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Question
Hello Catherine,
I have a 5 1/2 year old son that was diagnosed with HF PDD-NOS when he was 4. He has never seen a neurologist and I am curious if we should go down this road. I am not sure if there is any additional information or assistance they can provide to our son's condition or not? Our son has come a long way with the help of ABA and SMI. Any information you can provide is appreciated.
Hi Lorie,
Unless you feel the diagnosis is incorrect or there are more problems, probably not. The reasons I can think of to get a neuro. involved would be to get a firmer diagnosis for insurance or educational purposes, or to seek medication if things are going badly and you've tried everything else.
If he's doing well in his current program, stick with it. If things start getting worse, you always have the option to reevaluate.
Best wishes,
Catherine
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Answers by Expert:
Catherine Ridenour
Expertise
I can answer your questions about parenting your High Functioning Autisic or Asperger`s Syndrome child. In particular, questions about family life, discipline, siblings, finding resources, and working with (sometimes opposing) the educational system are welcome.
Experience
I am the parent of an Asperger's Syndrome child who is now 22 years old. She went undiagnosed for 14 years of her life, so I have done extensive reading and Internet research into the possible cause of her difficulties. Even a short 8 years ago, A.S. was practically unheard of by the public educational system.
We fumbled our way through her childhood and early adolescence without any effective outside support. In some ways, that may have been a blessing as we were focused on her abilities rather than a label for her disability. However, I can think of many times when knowing WHY would have been comforting.
Had we known very early on, some social skills interventions might have made her life in school easier. At this point, I like her for who she is so I do not regret how things have turned out. More importantly, she likes herself.
Education/Credentials
I have a Bachelor of Science in Education.
I have worked to educate myself about Autism in general and HFA/AS in particular.
NOTE:
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