AboutMichelle 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)
Expert: Michelle Fattig Date: 12/29/2007 Subject: 3 year old Autism / PDD-NOS
Question I have some concerns with my son . I have an appointment with a specialist, but I am very anxious to know if he falls in the autism spectrum and if it is PDD-NOS
Here are all the details .
He is 38 months
Started to be concerned about him at 15 months when he wasn't walking yet. He walked at 17 months.
18 months he had a good vocabulary-12 words
2 yr old - 2 words sentence
He had good eye contact until last month when I first noticed he avoided eye contact with strangers but not always .
Social
Shy with strangers, doesn't talk to them or say his name
Give a blank look when people are talking to him,but has good eye contact most of the time
At the library doesn't participate in games with other kids but likes watching them .
Sometimes he withdraws from me and his siblings (4 yr old boy / 20 month girl) , goes in another room and reads books or plays music or just lays down in the bed . When I go there , he says "Sad mommy" .
At inappropriate times he says "scared mommy" .
Communication
Doesn't always answer questions properly (how old are you - Luke) , doesn't communicate much but has
4-6 words sentence sometimes words are unclear
Sometimes gibberish words
Sometimes talks to imaginary people
Behavior
Lines up cars/animal toys but doesn't get upset if I remove any of them and this is not consistently
Throws up ripped paper towel or newspapers (also leafs,light toys,any small parts)
Sings same song over and over , sometimes hums
Little imaginary / pretend play
Not excited about opening gifts for special occasions and not interested in new toys , but later he may play with them.
Flips pages in books over and over
Touches his eyelashes when stressed or tired
Sucks on his lower lip when tired or bored
Very attached to a few blankets ,but he accepts any of them if we don't find the others
Takes off running in stores,parks
Plays a lot numbers and ABC puzzles
Plays a lot musical toys
Fascinated with musical notes from songbooks
In the past used to:
Be fascinated by number plates, switches and a moving ball hanging from the ceiling in the garage
bang his head on me when I said NO .
Open/close doors / light switches
Cry when praised (it happened only 2 times)
Positive Signs
Good academical skills--average or above average for his age
Knows almost all letters, shapes, numbers to 10 ,can count to 10 in two languages , sings nursery rhymes
Fully potty trained and training was not an issue
Doesn't flap hands
no spinning ( only when there is music )
no rocking
no echolalia
no sensitive to noise
Responds to name
He is ok if we change his routine
Plays well with siblings
Tells me about his achievements ,interests
very affectionate
likes touch
Answer It does sound like he demonstrates many characteristics of high functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome; however, it is often not until school age that these characteristics generally manifest into a "disorder." At his age, he appears to be meeting adaptive milestones appropriately such as toileting, playing with siblings, pre academic skills and family interaction. Be very open with the specialists regarding all of your concerns, and continue your own research (which I see you have been doing by your question). The DSM-VI lists the following criteria regarding Asperger's Syndrome:
A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
lack of social or emotional reciprocity
B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)
E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood
F. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia
Many of the criteria do not become evident until a child has reached school age. Often for boys, the characteristics do not cause general difficulty until around 2nd or 3rd grade.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to be as specific as possible. I have two children with AS and both are very bright, with 'gifted' range IQ scores. Many times a child (or adult) with AS is first diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar, OCD, Social Phobia, or other executive functioning disorder. Often, one or both parents (as well as other family members) exhibit similar characteristics or have been misdiagnosed as well.
