Introduction; Son likely has AS or Aspergers

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Well,
I've been reading some of the posts in this forum, and already can see it will likely be a helpful place. I am not AS, but my son is. He is going to be 4 in January, and based on concerns from preschool, and some of our own we recently had him go through a developmental screening in our school district. We won't find officially where they have him on the spectrum or what services they recommend until a formal meeting tomorrow, but have already been told that they preliminarily felt he was PDD-NOS. Some of the traits we have noticed are that while he enjoys the company of others, he really doesn't engage with them properly and can't read social cues well at all. He knows a lot of words, but can't hold much of a conversation with anyone. He also lines up his toys and has a fascination with trains. He does have a few sensory issues, but overall he isn't really affected much in that area. We're nervous awaiting the formal results of his screening, but I know he is a good kid and quite smart, even though his way of thinking/reacting differs from ours. I hope to find ways to better connect with him over time and help him continue learning.

Welcome to WP! I have a 5 yr old son diagnosed with PDD-NOS, and he sounds much like your son. I know this is a difficult time, waiting and all. My son is progressing, although our concerns are far from over. With the right educational environment, a lot of patience and understanding, I think your son will be fine. I would suggest reading books on Asperger's Syndrome since there are more books on this and many of the same problems exist.

Good luck, and please feel free to ask any questions that you have.......

BTW, my son is now able to have a simple back and forth conversation now although a lot of the time it is based on one of his special interests that he likes to talk about. He has had lots of speech therapy which your son will probably be able to receive through the school.

Welcome! Have you checked out this resource? http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/f ... ay_kit.php (some of us, including me, have some difficulty with some things Autism Speaks supports, but you can decide for yourself later - this kit has nothing to do with anything controversial.)

Also, there is a free e-book that's floating around here: http://www.asdstuff.com/ that many of us (including myself) have found very helpful, and a thread of books and information to read here http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt121250.html

However, one thing to remember - YOUR kid is an individual. One of the ways I've been helped the most is by asking questions about my son's particular individual quirks - there are a lot of different kinds of people here and usually somebody has an answer or a strategy.

Welcome! I'm pretty new to this group too. It has been a great resource. My son is 4 and we are waiting to do more testing through the school this semester. For now, he's getting all of the supports a child with Asperger's would get without the formal diagnosis. We know he has some sensory issues and social skills issues. The sensory issues mostly play out at home (sensory seeking behavior) while they are not seeing it so much at school anymore... which is awesome, because his sensory issues made it very difficult for him to function at his preschool last year!

anyway, the list of books someone linked to is quite helpful. I have really enjoyed reading the book called, "Quirky Kids: Understanding and Helping Your Child Who Doesn't Fit in."'