autism testing, what should I do?

[tinytreasures]

our son is 12 and I feel he has Asperger syndrome (he is our wish child if you want to read about him in my siggy, but I didn't say anything about how hard he is to parent)
he is our handful and I have always said he had it but the drs wouldn't dx him when we had some tests when he was 4 because of his immune problems, they said he didn't have enough contact with children his own age. Plus the kid can talk and talk and talk and hold a conversion, not on topic but he fakes it well.
He can not be left alone at all or he will get himself in trouble due to his lack of total impulse control. He has never slept at all and we have been playing the med game for yrs. Right now the drs are kicking around bipolar and mood disorder.

Onto questions?
he had a bunch of tests done with the school for a IEP. I never thought he would get a IEP but he is going to get special ed 1/2 the day and regular classes the other 1/2 (he is in private school right now so this will be next yr if we put him in public)
well they did the Gilliam Autism rating scale and he got "very Likely" on all 4 of the tests
I called a place that does testing but it will take 6 to 8 months to get a appointment
Has anyone ever had the school dx a child with Autism?
The tester told me she doesn't think he has it because he can communicates so well
Is it normal for Asperger kid to talk as well as he does?

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My DS14 has Asperger's and is a great communicator. He was a late talker and didn't say much until he was 3. But his talking steadily improved and now most people wouldn't know he ever had a speech/language problem. He does have trouble staying on topic, especially if he's not interested in the subject. He can go on and on about things he's interested in and he writes very well, too.

In my experience, older Asperger's kids have good communication skills. You have to look for the other characteristics such as poor eye contact, awkward social skills, narrow interest in topics, etc. My son goes to a specialized school for kids with Asperger's and most of his classmates carry on conversations very well.

If you're looking for a 2nd opinion, try calling some private practice psychologists. I found a really good one that gave my son a series of tests when he was 5. I felt her diagnosis was right on target and it gave me another perspective rather than just relying on the school district's evaluation team.

 

[bookwormde]

You need to find a major clinical center that has a team with currnet adn ddep experaince in Aspergers. The gillium scale is OK but I perfer the WPS SRS rating scale since it has more subsets.
If you have not allready read it get a copu of Tony Attwood's "The complete guide to Aspergers" which is available on Amazon for about $17. This will help you greatley to understand your child.

Whatever clinicain is thinking about giving a primary diagnosis fo bipolor or mood disorder without a full evaluation for Asperges, you should run away from as fast as possible becouse the lack the most basic compitancy in genetic neuroligical varirtions.

Keep calling and checking on opther centers for a diagnosis, even if you have to travel. A school anly does an educational classification, not a diagnosis. There are some good developmental neurologists that have groups that can do a resonalbely good intital diagnosis while you are waiting to get into a major maedical center.

bookwormde

 

[tinytreasures]

we just found a new psychologists a few weeks ago
I will bring this report with when we see her again in a few weeks. I am also going by myself to his therapy appointment on thursday to talk to him about my concerns.

He can make eye contact with you but from little on I have always told him "my eyes are up here" and would make him look at me. He still won't unless I say that to him.

He doesn't have a friend in the world
He just can't figure that having a friend is a 2 way street you need to let them talk too, and not quiz them on a stupid math fact. He tried to impress people with how well he can do math.

I called the big autism center in the twin cities but like I said they said it will be 6months to get him in.

He can really talk well, he started talking in sentences at 9 months old and has never stopped talking since. At 2 it was like living with a adult. He can hold a conversations but has to add sooooo many fact to get to the end of the story. Like when I ask him about his day he has to start on how he crossed the street, got on the bus it goes on and on and on.
He NEVER shuts up his mouth is "motoring" 24 hours a day. If he is not talking he making weird noises out of his mouth. He even talks in his sleep and screams in his sleep.

 

[bookwormde]

Kids with Aspergers typically talk but well but the struture of the speach is atypical (often professorial) and many of our guys do some eye contact but it is not natural or comfortable for them.

Once you read Attwood you will be in a much better position to support your child. He is the leading clinician in the world in this area

bookwormde

 

[WelovMickey!]

our son is 12 and I feel he has Asperger syndrome (he is our wish child if you want to read about him in my siggy, but I didn't say anything about how hard he is to parent)
he is our handful and I have always said he had it but the drs wouldn't dx him when we had some tests when he was 4 because of his immune problems, they said he didn't have enough contact with children his own age. Plus the kid can talk and talk and talk and hold a conversion, not on topic but he fakes it well.
He can not be left alone at all or he will get himself in trouble due to his lack of total impulse control. He has never slept at all and we have been playing the med game for yrs. Right now the drs are kicking around bipolar and mood disorder.

Onto questions?
he had a bunch of tests done with the school for a IEP. I never thought he would get a IEP but he is going to get special ed 1/2 the day and regular classes the other 1/2 (he is in private school right now so this will be next yr if we put him in public)
well they did the Gilliam Autism rating scale and he got "very Likely" on all 4 of the tests
I called a place that does testing but it will take 6 to 8 months to get a appointment
Has anyone ever had the school dx a child with Autism?
The tester told me she doesn't think he has it because he can communicates so well
Is it normal for Asperger kid to= talk as well as he does?

Your tester is correct for a dx of autism there is three categories he needs to be delayed in ,speech being one of them and at least one delay needs to be know before the age of three. I have a powerpoint that I have dl from the web if you would like me to email it to you. That explains what they are looking for in a dx of autism. Just pm me. Yes it is normal for an Aspergers child to be able to speak well. That's why they are dx with asperger's because they do not have delayed speech. I hope that makes sense.