About Michelle Fattig Expertise I can answer questions about educational testing, autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, Special Education, IEP, Learning Disabilities, Sensory Processing, Parent Advocacy, Response to Intervention, living and parenting with disabilities, parent rights in special education, school psychology, and more. I cannot provide a medical diagnosis.
Experience I am a school psychologist, medical technologist, author of the Annie Books series: Experience Aspeger's Syndrome and Attention Deficits Through the Eyes of a Child, RTI facilitator, ILCD facilitator, parent advocate, presenter, and researcher. My children and I have Asperger's, ADD/ADHD, and learning disabilities.
Organizations National Association of School Pyschologists, American Medical Technologists, Learning Disabilities Association of Nebraska
Education/Credentials Ed.S. in School Psychology, doctoral studies in SPED Law, SPED Systems Enhancement Leadership, and doctoral candidate Education Leadership. MT(AMT) and MLT(ASCP)
My three year old son has had ADOS plus IQ testing done by a psychologist and has been categorized as moderately to severely autisic. IQ = 52 but the psychologist said it is difficult to measure in such a young child and he thinks he has a higher IQ, just did not perform in the test situation. Started ABA/IBI at 25 hours a week. This is week three and I have concerns. #1 little/no acknowledgement of child's language in session. ex. Asks "I want Mommy", facilitator says "come sit". Child asks "I want Mommy. (more empahatically)" Facilitator says "come sit" Child sits. Facilitator says "good sitting, what do you want?" .Child says 'I want Mommy" Facilitator says "good, I want candy, here is your candy". Is this confusing to the child? Are language attempts that are not stim-related going unacknowledged and will this cause harm to the development of my child, especially language development, not just speech? There are some language skills, not just stimming that equate to about a 30 month old. In session the ignored statement as mentioned was repeated, looking facilitator right in the eye. After there was no response a temper tantrum followed (who wouldn't?!) and he flopped on the ground, was generally uncooperative and started to really cry loudly, with a "throaty" sound that never in 3 years have I ever heard him that upset. Pronoun reversal about 50% of the time. Uses the work "i", "me" "mine", as in "I want jiuce, "I am hungry" etc. Will describe what he is looking at "Look, its snowing" Child has excellent manners "Mommy, may I please have chocolate ball?" "Thanks for the chocolate balls". There is some speech stimming "it's too big, It's too big. It's too big". No self-injurious behaviour, no hitting no biting etc. (never has) Can this therapy harm him, his speech/language attempts, his overall confidence?
Answer Wow. I would have some concerns as a mom if it were my child. I do believe from years and years and years of "IQ testing" that your child has an IQ much higher than 52 with his vocabulary for a three year old.
I would recommend discussing the situation with his team and ask very direct questions of the Speech Pathologist about your language/speech concerns.
I am very sorry that I am not being more helpful, but a good website to start with might be:
