Autism/bi-polar and Autism

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Expert: - 10/27/2006


Question
Is there a link between Autism and Bi-Polar?  This came up during my son's
IEP yesterday.  Actually it was the school principal that started quizzing us
and
his teachers on certain behaviors.  Her recommendation was to get him to a
pediatric neurologist for a clearer diagnosis.  She gave me some information
on childhood bi-polar and how it can be confused with ADHD and also linked
it to the Autism spectrum.

There is a family history of ADHD, and Bi-polar, and High functioning Autism
although many of the symptoms of all three do show up in the individuals in
our families that have one of the three.

Now I am confusing myself.  I felt like the school actually listened to me and
they are just as interested in getting the answers we need.  That made me
feel better, but then she brought up bi-polar and I just wonder if it's a way
for her to brush off his issues.  

From some of the stuff I read I get, if you have these symptoms present then
it is ADHD, but if you have these symptoms present then it is Bi-Polar, and if
you have some of the ADHD symptoms and some of the Bi-Polar symptoms
and Speech problems then it might be an Autism spectrum disorder.

Answer
Hi Carina,

You're right, the three issues often are confused and look alike in many ways.

Do not let the school derail you by confusing the issue. I have never heard of a principal being involved in an IEP meeting, before. It is not her area of expertise, she's an administrator.

If he has autistic behaviors, he's probably on spectrum. This does not mean he does not have ADHD and/or bi-polar issues, but the autism will not be helped with medication where as the other two might be.

A clearer diagnosis is always desireable but not always possible.

Make it clear that the IEP is not going to wait for yet another evaluation. To be honest, regardless of where his behavior stems from, much of the treatment and accomodations are the same.

Best wishes,
Catherine

Autism

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Catherine Ridenour

Expertise

I can answer your questions about parenting your High Functioning Autisic or Asperger`s Syndrome child. In particular, questions about family life, discipline, siblings, finding resources, and working with (sometimes opposing) the educational system are welcome.

Experience

I am the parent of an Asperger's Syndrome child who is now 22 years old. She went undiagnosed for 14 years of her life, so I have done extensive reading and Internet research into the possible cause of her difficulties. Even a short 8 years ago, A.S. was practically unheard of by the public educational system.

We fumbled our way through her childhood and early adolescence without any effective outside support. In some ways, that may have been a blessing as we were focused on her abilities rather than a label for her disability. However, I can think of many times when knowing WHY would have been comforting.

Had we known very early on, some social skills interventions might have made her life in school easier. At this point, I like her for who she is so I do not regret how things have turned out. More importantly, she likes herself.

Education/Credentials
I have a Bachelor of Science in Education.

I have worked to educate myself about Autism in general and HFA/AS in particular.

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