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Wherever I fall on the spectrum
I am like a diamond
Or perhaps a snowflake
We are all individuals
No two the same
Same diagnosis; but uniquely different
by Nancy Lu Lemke/autisticsolutions®
I am like a diamond
Or perhaps a snowflake
We are all individuals
No two the same
Same diagnosis; but uniquely different
by Nancy Lu Lemke/autisticsolutions®
What Does Autism Spectrum Disorder Mean?
Spectrum? Autism is the most known disorder under the "umbrella" term, pervasive developmental disorders (PDD's). But there are other disorders which include: Asperger Syndrome, PDD-NOS , fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder. This gets confusing because autism is a form of PDD but PDD-NOS is also a form of PDD. When you first take your child in to a doctor, before the psychological testing is done, he/she could tell you that your child has PDD. That is what I was told with my children. I didn't know what it was and went home to look it up. "What???? autism?" I said. Now, it is much clearer to tell the parent that their child is in the range of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder than terming the whole continuum PDD. These are developmental disorders where the child lags in many areas continuously from birth.
ASPERGER SYNDROME(AS - made official in the DSM IV (APA 1994) is considered on the low end of impairment on the continuum. Boys predominate AS. Their verbal IQ's are more in line with their non-verbal IQ's, but AS children have severe difficulty with peer interaction. They may have trouble empathizing, being taken advantage of, reading social cues, staying on topic and maintaining eye contact. Their needs are more centered around themselves and their particular topic of interest, which might be all they talk about. Phy-ed, ball handling, tying shoes, cutting, writing, pedaling a bike can be very hard tasks for these kids. They can be very clumsy. With AS, watch for co-exists such as epileptic seizures, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorders. Most children on the spectrum are susceptible at higher risk for the co-existent difficulties.
PDD-NOS implies fewer signs and severity than autism, but the boundaries between the two can vary between each clinician or doctor seen.
AUTISM is the most known diagnosis on the spectrum. There are three major areas that are involved and these areas help determine the diagnosis. The areas are, social interaction, communication impairments and narrow, repetitive stereotyped behaviors, interests or activities. Socially, the child is isolated showing lack of interest in friendships. They lack awareness of other's feelings and have trouble imitating. Communication is hindered verbally and non-verbally. Non verbals include gestures, gaze and use of space, and expression of emotions. There may be a lack of pointing, wanting to be picked up, limited eye contact, and a wide range of emotions. Verbally, the child may have language delay, use language only to satisfy their needs (rather than express feelings), have some form of echolalia and use jargon. Behaviorally, the child may show lack of interest in their toys or lack of imagination in play. Maybe their favorite toy is a object that is picked because of its smell or tactile feeling or they like just one aspect of the toy, such as spinning a car wheel and watching it for thirty minutes. The child may insist on routines and not welcome change and have repetitive mannerisms such as hand flapping or spinning. There is a lot involved, autism consumes the individual, and no two are alike.
Spectrum? Autism is the most known disorder under the "umbrella" term, pervasive developmental disorders (PDD's). But there are other disorders which include: Asperger Syndrome, PDD-NOS , fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder. This gets confusing because autism is a form of PDD but PDD-NOS is also a form of PDD. When you first take your child in to a doctor, before the psychological testing is done, he/she could tell you that your child has PDD. That is what I was told with my children. I didn't know what it was and went home to look it up. "What???? autism?" I said. Now, it is much clearer to tell the parent that their child is in the range of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder than terming the whole continuum PDD. These are developmental disorders where the child lags in many areas continuously from birth.
ASPERGER SYNDROME(AS - made official in the DSM IV (APA 1994) is considered on the low end of impairment on the continuum. Boys predominate AS. Their verbal IQ's are more in line with their non-verbal IQ's, but AS children have severe difficulty with peer interaction. They may have trouble empathizing, being taken advantage of, reading social cues, staying on topic and maintaining eye contact. Their needs are more centered around themselves and their particular topic of interest, which might be all they talk about. Phy-ed, ball handling, tying shoes, cutting, writing, pedaling a bike can be very hard tasks for these kids. They can be very clumsy. With AS, watch for co-exists such as epileptic seizures, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorders. Most children on the spectrum are susceptible at higher risk for the co-existent difficulties.
PDD-NOS implies fewer signs and severity than autism, but the boundaries between the two can vary between each clinician or doctor seen.
AUTISM is the most known diagnosis on the spectrum. There are three major areas that are involved and these areas help determine the diagnosis. The areas are, social interaction, communication impairments and narrow, repetitive stereotyped behaviors, interests or activities. Socially, the child is isolated showing lack of interest in friendships. They lack awareness of other's feelings and have trouble imitating. Communication is hindered verbally and non-verbally. Non verbals include gestures, gaze and use of space, and expression of emotions. There may be a lack of pointing, wanting to be picked up, limited eye contact, and a wide range of emotions. Verbally, the child may have language delay, use language only to satisfy their needs (rather than express feelings), have some form of echolalia and use jargon. Behaviorally, the child may show lack of interest in their toys or lack of imagination in play. Maybe their favorite toy is a object that is picked because of its smell or tactile feeling or they like just one aspect of the toy, such as spinning a car wheel and watching it for thirty minutes. The child may insist on routines and not welcome change and have repetitive mannerisms such as hand flapping or spinning. There is a lot involved, autism consumes the individual, and no two are alike.
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RETT'S
DISORDER was named after Dr. Andreas Rett, who described the condition in 1966. This disorder is found in girls.
The baby develops normally the first 6-18th months and then the previously learned skills are lost or development is halted.
The use of hands is replaced by a stereotypic wringing movement. Psycho-motor skills are severely delayed and there
is an uncoordinated gait. Severe mental deficiency may be present.
Resembling ASD's but NOT:
FRAGILE X SYNDROME where there is a weakness or break on the X chromosome. It is a common genetic cause of mental retardation but not all are. Some have mild learning disabilities and speech delay. These kids have sensory and self-stimulatory behaviors but are more shy than aloof. A DNA blood test can determine this.
LANDAU-KLEFFNOR SYNDROME (LKS) is a rare condition which is like CDD because there is typical development followed by regression. LKS can be detected by an EEG.
Asperger's Features:
As a group, here are some features of Asperger's. Remember, every child is uniquely different:
- AS do not have significant delays in language, cognitive and adaptive behaviors, during the first 3 years.
- Motor milestones may be behind and clumsiness may be apparent.
- Average to high IQ's whereas those with autism usually show cognitive deficits
- AS wants to socialize but are often inappropriate with difficulty understanding irony, humor and abstractions. They lack in social cues. Autistics don't seek socialization
- AS are literal and rule oriented
- The are topic preoccupied. They might talk about one interest over and over again. This topic may be very unusual
- There
is a high degree of inheritance with a high incidence of mental illness such a bi-polar.
Autism Pioneers:
Leo Kanner identified autism as a distinct neurological disorder
in 1943. He was an Austrian psychiatrist based at an American university, John Hopkins. Hans Asperger, an Austrian
pediatrician, published a doctoral thesis in 1944, about four boys whom he termed autistic. Asperger's boys were
significantly more functional than Kanner's description. Kanner's description was more recognized until
1981 when Lorna Wing published a paper characterizing children that fit Asperger's work. Unfortunately, the Austrian
pediatrician, Asperger, died in 1980 never knowing a world wide condition would be named after him.
The late autism giant, Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. psychologist helped change the perception of autism away from Bruno Bettelheim's theory of the "refrigerator mothers" (cold, unfeeling moms contributed to the development of autistic children). Rimland's view was that autism was more biologically based, not an emotional disorder. He founded the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research Institute, bringing parents and the professionals together.
The late autism giant, Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. psychologist helped change the perception of autism away from Bruno Bettelheim's theory of the "refrigerator mothers" (cold, unfeeling moms contributed to the development of autistic children). Rimland's view was that autism was more biologically based, not an emotional disorder. He founded the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research Institute, bringing parents and the professionals together.
Please try to get some self care in.
Raising an autistic child can wear you down quickly. You are not good for anyone if you cannot be good to yourself.
It is hard, because an autistic child also might have physical problems such as spitting up or constant earaches. The
hyperactivity and sensitivities can keep you going 24 hours a day and pretty soon you feel like you are ready to
walk into a wall. It is very hard to find "me" time but do nice things for yourself. Have a cup of tea
or get a bath in, if possible. Just little treats can really help.
Those without autistic children can be helpful. Offer to help in any way possible or take the parents out for coffee.
Those without autistic children can be helpful. Offer to help in any way possible or take the parents out for coffee.