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You are here: Experts > Parenting/Family > Parenting Special Needs > Autism > PDD NOS
Expert: James Michael Roan
Date: 5/14/2008
Subject: PDD NOS
Question
QUESTION: Dear James,
I just don't get PDD NOS!!! I have a son who is 6.5 and was identified at 2 yrs
old and has made excellent progress. The question I have is it likely that his
OCD issues and what I think might be social anxiety be just that? He appears
to have all the other typical abilities of a child his age, he can read social
cues, doing well academically, has a sense of humor, can be flexible in his
thinking, will have spontaneous conversation at home, strong desire to be
social and is a feeling kid. What would make him on the spectrum?
Thanks for any insight.
ANSWER: Hi Cindy;
It is possible to have just OCD and social anxiety. Children with PDD-NOS/Asperger's syndrome do desire social contact and are excellent with adults and one child at a time, however, their low social competence or ability to process social information at a level equal to their peers is usually impaired to the degree that they don't know how to enter into group play or verbal interactions with peers. They don't lack the desire, just the social competence or "technology" if you will. These children can describe what is going on a picture involving people interaction, can read facial expression and body language, but not at a rate equal to their peers. Add to this a difficulty in understanding idioms, they often "don't get" the fast paced flow of group dialogue and changes in topic. This difficulty with keeping up causes anxiety, and for some it results in OCD behavior as a means of attenuating the resulting stress. The only way you know really, is to have a comprehensive assessment. If he is doing well socially and emotionally, then what is the sense in testing and labeling? In my opinion, it doesn't. We all have a different intellectual and emotional profile and that's o.k., it's only when when a child cannot cope on their own that assessment followed by intervention makes sense.
Kind regards,
James
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: James,
Thanks for your help. Another thought is what does a comprehensive assessment include? Thanks
Cindy
Answer
Hi Cindy;
What I consider to be a comprehensive evaluation for PDD/Asperger's syndrome (AS) is as follows:
1. IQ
2. Adaptive behavior (self-help skills)
3. Executive functioning assessment
4. Gilliam Autism Rating Scale and Gilliam Asperger's Disorder Scale
5. Social/Emotional Assessment
6. Comprehensive social assessment to include:
1. Observation of behavior among peers he does not know very well
2. A variety of social skills and social competence rating scales:
that are sensitive to the unique social challenges of children
on the spectrum such as social thinking and social competence
among peers
7. The Sensory Profile
You also want the assessment to rule out a Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD), which looks a lot like AS but is due to different causes and is distinct from AS in that the nonverbal IQ is much lower than the verbal IQ and there is a noticeable difficulty with nonverbal visual-spatial skills evidenced by getting lost, poor sense of direction, and a noticeable left-sided body weakness.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
James
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