01 Mar 2013, 9:23 am
I'm hopefully going to be having my son properly evaluated for ASD soon. I know the doctor will want to know about his past and present symptoms, but I'm having some difficulty spontaneously generating a comprehensive list (yes, his speech is pedantic, like his mother's 
). I feel there is probably a list somewhere in this forum that I can use as a base (obviously omitting items or making additions where appropriate), but I can't find one.
Can anyone help me out?
01 Mar 2013, 2:15 pm
I know that it has been discussed in multiple threads, but honestly you bring up a good point. We should probably have a sticky thread with the DSM (IV (for now and (proposed)V) and a list of common indicators in layman language. I think it would help everyone out, especially newbies.
Now I am going to start a list of possible indicators. Other people will need to add to it, because it will not be definitive: I am just going down the DSM iV and trying to think of how to make it more concrete: Please, everyone feel free to add or edit to this as this is far from complete.
1)Atypical eye contact--either too direct or not direct enough or non-existent. Sometimes individual will look at people through peripheral vision or will try to adapt by looking at people's foreheads.
2)Atypical body language and facial expressions as well as failure to interpret these things in others. Inability to imitate body language and facial expressions is also often present.
3)Individual does not spontaneously point to things or show things to people based on them being interesting to other people.
4) Preferring to play by oneself and to the extent that other people are involved the individual uses them as tools as opposed to real reciprocal interaction. For example insisting playmates follow a script or do what they are told to do. Often meltdowns will occur when people do not play along and the individual does not understand why people are not content to play in this fashion
5)Clinical delay in spoken language often combined with a lack of compensating gesturing. Conversation may be "Little Professor" Aspie like and not typical of ones peers.
6)Inability to start a conversation or keep one going.
7)Echolalia---parroting words or phrases or whole monologues. It can be immediate or it can be delayed where the phrase, word or monologue just pops up seemingly out of no where. Also language might be used in unusual ways with words being given entirely different meanings in place of the proper word.
Clinically delayed pretend/imaginative play. When present it may take the form of scripted play where the individual is both star and director and other participants are expected to perform with little or no deviance from the implied script. it may also take the form of monologues where others are expected to be the audience.
9)Special interests that are very specific and/or very intense. They may or may not be typical for their age. For example someone might be super intensely into Lego or super into dinosaurs, or cell phones, or super into collecting string. The individual may read early and scan text as a stim, and may focus on letters, numbers and symbols , and logos and such.
10) Has ritualistic behavior or "stims" that NTs often feel have no purpose but might be used to regulate internal systems. These may include licking things, hand flapping, jumping, waving fingers, spinning, rocking in chairs, watching fans spin, in front of one's face, making humming sounds and many more. Also the person may develop certain ways of doing things or must do things in a certain order that the person does not like to vary.
11) May play with toys in unusual ways, such as focusing on spinning wheels of a car rather than playing with toys in a typical way. May not play with toys at all, or use non toy objects as toys in unusual ways.
12) Lacks insight into other people's feeling and motivations and has difficulty labeling ones own emotions.
13) Impaired executive function skills relative to age: Impulse control issues, emotional regulation issues, meltdowns, trouble with transitioning from one activity to another. Has difficulty stopping before completion of a task. Difficulty organizing and managing time.
14)Poor fine and or gross motor skills.
15)Trouble with handwriting.
16)May be unusally calm or appear high-strong with disproportionate responses to things.
17)May have a tendency to perseverate on things and ruminate about them beyond what a typical person would.
Here is the official criteria as listed in DSM IV for Autism. There is a separate one for Aspergers, with less stringent rules but I am hesitant to add it because it is being removed from the DSM. if anyone thinks it should be added anyway, feel free. 
Diagnostic Criteria for 299.00 Autistic Disorder
======================================================================
[The following is from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM IV]
(I) A total of six (or more) items from (A), (B), and (C), with at least two from (A), and one each from (B) and (C)
(A) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1. marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. 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)
4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity ( note: in the description, it gives the following as examples: not actively participating in simple social play or games, preferring solitary activities, or involving others in activities only as tools or "mechanical" aids )
(B) qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:
1. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
2. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
3. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
4. lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level
(C) restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
(II) Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:
(A) social interaction
(B) language as used in social communication
(C) symbolic or imaginative play
(III) The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
.
Last edited by ASDMommyASDKid on 01 Mar 2013, 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
01 Mar 2013, 2:24 pm
01 Mar 2013, 3:49 pm
The psych wanted to diagnose me as well, but I declined.
Anyway, it was invaluable.
Sounds like something I'd do. In fact I have the urge to, now.
Do you mind sharing your list? My kiddo is already Dx (PDD-NOS) but we are going in for further testing as they suggested to get a more exact Dx (either Typical or Aspie)
01 Mar 2013, 5:07 pm
01 Mar 2013, 7:27 pm
