Expert: Catherine Ridenour - 1/8/2009

Question
My wife and I found out yesterday that our 6 yo son has spastic diplegia and will have to have extensive surgery done to his legs the problem I am having is that Tristan was diagnosed with Autism when he was 2.5 yo and now the orthopedist says she does not think it is Autism at all but CP. Can he have both? I am stationed in Fort Polk La. at the moment and the Orthopedist seems to have a very well documented history of dealing with CP but Tristan shows so many Autistic symptoms its hard for me to just let that go

Answer
Hi Jeff,

Yes, he can have both. However, it can be hard to tell which is responsible for what. I have worked with individuals who have cerebral palsy and I've sometimes suspected autism, as well. But, the movement and speech disorders common in CP can look an awful lot like a spectrum disorder and not be one.

Since speech therapy and occupational therapy are needed in both situations, I recommend that you work with those specialists in ways targeted to Tristan's individual needs. They may be more able to tease out the root of his problems than the orthopedist.

Remember, we all see through our own filters. Doctors tend to identify problems that align with their own specialty. I often see autistic traits because I'm attuned to looking for them. I'm sure that sometimes I'm wrong.

Everyone should focus on the "whole child".

Just a note: consult with an orthodontist soon. Many of the children I see who have CP develop very poor jaw development and tooth alignment and it greatly hampers their speech ability. This can be corrected with braces and other oral interventions. Not only will he have better speech ability, he will have better facial structure which minimizes the appearance of disability. I know that sounds petty now, but in the future, it can affect his opportunities for employment and social acceptance. It is a sad fact that people assume someone who looks handicapped is also mentally deficient. It isn't true, but a very entrenched perception in most societies.

Best wishes,
Catherine