luck.
