Advice on Autisim

I am new to this website but I may be able to help you. I have 2 children. Mikey 18 months and Alex 3 they both have different forms of autism. You can Contact the Kirch center at strong that's where my sons go or if that's to far for you ask your pediatrician about a referal to a developmental peditrician tell him your concerns. There is usually a 6 month waiting list to get into see a developmental peditrician. If yoou have any questions in the mean time please feel free to contact me at ____@____.com. I'll be glad to help in anyway I can. It's really hard when you think there might be something different about your child and you don't know how to help them.
A. C.

Hi! I have a 7 year old and I was where you are when my son was 6. I thought he had autism, add, adhd, etc. He could not focus on a specific activity without acting out, hitting, drooling, and body tic'ing. I couldn't get anywhere with medical doctors. They just kept sending Dean for medical tests...mri's, blood work, etc. I knew something wasn't right but I also knew (in my gut) that he didn't need med's. His body tics were getting so bad and he was getting worse with getting distracted, acting out, tiredness, etc. Then a miracle happened....
A stranger overheard a conversation I was having with a friend about my son and told me a name of a doctor to go to. She said, call Dr. Weiss in Middletown. He is amazing and has changed my childs life.
Me and Dean went in Dec. 2006 and thought we were in the wrong office...chiropractor??!! No, I wasn't. He tested Deans Rapid Eye Movement by having him follow a striped scarf. There was a head piece on his head with a camera and we watched his eye movements on the tv. Oh my god...What I saw with his eye movements...very slow...not the typical eye movements. Dr. Weiss explained his brain is "tired" and that is why he acts the way he does. His eye movements were slow because he was "tired" and that is why he couldn't focus on an activity and was over stimulated. He told us what to do at home with excercises to build his Cerabellum of his brain which would increase his rapid eye movement so he wouldn't get overstimulated. How did it work?....
It was a miracle! After 1 month Dean stopped body tic'ing! He also was able to sit still in class and focus on an activity!! He also stopped acting aggressive and stopped drooling and bed wetting!! It has been life changing for him (and me!).
I'm sorry to write so much! If you want more info about my son, email me at ____@____.com doctors name is William Weiss ###-###-####. Trust me I know what you are going through and you are not alone. It's hard for me when we were around friends and the moms would look at Dean like he was so weird and quirky.

I hope this helps and if you ever want to talk more, just let me know.

Also, The Center for Pediatric Therapy is a great place to get an evaluation. Dean goes to them now for Occupational Therapy regarding his sensory issues.

Have a GREAT day!
G.

My son is 5 years old and has autism. My sons doctor actually suggested that he got tested. If you have any questions, please email me at ____@____.com

Also you should grab a book from the bookstore called "The Autism SourceBook" I am telling you this book is a major help. It was written by a mom with a child with autism. Don't listen to your family over react to your feelings. My mom did the same thing to me, and said he would talk when he's ready. Well I knew by looking up autism on the internet.

Take your son to either a mental hospital that has those type of services or a children's hopspital close to you. The childrens hospital near me, missed my sons diagnosis. They never looked for it. I went through Western Pysch here in Pgh.

Be agressive with your sons treatment and diagnosis. Make sure you tell the doctor anything pertinant that you see your son do. Everything matters. I hope everything works out for you, and please feel free to contact me anytime.

Hi J. -

I'm S. and my son Aiden has PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), which is on the autism spectrum. He is very mild, or high-functioning as they call it. I noticed when he was around a year that he wasn't starting to say words like Mama, Dada, etc. He was delayed. We started speech therapy at that time through Early Intervention services. I also took him to Children's Hospital and had him evaluated. The doctor wanted to see how he did with speech therapy before giving him a diagnosis. He did very well, but she did diagnose him with PDD a year later at his follow-up. I'll tell you, it is VERY scary and hard to hear someone tell you that something is wrong with your child. He started wraparound services (daily therapy in the home) 4 months ago and I've seen HUGE improvements in his behavior.

If you have the slightest inkling that something may be amiss, I would have him tested. If there is something that needs to be addressed, the earlier the better. Please let me know if you have any questions for me or just want to talk. Take care.

I am a Special Ed. teacher and my advice would be go ahead with the test. Information is your friend. If he is autistic, he will be eligible for many services that will help him become more happy, successful, and well adjusted. These service can also benefit your family. There are so amny varying degrees of autism...they even say that some of the brightest minds in the world were autistic!! Good luck!!

S.

Hi, J.. I'm S., mom to Ben who is six and diagnosed with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. When he was 3 we had him evaluated for autism b/c he toe walked. He turned out to have a lot of sensory issues but not autism. We went to the Child Development Unit at Children's. That is a great place to go for an evaluation. I would say that if three people who work with kids every day suggested an eval that you have it done. More and more research is coming out suggesting that kids with autism who are treated early have a great chance of making improvements. If you want some idea about where online to get info, just e-mail me. And I know how scary it is to go thru what you are. But if you have an eval, you will know for sure if something is going on.

S. H. ____@____.com

Hi, J.--

Do _not_ ignore your gut feeling. Early diagnosis gives your child the best chance of coming to terms with any problems and can get him the resources he needs to make a world of difference for him and you and your husband.

Do talk to your pediatrician and ask for an evaluation.
Then get a second opinion. There is a LOT of help out there. You can contact Parent Network of NYS if you are in the state of NY. You can also contact the Learning Disabilities Association in your area. Both organizations are on-line and you can find them in a Google search.

Your son needs your help sooner rather than later--and you need to resolve some of the "Mom-gut" anxiety before it makes things harder for you all! It can be terrifying not to know and, if there is a problem, you could be moving toward solutions before he has to suffer the sense of failure that can happen when children get to school without the help, support, and interventions that could assure their success!

I wish you a happy outcome.

S. B.

I have a 10 year old who is autistic. If you think that something is wrong RUN RUN RUN to get him checked out. Dr. Susan Levy down at CHOP is the best. The sooner the better. Don't listen to your family members. Mom's radar is right on. Good luck. If you want to chat about it, give me a holler.

Hi J.! My name is B. and my husband's name is Ron. We have a 10 year old son who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when he was 23 months old. We experienced a lot of denial from both sides of our family and friends. If you have that 'mom-gut' feeling you can't ignore it. What's the worst that can happen? You can be told that your son does not have ASD. If you would like to talk please feel free to get in touch. Where do you live? If you live in my area I can refer you to a GREAT pediatrician who will go out of her way to help you with this!!! Take care J.. I hope to hear from you.

B.

before i gave birth to my son, I worked as an aba therapist with children on the spectrum. PLEASE ignore what your family is saying and go get your son tested. If you, the mama, has a gut feeling something is wrong, then something is wrong. Autism and the other disorders on the spectrum need to be managed. Your son, if he does have autism needs to get the help he needs so he can be the best functioning child he can be. Baltimore has a strong and wonderful group of families who have children on the spectrum, and they are a great source of information and inspiration. Send me a message if you want to talk.

Ignore your family. Get information. My now-four-year-old had sensory integration dysfunction. It can present like autism. He toe-walked, had sensory problems, had to be taught to chew and swallow, and is very, very bright. When he was two he started occupational therapy. It helped. He DID have to take meds for a year or so, but he's off all meds and really doesn't need intervention any more. I'm glad I got him the intervention he needed.

It may or may not be autism. You're never better off ignoring the "mom gut" feeling.

Hi J. my 6year old son Christian has been dianosed recently with Aspergers syndrome.( a form of autism )It took me awile to make people believe he had more than adhd.My family gave me alot of grief about it.I was told it was my parenting.I knew something was just not right.I was told i was dramatic,even after his dianosis i get "maybe they will realize he is ok."I would like to talk to you at any time to help you out.My son does get some services to help him and myself to deal with this at home and at school.I could help you with that also.Just let me know.
N.

Two years ago my husband and I found out our son Aidan had autism. At the time, my son could not talk (he was two) and he had a number of sensory/behavior issues. Since his evaluation, he has thrived. He now can use a computer, talk in full sentences, and has solved a number of his sensory issues. We have an OT, PT, BH, Speech therapist and a schooling program all in place for him Monday-Friday. You should contact the Child Development Services Office in your area and meet with them. They offer all the services I listed free of charge to your child or on a sliding fee scale depending on income. Just remember: Your child is special the way they are and not to expect too much or too little and go with the flow. They have plenty of time left to be the person they were meant to be.

I don't have a child with autism but if you think there is a problem then have him evaluated. It’s free and it will make you feel better. Call CDS (Child Developmental Services). Not sure if its called the same thing in NY or not but look in your phone book or ask your Doctor. You Dr. will have a number or another Dr. for you to bring your son.
I went through the same thing 2 years ago and glad I did. My son doesn’t have Autism but a learning disorder and speech delays. It’s worth it I promise. Good Luck.

I had the "gut" feeling from the time my son was born, but my family thought I was crazy and he was just eccentric. The symptoms kept getting worse and after his second birthday he retreated into a nether world that I could not penetrate. I kick myself every day over not having trusted my instincts. My son is almost three and carries an autism diagnosis, but my mother and in-laws still don't think there is anything wrong. The awful truth about autism is that insurance companies are reluctant to pay for a diagnosis, which should come from a qualified developmental pediatrician, psychologist, or pediatric neurologist or any associated therapies. Furthermore, the waiting list for a diagnosis can range from 1 month to 2 years. The benefit of the diagnosis is that your son will be eligible for special services through your local school system. The whole process is very confusing, but I would be happy to discuss any of your son's behaviors, family issues, or therapies with you further.
Finally, the best book I read was "Overcoming Autism." It was written by a mother & doctor. It is not technical, but full of real world examples and ways to work with your child.

My advice to you is just go to a developmental ped. and have your child evaluated. They may refer you to your county's early intervention for further evaluation by professionals.
You are only hurting your child if you do not move forward and it will really help you to understand things more if you get the information you need.
Good luck!

Hi,

I read your post the other day I think. I did not respond because I do not know your child and I am not a doctor, but some of those behaviors do sound suspicious and warrant attention. I have two children with the disorder. One is four and the other is 12. I would call my pediatrician nad ask them to refer you to someone whom can do an evaluation, like a psychologist or a developmental pediatrician. The behavioral portion of your medical insurance should cover it.

C.