A few questions (Re: Autism)

[Moonie]

I am just thinking, and wanted to put it in writeing in case anyone had any suggestions or answers.

1. Are all children with Autism withdrawn? B/c My Garrett is not. He is affectionate towards me and the rest of the immediate family. He is always giving me kisses.

2. Is it normal to want to fight the diagnosis? Should I or should I just go with it?

3. Is it possible to have the "label" removed later in life if they end up wrong, or will it always be there?

So many emotions. So many thoughts.

[zak frost]

1. Are all children with Autism withdrawn? B/c My Garrett is not. He is affectionate towards me and the rest of the immediate family. He is always giving me kisses.
No, I know of one girl that has atypical autism. She isn't withdrawn at all. She is very awkward socially (nothing you can put your finger on, but just weird), but she talks to people and everything. Another kid I know who is high functioning autistic is sort of "normal". He talks to people and looks them in the eye, but only for a moment. He even gives me huge hugs!!

2. Is it normal to want to fight the diagnosis? Should I or should I just go with it?
It is totally normal to want to fight the diagnosis. No one wants their children to have issues. So many learning issues and sensory issues mimic autism when kids are young (especially as young as your boys are). I would go ahead and "take" the diagnosis, but I would also push for all services that you can (even if they say they aren't available because he is autistic). I would have him retested when he gets older (around 5). And, definately get him retested when he is over 10 (11ish or so). The brain does a huge developmental leap around the age of 10. And, after that last huge developmental leap (well, the last before puberty), they get a much better diagnosis of things.

3. Is it possible to have the "label" removed later in life if they end up wrong, or will it always be there?
Yep. He will most likely always have a "label", but it will change with each diagnosis.

My Toad will always have some issues. He will be "normal" when he grows up, but he will be "normal" because he learned tools to help him. My job as a parent is to make sure that he learns the tools that he needs to help him.

[Pop Tart]

That's a good point, zak, about other neuro disorders mimicking autism, especially at such a young age.

Moonie, it ain't over until its over.

[myTrine]

. Are all children with Autism withdrawn? B/c My Garrett is not. He is affectionate towards me and the rest of the immediate family. He is always giving me kisses. Not all autistic children are withdrawn. There are man different "levels" of the spectrum, it is hard to say anything is typical.

2. Is it normal to want to fight the diagnosis? Should I or should I just go with it? It is noraml to want to and I think you are entitled to get answers and proper testing etc. before you accept this one brief statement from a doctor. Even without a diagnosis you can have your child "treated" (by therapy) for his delays. You don't have to have him labeled to get services (which I believe you are already getting).

3. Is it possible to have the "label" removed later in life if they end up wrong, or will it always be there? As far as school goes I believe children can be "unclassified". I don't know if that "label" will still be present in all of his school files or not once that happens. But it isn't like he will go to college with a big red sticker on his files. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

:hugs Again I hope you get some answers soon and Garrett gets all the help he needs!

[Candyland]

My cousins little boy is autistic and most wouldn't even know it. A year and a half ago that was a different story. He is in a PreK program that specializes in learning disabilities and he is like a completely different kid. Before he wouldn't talk but would scream/cry out of frustration, couldn't really focus, and basically was in his own world. He'd still give hugs, kisses, "play", but it was different than other kids. Now he plays soccer with my kids, participates in group activities and will mainstream into the regular kindergarten when he is 5. I know he has autism but most people just assume he doesn't listen very well and have to be told.

His mother, like you, was devastated to find out he had autism. I have to give her props because she dealt with it head on and got him in therapy within weeks.

I'd still get a second opinion and make sure you are comfortable with the diagnosis and therapy. Treat the symptoms not autism, you know?

I'm not sure about the labeling but this is something I worry about. Lots of people believe my son is ADHD. He might be but if he tests positive the school system will make me medicate him (another issue) but I don't want him to be "labeled" that all his life. He may just be a hyper boy!

[Moonie]

Thank you for replying. Everything you are writeing is very helpful.

Candyland, your paragraph about your cousins child, that sounds just like my Garrett. To a "T" it sounds like him.

[TheBudsMom]

I don't have much to add to what everyone else has said but...is there not a genetic test that can be done? A friend of mine who's son is autistic(an a few other problems that I forget what they were) had genetic testing done on her twins to make sure everything was OK with them. Her boys were about 1 year old when it was done :shrug

I think you have every right to not want to accept it and try for another opinion. But I would do what Zak said and get him into every program you can. There are a lot of things out there. My Aunt is a teacher for pre-k with a program like Candyland was talking about and she says there are some kids that by the end of the year there are no signs of autism and ready for regular class but there are some that come into the program that have not had any therapy ever that she feels would have done better and been able to acomplish more if they had started earlier.
:hugs Hope your mind is at ease soon!

[Twintastic]

I would definitely get a second opinion. I know my SIL's little brother was a little withdrawn, and would not speak. He has been on a particular medicine for a while now and is now speaking some and much more sociable. As a matter of fact, his dad wrote a song on his experiences with autism and a country singer named Mark Leland recorded it and it was played at the National Autism Associations' meeting. Like I said before, I would definitely get the second opinion. I would question the diagnosis as well. I think that is just being a loving and caring mom that is concerned about his welfare. Totally understandable. If I can ever help you, just let me know. :hug

[2littlelovebugs]

Moonie, I don't have a ton of experience with autism, but I will tell you what I do know. I used to work at a high school as a teacher's aide in the special education department

1. Are all children with Autism withdrawn? No. As others have said, there are varying degrees of autism, and also different types. One type, called Asperger's Syndrome, is actually a high-functioning form of autism which often involves superior intelligence (it is thought that Einstein may have had this). Most of the children I worked with who had severe autism were somewhat withdrawn. The most severe autistic children I worked with were withdrawn and could not even speak. Some kids, who had a less severe form of autism, were very sociable. In my experience, if your son were autistic, I would say that it is very minor because he is so affectionate.

2. Is it normal to want to fight the diagnosis? Absolutely. Especially since your son is so young. As pp have said, a diagnosis of autism is usually not given until a child is at least 3. I don't know what your doctor thinks makes your son appear to be autistic, but I would definitely get a second or third opinion. IMO, he is too young to know exactly what is going on right now. You do what is best for you and your son. You are his best advocate.

3. Is it possible to have the "label" removed later in life if they end up wrong, or will it always be there? IMO, you can always change a label. And, if it is an incorrect label, you can prove the world wrong.

Good luck. HTH :friends2

[Moodyzblu]

Let me tell you what we're going through .. my boys are not withdrawn and this is the main reason why our pedi is so reluctant to have them tested just yet. She said it's very hard to get an accurate diagnosis of autism before the age of 3. Neither of my boys speak .. Jess does alot of hand flapping and they both still drool. They didnt even start to try and communicate (pointing, babbling) until just a few months ago. They are in speech and the therapist is voting that they are NOT autistic, the pedi is voting they ARE.
I say it aint over till its over .. I'm going to keep working with my boys and getting them as far as I can .. and if they ARE autistic .. then so be it. But I'll still keep working and teaching and trying to bring them as far as they can potentially go .. kwim ??