on the spectrum

[gomomgo]

Will someone explain what the term "on the spectrum" means? Literally, of course, I know what it means. But I want to make sure that I really know what it means when it is used with on the spectrum of ADHD or autism, etc.

Just asking because our doc, who is wonderful, has used the term about my son. When I heard it, I just took it literally. But is seems that MANY people often use the term and I just want to be sure I'm not missing something.

TIA

 

[Earstou]

On the spectrum usually means one of the diagnoses associated with Autism. This includes classic autism, aspergers and pdd. I've found that sometimes the doctors are unsure of the exact diagnosis, so they say the child is somewhere "on the spectrum".
I've never heard "on the spectrum" used in reference to ADHD.

 

[ireland_nicole]

From what I understand, the spectrum can run all the way from Sensory integration dysfunction to "low functioning" autism. Sometimes Dr's will give a dx of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when there are many tendencies/symptoms/behaviors consistent w/ autism but not a clear dx of specific disorders yet. For instance, my DD has ASD, but also has severe ADHD,Bipolar, Dyspraxia, IgA deficiency, and Visual perceptual learning disabilities. She's 8. Because she has "co-morbid" conditions, it's hard to know exactly what causes which behaviors, so the neuro has just given the dx of ASD for now. I'm not sure if this is consistent w/ others experience, but it's where we are at the minute. HIH
Nicole

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

this is interesting! I have not heard of sensory integration dysfunction being on the spectrum, and I hadn't heard of ASD being given as the diagnosis!

 

[PrincessKell]

I had not heard SPD on the spectrum either.

This is what Georgia was first Dx when she was 2.5yrs old. When she started kindergarten this year the school psych wanted to do another eval with her because she thought her SPD was a symptom of High Functioning Autism. We just finished up her eval and we go to the regional center next friday as well.

I will have to ask about SPD being on the spectrum now.

 

[LuvsTinker]

this is interesting! I have not heard of sensory integration dysfunction being on the spectrum, and I hadn't heard of ASD being given as the diagnosis!

I think it may depend on what else is going on with the child.

Our son's Dr. basically explained it to us this way: one eval may tell you language delay, another eval. tell you SID, another eval tells you Auditory processing disorder, but when you add all these dx together, you get a child on the "spectrum"

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

I think some ppl count SPD on the spectrum and others do not, prob'ly 'cause some kids with Autism have the symptoms of SPD as part of their Autism, so those ppl are thinking SPD must be on the spectrum, too. I do not think it is on the spectrum, as it doesn't have the other Autistic behaviours. I have SPD (diagnosed as an adult).

 

[Brer Bear]

My 9 year old son has been diagnosed with Aspergers and has Sensory Integration Disorder. Unfortunately he, like many kids, does not fit the "classic" diagnosis and we've heard a lot of "spectrum" talk. My wife and I are both pharmacists and we've delved into a lot of books and journals that aren't really in the mainstream as well as those many here have read.

Arguably, it boils down to this in my totally unqualified opinion. The autism spectrum spans widely from mild ADD to severe autisim, with diagnoses like Aspergers somewhere within those two limits. OCD seems to be a common thread that spans the gamut and can be mild to severe on its own. Other features like Sensory Integration Disorder can be nil to severe. My child has many of the Asperger traits, but lacks the flat affect and he probably is on the autism spectrum a little before full blown aspergers.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

My 9 year old son has been diagnosed with Aspergers and has Sensory Integration Disorder.

How can he have both? The symptoms of SPD are also symptoms for Autism. I'd think it the same as saying you have both a case of the sniffles and a cold - you can have one or the other, but not both since the sniffles are a symptom of the cold.

 

[freckles and boo]

How can he have both? The symptoms of SPD are also symptoms for Autism. I'd think it the same as saying you have both a case of the sniffles and a cold - you can have one or the other, but not both since the sniffles are a symptom of the cold.

Nearly all kids with autism have sensory issues. Not all kids with sensory issues have autism. They are not one and the same. My daughter is hyposensitive and is a sensory seeker. She also has autism - she has communication and language problems, lacks social skills, and exhibits a number of behaviors associated with autism. Her sensory problems could be considered a separate condition or they could just be part of the autism. We don't really have any way of knowing and it really doesn't matter what we call it as long as we deal with it appropriately and try to help her adapt and adjust.

 

[karynnix]

When I talk to kids about autism, I tell them that the "spectrum" is like the color green. There are many, many different shades of green. With some shades, like hunter green and lime green, it's really easy to tell the difference between them. Some shades are so close that it's hard to tell them apart. Autism is like that.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Nearly all kids with autism have sensory issues. Not all kids with sensory issues have autism.

That's just what I said.

They are not one and the same.

NOTE FROM MODERATOR: I am not sure who this quote is from, but it is not from me as the original quote said.

That's what I was saying. I have SPD. I do not have Autism and am not on the Spectrum.

My daughter is hyposensitive and is a sensory seeker. She also has autism - she has communication and language problems, lacks social skills, and exhibits a number of behaviors associated with autism. Her sensory problems could be considered a separate condition or they could just be part of the autism. We don't really have any way of knowing and it really doesn't matter what we call it as long as we deal with it appropriately and try to help her adapt and adjust.

NOTE FROM MODERATOR: I am not sure who this quote is from, but it is not from me as the original quote said.

Those are symptoms of Autism, so since she has that, she wouldn't also be diagnosed with something else (like SPD) just because her symptoms are similar to that. Just like somebody with a certain pain condition isn't diagnosed with everything that causes pain in that place, but a particular one that they do have. Ppl with those different conditions can usually sympathize with each other because they go through similar things, just like somebody with SPD and Autism w/sensory symptoms could sympathize with each other because they go through similar things as far as the sensory issues go.

 

[LauraVV]

Will someone explain what the term "on the spectrum" means?

Autism/sensory wise there is a spectrum of functioning that goes from normal to severe PDD-NOS/autism and everything in between. I'd assume that "on the spectrum" means all that stuff that's autism-like from SID thru autism.

My daughter has SID. Funny thing is that my son, who is now 19, had far more sensory issues. It's funny because this was long before we'd ever heard of SID. When he was potty trained he was small and wore about a size 3. He had to wear size 6 boxers. Clothing needed to be tagless and baggy. For a short stretch as a teen he had to wear very tight clothing. He still does not have the best eye contact.

I'd guess your MD means that your child has some of the symptoms of autism. Have you asked?

 

[debbi801]

How can he have both? The symptoms of SPD are also symptoms for Autism. I'd think it the same as saying you have both a case of the sniffles and a cold - you can have one or the other, but not both since the sniffles are a symptom of the cold.

My 6 yr old DS has Asperger Syndrome. But, he also has SID issues over and above what is "normally" seen with an AS diagnosis. That is how our OT and neuro-psych explained things to DH and I.

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

If I could, I would like to put in my two cents.

I present on SPD/SID - whatever you want to call it - all around our state on a regular basis.

Just because a child has Sensory Needs (or the actual Dx) - does NOT mean that they are autistic.

I talk about this in my presentation (typically to PK teachers - sped and reg ed.) --- it's a common mistake that teachers see a child w/ sensory needs and automatically think that they may be autistic. Not good.

HOWEVER - a component of Autism (and in order to meet eligibility criteria for an educational dx of Autism under IDEA) is that they have sensory needs.

The autism comes first. Sensory needs; SID/SPD is one of the criteria required for a child to be classified as a child w/ autism.

 

[SueM in MN]

The autism comes first. Sensory needs; SID/SPD is one of the criteria required for a child to be classified as a child w/ autism.

The biggest thing to remember is that Autism is a syndrome.
In medical talk, a syndrome is a set of symptoms or signs that occur together and suggest the presence of a certain disease or condition. There are many syndromes and for each one, there is a list of symptoms or signs that people with that syndrome might have.
Each condition has been assigned diagnostic criteria; to 'have' that diagnosis, the person needs to have a certain number of the signs and symptoms on that list. The diagnostic criteria might also include certain combinations (this particular signs and these 2 particular signs must all be present to have the diagnosis).
The signs and symptoms themselves might be common in other conditions too - for example, Rett Syndrome, Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADD, OCD, SID, SPD (and a lot of other conditions) - all have a lot of the same signs and symptoms. It's fairly common for kids to have a diagnosis first given and later changed based on looking at the list again and seeing that they meet the criteria for a different condition later on.

Some syndromes have diagnostic tests that can be used to confirm the diagnosis. Downs Syndrome for example, used to just have a list of signs and symptoms that, present together, meant Down Syndrome. When it was discovered that there was a genetic 'marker' that showed DS, that became the test that confirmed it.
Since there is not any confirming test like that yet for Autism, all they have to go on is comparing the child's list of signs and symptoms with the list that is on the diagnostic criteria for Autism.

On the idea of spectrum, I've heard about a lot of conditions having a spectrum. People with Cerebral Palsy might be low on the spectrum with very mild CP that affects a few of their abilities. Or, they might be high on the spectrum, with severe spasticity. Any condition can be described like that - the more symptoms, the higher on the spectrum. Or, as was already said:

When I talk to kids about autism, I tell them that the "spectrum" is like the color green. There are many, many different shades of green. With some shades, like hunter green and lime green, it's really easy to tell the difference between them. Some shades are so close that it's hard to tell them apart.

Autism is the only condition I have heard non-medical people use the word spectrum for. But, people (medical and non-medical) don't always use the term the same way. Some seem to use it for people who don't meet all the diagnostic criteria for autism ("He is somewhere on the spectrum" - which probably means something more like "He doesn't meet all the criteria, but he meets some and I think he has autism"). Some use it to talk about people who do meet the criteria for autism, but are using it to describe the shades of green that karynnix mentioned.

 

[bookwormde]

The first thing that you need to appreciate is that the dsm-iv standards were created in the "stone ages" of autism knowledge especially in the area of aspergers and as such are grossly outdated.

The use of the term "spectrum" by most of the major clinicians in this area is a way to "get around" the unrealistic restraints of the dsm current standards.

Secondly you need to understand that clinicians are just now beginning to understand what a broad based genetic neurovariant autism is (I suspect that it can involve between 10 and 100 gene sets). Thus the great number of distinct indicators and the fact that no 2 individuals with autism are identical.

The spectrum spans from individuals with profound cognitive impairment to 99+ aspies. The core genetic trait which ties all these individuals together is a genetic reprogramming of a major portion of the neurtypical mind which is used for innate "tribal" social skills and there processing to other uses (advanced visual reasoning and memory, hyper focus ability, advanced non-linear analysis capabilities etc). Along with this variant are other (probably linked) genetic characteristics such as sensory issues.

There are many people with different levels of this neurovariant who would not meet the dsm standard, but unless you are trying to meet the governmental or insurance standard that really does not matter, what you need to focus on is meeting the individuals needs to allow there abilities (at what ever level) to flourish not to try to make them into a neurotypical.

obviously this is just the most basic cursory information but I hope it is helpful

bookworm

So you know where I am "coming from" I am a 50yo sub clinical aspie dd from a long line of aspies. As I state to new people which I meet at support groups, I would have been very disappointed if at least one of my children had not been and aspie. I was fortunate to have a 8yo ds who is clinical. I also have a 4yo ds who is more to the neurotypical side of the world and a neurotypical dw.

yes I got the spell checker to work!

 

[SueM in MN]

yes I got the spell checker to work!

My nephew is an Aspie.