lookin for others

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Hi, I have a 4.5 daughter ( 5 on Thur.) with mild aspies, I would LOVE to talk with other parents in the same boat as me, or others with older children, to help me with questions and maybe some insight to our future, yes like a crystal ball!! ! HA HA
I would love to hear from anyone with aspies too, any help would be appreciated!! Thanks for reading!!
Stacey

How on earth do you get a diagnosis aged 4?

welcome!! ! Check out the forums, especially the parents forum!

Sorry, didn't mean for that to sound aggressive/confrontational or anything. I just don't understand how its picked up so early.

Abbey was in a little school 2 days a week, and the teachers noticed she was not inter-acting with her peers, so off we traveled on this swell journey, dr. after dr. and through the lovely school system, where they wanted her to go into a handicapped class, here no one spoke. Not the place where she belonged, so I kept her in the same school this year with a wonderful teacher, and I pray she will be able to handle kindergarden in the fall. She is really, really smart, so that may not help the situation, but it will be a blessing in the future!! Thanks

Wish I had her teachers.


I'm sure she'll do fine. School will be awkward, but that can be the way with or without AS. As you'll see on this forum, some great people come from the community your daughter is a part of.

They wanted her to go to a special needs class because she wasn't interacting with other kids? One word to jerks in that regard!

***************************BUT OUT****************************

UNREAL that SHE should suffer or be limited because others don't encourage her!

BTW I was in the SAME boat(I was 6 at the time, and in first grade), but even AUTISM wasn't available as a diagnosis. They wanted to give me ridalin, but I never got it. I turned out OK. I would have been better if they put me in some kind of gifted program etc.... The OPPOSITE of what they suggest for your child.

Steve

Thanks all for the positive feedback, I think she will have a hard time in school - socially - but like you said, we all did at some point, but she WILL be OK. Thanks again!!
Stacey

Having a difficult time in school, socially, I think would have been much more tolerable if my parents had been understanding in regards to my differences with the other children. I may have even never been depressed had I only been encouraged in the way you seem to be doing for your daughter. Kudos to you!

There's a couple in our local support group that are in the progress of getting a diagnosis for their child at age 2.

Hello,
My son was diagnosed with autism in October. He's 2 (he will be 3 in April)
He started talking at 5 months but when he started daycare he completely stopped talking and we noticed that he started spinning wheels and other things constantly.
He's considered high functioning since he has started talking again and he has very specific interests (trains and animals).
J.

Hi Amom and welcome. Check out the parents section to find the other moms and dads on this site. I think there is quite a few. Might want to also check out the support group section on this site http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/ for a local group.

I suppose its good your child's teacher is being sensitive and analyzing how kids are doing in the class. However I think SOMETIMES they are a little gungho in trying to slap defective labels on too many young kids these days. Its bizarre because an adult has a hard time getting a professional to take them seriously that they might have Aspergers. Yet these kids are getting labeled as autistic, ADHD, dyslexia any time they act a little "different". I think you also have to look at the younger generation just because of the way technology and society is might appear a little less socially interactive when they are just normal for their generation. For instance all the under 25 set I work with prefer not to hold conversations, but instead stay plugged into there ipods. They may appear a little antisocial but there's no way they could all have Aspergers. They just prefer more personal space.

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't let the teacher worry you over your child too much when your child may be perfectly normal and just a little shy or something. Its good to learn about things, but don't worry yourself over it before its time to. I think teachers are a little overzealous with trying to put all kids on Ritalin or Adderall and slap a dysfunctional label on them.

If you suspect your child could have AS at her age I would look for things like synethesia which a number of us, particularly the AS females experience at a young age. I had this in a major way in kindergarton and for some reason they thought I was dyslexic because of it. (I got diagnosed with Aspergers at 35). Here's some links-

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/syne.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4602748

WOW.............I need to read all that again and again!! !
I totally agree with you on the "label" thing because it is SO much easier. Part of me wants to read EVERY statement out there and the other part just wants to deal with Abbey as ABBEY! Just sometimes I get crazy and sad about it, but I guess if it was not for "different" kinds of people, life would be really, really BORING!! As my doctor said, I may not have the prom queen on my hands, but I will have the captain of the debate team on my hands............Hey not too bad?! !
Thanks again so much for the info., and the positive feedback!!
Stacey

Your doctor sounds nice! Abbey IS unique but, if she has AS or autism, knowing how people HERE developed could help you to give her the best chance of being what she can be.

Steve

STEVE....that's why I'm here!! !!
So many other sites...............BLAH BLAH BLAH
Some make you fell GREAT, like your kid is not so bad, and other's are just a place for people to whine and complain, which they are entitled. Being here is like a dream come true for me, actual people living and dealing with it!! !! Thank you so much for your responses!
Stacey

Hi Stacey,

I feel exactly the same way. My DS is 4 1/2 and has been diagnosed with AS. We picked up that there was something unusual going in his development when he was reading ANYTHING by age 3, but was still falling a lot, couldn't ride a trike, and was having trouble interacting. It took a year of testing...and lots of people saying that he was just a really bright little boy with some social difficulties, before all the tests were put together to lead us to AS.

I've had lots of people question whether the diagnosis is a good thing for us, because it's putting a label on our very young child. The truth, though, is that label or not...his brain is simply wired differently. Understanding that has made a world of difference to our ability to cope with his difficult behaviours. He is VERY high functioning, but there are clearly sensory issues, and difficulties with social behaviour that cause problems in relationships. Where I live (I'm assuming it's the case anywhere), you can't access resources without a dx. So, I'm happy about it. Denying it wouldn't change anything, and I'm very hopeful that early diagnosis and intervention will improve the long-term outlook for his happiness, independence, etc.

For me, the label is less about categorizing him...and more a really important reminder that each child is unique. And, although my son is 4 1/2 years old, developmentally each child is in a different place. So, he can do middle school math, and can read more and spell better than many adults I know, his 2 1/2 year old sister is soon going to be more socially than he is. It helps me adjust my expectations so that I am able to more consistently work with him from where he's at...to be more understanding. Also, I've learned that many conventional parenting tactics just do NOT work...and so I'm grateful for the dx pointing me to resources and strategies that can be more successful with him.

There really is nothing quite like finding a community of parents who are living the same life! No matter where our kids are on the spectrum, there is just a shared experience that parents of NT kids can't quite understand

Shauna