You are here:
Autism/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| Diagnosis | 2/10/2012 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: Is there a resource available for a faster assessment with a developmental pediatrician in Brampton, ... A: Although I'm from Ontario, I have not lived there in some time, so am not up on all the current ... | ||
| High Functioning Aspergers | 2/8/2012 | Catherine Ridenour |
| Q: My son is 12 years old and in 6th grade (middle school). He was diagnosed with ADHD (severe) in ... A: If your son has an IEP, ask for an update meeting on the grounds that the transition from one ... | ||
| My two year old daughter possibly having Aspergers? | 2/7/2012 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: Today I went to pick up my youngest from daycare, and the director of the center pulled me aside and ... A: It's good to hear that her tantrums are manageable and within typical limits. Perhaps you can ... | ||
| Speech delay for my son | 2/5/2012 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: My son is 2 years and 1 month old. He can speak at most 3-4 words. There is no problem with his ... A: Good evening Saju, I'm glad to hear that your son is using hand gestures. When a child has no ... | ||
| 50/50 Custody Aspergers | 2/4/2012 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: My ex-husband and I split up when our son, undiagnosed, was 3.5 years old. It was a very difficult ... A: Is shared custody appropriate for kids on the spectrum? Well, likely yes, but each case is ... | ||
| My two year old daughter possibly having Aspergers? | 2/3/2012 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: Today I went to pick up my youngest from daycare, and the director of the center pulled me aside and ... A: It sounds like it was quite a shock, hearing what day care director said. And yes, it can all seem ... | ||
| Asperger Syndrome- What are the initial steps | 2/1/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: I stay in India. My son aged 5 years has been diagnosed with Asperger Syndorme. He has problems in ... A: I know how hard it is to accept. Take it one step at a time. This website services is not structured ... | ||
| Asperger Syndrome- What are the initial steps | 1/31/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: I stay in India. My son aged 5 years has been diagnosed with Asperger Syndorme. He has problems in ... A: I think you have taken the first steps: diagnosis and looking into OT. By the way, the OT will also ... | ||
| Is it asperger's? | 1/29/2012 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: My name is Tina and I am the mother of 5 children, 3 bio and 2 adopted. I have one son 8 who has ... A: Without meeting your son, I am unable to give you a definitive opinion as to whether or not your son ... | ||
| 11.5 weeks baby not smiling | 1/27/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: My baby girl was born at exactly 37 weeks. Since birth she seems to be a cry baby and very irritable ... A: I really don't know. I would suggest that you have her checked by a pediatric gastroenterologist if ... | ||
| 11.5 weeks baby not smiling | 1/26/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: My baby girl was born at exactly 37 weeks. Since birth she seems to be a cry baby and very irritable ... A: It may be a little early to worry about anything developmentally, but I would bring her to see a ... | ||
| Can a adult get autism? | 1/26/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: Many thanks for your help. The son of a friend of mine began to show symptons of autism about 20. ... A: You are correct that to be a diagnosis of autism, it has to have developed by the age of 3. So ... | ||
| Adult asperger lifr coach, etc | 1/23/2012 | Paul Johnson |
| Q: Son age 43 has more aspergers than add, diagnosed after years of neuro testing. Smart, usually ... A: Hey Dee Dee, Thank you for your personal and interesting question. You did not say when your son ... | ||
| recess punishment | 1/23/2012 | Tim Runner |
| Q: My son who has PDD-NOS was recently punished for me not signing his nightly planner. I have never ... A: Angela, This is outrageous! Punishing a child for their parent's oversight. Their policy is illegal ... | ||
| Autism | 1/22/2012 | Tim Runner |
| Q: What age can a child be sucessly tested for autism?what are the signs of autism?ate thier classes a ... A: Patrocia, There is no set age for being able to diagnose Autism. Most medical professional have ... | ||
| Unsure about what to do next | 1/22/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: I have written to you before regarding my daughter in regards to my concerns about her development. ... A: I know that it can be quite confusing to have a doctor not give you an autism diagnosis while she is ... | ||
| autism diagnosis | 1/21/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: I have written before regarding my son who is now three and has an appointment at the communication ... A: As you know, I am not allowed to diagnosis any medical issue, and therefore, cannot tell you whether ... | ||
| Homosexuality in autistic male teenager | 1/20/2012 | Dr. Judy Horrocks |
| Q: Do you have any suggestions on how to assist an autistic male teenager deal with his feelings, ... A: First, whether this young man is homosexual or heterosexual his behavior is inappropriate. I think ... | ||
| Parenting a strong willed H FA child | 1/17/2012 | Catherine Ridenour |
| Q: Our daughter is a six year old HFA 1st grader. She was adopted from Guatemala in 2005 and diagnosed ... A: Defiance is a common thing in HFA kids. Many autistic spectrum individuals are extremely intelligent ... | ||
| 4 month old - suspect autism | 1/17/2012 | Jene Aviram |
| Q: I am hoping you can help me with this. I have 4 month old daughter who shows some strange behavior ... A: I can tell you with certainty that you have absolutely nothing to worry about. At four months old, ... | ||
| best treatment for austim | 1/15/2012 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: my name is Janelle. I am working on a research project about art therapy as an intervention for ... A: There really isn't a best treatment for autism. There are so many options. Every child will need ... | ||
| Behavior Issues in 6 1/2 yr old son | 1/13/2012 | Dr. Judy Horrocks |
| Q: My son will be 7 this May and is currently in first grade. He has always been the type of kid that ... A: You are asking some very good questions! First there is both an educational definition of autism ... | ||
| HFA or Aspergers in toddler? | 1/13/2012 | Jene Aviram |
| Q: My 27 month DS has just been approved for EI due to speech and social delays. He would not have been ... A: I'm not entirely sure what your question is. I believe you're asking if a child presents red flags ... | ||
| concerns about autistic entering highschool with no IEP | 1/12/2012 | Tim Runner |
| Q: I am resending my question with name changed and no gender for my child. My autistic child is due ... A: Linda, The school can not assess your son without your permission. There are State and district ... | ||
| Is my toddler showing signs of autism? | 1/5/2012 | Dr. Judy Horrocks |
| Q: I have been very concerned about my toddler since he was a baby. He is now twenty one months old and ... A: I am happy to provide you with some information about autism and the characteristics of the ... | ||
| Meltdowns | 1/1/2012 | Melanie R Jones, PT MTC |
| Q: . I have written before regarding my son who is now three and have recieved some fantastic advice ... A: First and foremost, though it is understandable and quite normal to feel the way you do, DO NOT let ... | ||
| Fear of Animals | 1/1/2012 | Catherine Ridenour |
| Q: My friend has a 5 yr old who is Diagnosed Autistic. He is high functioning, but has a SEVERE fear of ... A: Let's start with the limited vocabulary. It's important to remember that he may have far better ... | ||
| Help with adult Asperger's child | 12/31/2011 | Melanie R Jones, PT MTC |
| Q: My adult child is in desperate need of a psychologist, mentor or a coach who can understand him as ... A: Oh, Nan, this is a classic issue! My heart breaks for you and your child. Even with a diagnosis, ... | ||
| Baby not cooing and has limited eye contact | 12/30/2011 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: I really need your help. My daughter is 4 months old and acts exactly as in the email below. I ... A: No-she hasn't If your baby is only 4 months old, I wouldn't worry too much, however, getting the ... | ||
| concerned | 12/13/2011 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: i have gone and got a referral to see a professional in my home town but they have put him on a non ... A: I would elevate the urgency. Your son is displaying several red flags for a developmental delay. No ... | ||
| meltdowns | 12/12/2011 | Melanie R Jones, PT MTC |
| Q: . I have written before regarding my son who is now three and have recieved some fantastic advice ... A: You bring up a lot here. Many would categorize the majority as standard child rearing questions, ... | ||
| 3 year old with no diagnosis | 12/11/2011 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: I've been monitoring my 35 month old son's development closely since he was about 18 months of age. ... A: I understand you're last sentence. It sounds like you have a nagging worry that you can't quite put ... | ||
| 3 year old not diagnosed | 12/10/2011 | Dr. Judy Horrocks |
| Q: I have been watching my 35 month old son very closely for a year and a half now. His development ... A: With autism in the news almost daily, I can understand your concerns. I commend you for seeking ... | ||
| Education for Autistic children | 12/9/2011 | Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell |
| Q: Mitchell, My question is: How does a parent go about getting an Autistic child into special ... A: Good evening Holly, I reside in Canada so the system I'm used to differs somewhat from that in ... | ||
| meltdowns | 12/6/2011 | Melanie R Jones, PT MTC |
| Q: . I have written before regarding my son who is now three and have recieved some fantastic advice ... A: Please pardon my delay in answering and the brief reply. I jammed a finger and cannot easily type ... | ||
| MMJ for autism symptoms | 12/6/2011 | Melanie R Jones, PT MTC |
| Q: I have a 4 year old autistic son who in non-verbal. He was diagnosed in 2009 with autism/lead ... A: It sounds as though you're going through a very traumatic time. Acquired autism is often less ... | ||
| Could it be autism - 15 month old? | 12/5/2011 | Lee Wilkinson, PhD |
| Q: My son is a happy 15 month old. However, he is delayed in gesturing. He still does not wave, clap ... A: Although no two children are alike in terms of their development and behavior, we generally consider ... | ||
| Could it be autism - 15 month old? | 12/5/2011 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: My son is a happy 15 month old. However, he is delayed in gesturing. He still does not wave, clap ... A: Sorry for not answering sooner. I just received the email. Hi Flo First of all, I am very glad ... | ||
| 13 month old might have autism? | 12/5/2011 | Dr. Judy Horrocks |
| Q: Dr. Judy, I have been worrying the past couple of months that my 13 month old might be delayed in ... A: Parents all worry about their children meeting developmental milestones. We are always comparing ... | ||
| sensory issues | 12/3/2011 | Valerie Herskowitz |
| Q: We are currently awaiting an appointment in jan for possible autism diognosis. My son is three and ... A: From the information that you are describing, it does appear that your son has sensory processing ... | ||
Autism
Answers by Expert:
Valerie Herskowitz
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I am an autism expert and speech pathologist (for over 30 years). I am also the parent of a child with autism. I can answer any question on autism dealing with communication, education, behavior and diet. I cannot answer questions that are medical in nature or are dealing with medications.
Experience
I have run a therapy center for individuals with autism since 1981. I lecture all over the country. I also teach classes on autism on line.
Organizations
Vice President of Communications Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
Member American Speech and Hearing Association,
MembernAutism Society of America,
President of the National Autism Registry,
Vice President of the Association for Developmentally Disabled Adults and Adolescents.
Publications
Autism Society of America's national publication (September 2008).
Advance Magazine,
South Florida Parenting,
Spectrum Magazine,
I am the author of: Autism and Computers: Maximizing Independence Through Technology (available:www.valerieherskowitz.com)
Education/Credentials
I have a masters degree in speech pathology
Awards and Honors
I won a Stevie Award in 2004: Lifetime Achievement Award for my work with individuals with autism. My therapy center won, Judge's Choice Award Best Center in South Florida by South Florida Parenting magazine 2005.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.