Expert: Trey McGowan - 5/1/2008

Question
i have an almost three year old who has sensory integration issues...at what point do you determine it is Asperger's syndrome? My son has always been very verbal...his challenges involve understanding social cues and talking interactively with others. He often repeats what others say. But if you ask him a question he does answer it. Right now my son goes to occupational therapy twice a week and may start seeing a speech pathologist once a week to help with speech patterns. (he confuses pronouns and doesn't ask questions)  

i know I haven't included everything here and can give you more info if needed. Oh, and my son's three year check up is coming up soon, so we will definitely have more information at that time. I am just a very concerned parent who ran across this website and thought i'd ask...

Answer
Hello there, Pritha!

There are a lot of things that determine if something is 'Asperger's Syndrome' and not simply 'speech difficulties', 'sensory difficulties', and whatever else comes along with it. Essentially, it is a lot of things that all add up, rather than any one single thing. And the best way to find out how those 'lot of things' are adding up is to bring it up to the therapist that you are speaking to and ask about having an evaluation done.

Asperger's Syndrome is a higher-functioning (or at least different-functioning) ASD than 'classic autism'. Speech difficulties, or rather a lack of severe ones, is often a good differentiator between Asperger's and autism. Not to say that Asperger's children can't have difficulties (generally with the smaller things such as pronouns, progression of time, echolalia, et cetera) but severely impaired speech tends to be the 'fully autistic'.

Rather than giving me more specific information, I suggest taking what you have and bringing it to the doctor, instead. I am not one, and cannot give a genuine diagnosis in a matter like this. However, if you bring the information to them, they will certainly be able to help out with finding someone who can do a full evaluation and can help out. And certainly, the occupational and speech therapy should help out a lot as well, as they aare often suggested for the autistic child, as well. The way they are done may change slightly, but the actual *doing* of them is just as important.

Questions, comments, feedback, follow-ups, cookies and chocolate, can be sent this way if more needs to be said or asked! I wish you all the best!

Trey