Expert: James Michael Roan - 2/12/2009

Question
Mr. Roan - First off, thank you for providing this service.  My son is 38 months old and has been in daycare since he was 18 months old.  (All was fine, I believe, until I gave birth to my daughter 6 months ago).  For the past several months my son has been exhibiting severe separation anxiety from me.  He cries every time he goes to school, he won't let me leave a room without throwing a tantrum or following me out of the room, he refuses to fall asleep without me in the room, and comes into my bedroom at night about 1am to sleep with us.) Additionally, his teacher has indicated that he does not participate with other children, hides in his cubby with his hands over his ears, (mind you we have a home theater where he watches movies (loudly) without any of these symptoms), he goes down stairs one foot at a time, can't pedal a bicycle, trouble holding a crayon correctly (he's also left handed)and that he "flaps" his hands when he throws a tantrum.  Not to worry me but they said I should contact his physician.  My son has imaginative play (has an imaginary friend, Sophie), his speech is terrific (he uses complex sentences and is able to put them together with 5,6,7, words).  Should I be worried or not?  Please help, thanks for your consideration, Sue

Answer
Hi Susan;

I'm not worried...yet, but I need more information from you. Hand flapping and other stereotypies occur in about 20 percent of typically developing children. There are many reason for separation anxiety. I'm going to ask you a few questions and ask you to download the M-CHAT  and send the answers to me. You can use my private email: roanpsych@gmail.com.

My questions are:

1. How is his understanding of language? How does he respond to "why" questions? Can he follow one-step; two-step, or three-step requests from you such as: "Go to your room and get your jacket (1), and turn off your lights (2), and bring your brother (or object) out with you (3)?"

2. How does he behave with peers at the park or at a birthday party? Does he play off to the side of them or play behind the sofa ?

3. Does he have an unusual preoccupation with watching his fingers, running water, spinning objects?

4. Does he tolerate transition and change well?

The M-CHAT is a screener for children at-risk for autism and is not a "test" for autism.

Here is the M-CHAT link:
M-CHAT: http://www.utmem.edu/pediatrics/general/clinical/m-chat.pdf
Scoring: http://psychlops.psy.uconn.edu/ED/downloads/M-CHATscoring.pdf

Kind regards,
James





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Bio

James Roan is a certified school psychologist who has been consulting in the areas of autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning difficulties in the United States and in Ireland for over ten years (http://www.jamesroan.com). James earned his M.Ed. in School Psychology and M. Ed. in Adult Education and receives ongoing post graduate training in autism at the University of Washington’s Autism Center. James Roan has traveled to Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Clare, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and other cities and counties across Ireland assessing children and adults, and consulting with solicitors (lawyers) in defense of children with disabilities. James Roan was the consulting psychologist responsible for many of the autism and AD/HD screening tools and other content for Access Special Needs.Com. James Roan consulted with the graduate department of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford Ireland in the development of their graduate program for the certification of private autism tutors. James has conducted formal assessments of students in the Autism Unit in the Claddagh National School in County Galway Ireland.