ADHD and Autism In Children

I have got to looking over some of our blog post and realized I am not sure if I have ever told y'all what Brayden's final diagnosis was, but then again I only looked at the titles. So this may be something you have seen already.

As you already know Brayden was diagnosed almost over a year ago for ADHD, however, he had an un-official diagnosis of Autism. Un-Official only because in the state of missouri and actual psychologist that works strictly in diagnosing Autism has to give him his actual diagnosis.

So, As of January 2017, three months of testing at a local Autistic center, Brayden was diagnosed with Autism. They no longer categorize children as low spectrum, aspergers, or high sprectrum. You are either on the spectrum or you aren't.  Bray's diagnosis was peculiar as the psychologist spoke. His autism only affects one aspect of his life. The only reason they did diagnos him with Autism.  Is the easiest way I can describe it is, he is socially awkard.

Since the diagnosis we have continued with his social therapy, waiting to be seen over the summer for OT. Things are finally falling in place, for him and I. Some things are still rocking with him ( I will get to that in a later post), but as some may know with seasonal depression and finding out your child is specially challenged as I call it. I took a really huge fall into the depression. (Another Post When I am Ready)

Thank You All for wandering how he's doing.

Right now he has a friend over, yes a friend. Watching TV.

Diedra

He Got In Trouble For Exactly What?

The following  is a Facebook post that I made on September 8th, 2016...

 "After running errands today, I got home to realize Braydens folder was left on the table.  On his calender where we have to initial every night there was a very vague script in the previous days box stating, "missed recess for working ahead". Most of the time I'd have no problem with my child missing recess for something he's done wrong. I am all for you get in trouble, you do your punishment. But what I don't understand is Brayden still got in trouble and missed his recess for working ahead. Meaning they were doing a group worksheet. I may be wrong and forgive me if I am but I thought our children are being taught to be independent and work things out on their own. Anyone knows Brayden knows he's has to be moving or doing something. He is my busy body. Even with his AdHD medicine, he gets bored easily. Even some of their second grade work bores him. I feel he worked ahead because one he already knew the answers on top of it gave him something to do. I mean hell hes damned if he doesn't do it and damned if does!"

Yes, you read that right my child was punished for doing his work ahead. If you are a parent that cares about what goes on at school with your child you would have been heated as well with such a vague script of writing.  I would have understood more if the teacher wrote me a small note stating that she was teaching and kept telling him to pay attention but nothing of that was explained.

Well, Bray's weekly therapist is also his IEP therapist at school. When I got to her house a few days later to drop Brayden off for his weekly session she knew before I had even talked to someone at school about it. She said it was already handled.  Well about a week later the principle caught me there while picking up the kids for 8th hour, that she spoke with his teacher. What happened was they were in group. The leader of the group decided to tell everyone to work ahead. Brayden was following the leaders rules therefor, he worked ahead. The principle explained to the teacher not to punish him for working ahead because last we struggled to even get him to do any of his work.  Therefor, he isn't to be punished if he works ahead as long as he got it right. Basically if he worked ahead and he got them wrong then its the teachers discretion if he gets to do it over.

Before anyone says it, NO Brayden doesn't get special treatment because he has ADHD and a form of Autism. We are just scared that if he starts getting in trouble for doing his work even if it is ahead of the class. That he won't do his work at all. Because in first grade before getting his diagnosis we struggled at school and at home to get him to do anything.

Leave a comment below if you feel that any child should be punished for working ahead.

Love Always,

And Please come back,

Diedra

Pervasive Developmental Disorder

According to an article on WebMD website, Pervasive Developmental Disorders also known as PDDs, is referring to a group of conditions that involve delays in the development of many basic skills. Most notable among them are the ability to socialize with others, to communicate, and to use imagination. Children with these conditions often are confused in their thinking and generally have problems understanding the world around them. You can find the article here.

According to Brayden's therapist that helps him, PDDs is what they call an umbrella diagnosis.  Because under PDD falls the following categories; Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett Syndrome, and Pervasive development disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).  Which if I am remembering correctly the PDD-NOS is what Brayden's pediatrician diagnosed him with because if you go back to the article on WebMD and read the description for Asperger's, Brayden falls under that category. However, things in the Autisic Spectrum have changed tremendously over the years and according to the Autism Center Therapist we seen on November 7th, there are no longer any subcategories. Which to me is confusing because the whole point we wanted him diagnosed through the Autism center was we were under the impression they would be able to clarify exactly where he fell on the spectrum. I mean to his school therapist (which is also his weekly visit therapist) and his pediatrician they have both stated in all the years of doing therapy and being doctor that Brayden has Asperger's.  That in a sense makes me happy because that is as parents what we want.  We wanted to know exactly where on the spectrum he fell, therefor we could get him the adequate therapy he needed. I mean honestly know he is getting adequate therapy. I will explain furthermore in another post about what therapy he is in.

Since Brayden now is seeing two therapist and possibly a counselor soon (still not sure why on that one because his behavior in a sense is normal to us. No bad behavior really) but I will call the first therapist, school therapist, and the new one Autistic Therapist.  You may question why I don't just say there names but then again if you put your brain to use you'd know I am trying to save the privacy of my children.

Questions from the Autistic therapist,  What made us decide to have him seen at the Autism Center? She then stated was it because his school therapist, school officials, and pediatrician told you too and you just went with it.

The answer to that is yes and no, Yes because treating the type of Autism Brayden has or has been stated that he has if treated early on in life. He can function as a normal child, teenager, and man with guidance. I hate using the word normal but the way I explained it to Ken when we were riding around for our five year anniversary. That from an early age as parents and when he came into the picture we knew there was something there. We knew there was some type of "illness is what its refer too". Therefor like school therapist stated hes young enough that he's like putty. He can absorb and be molded.

The No part of that answer is because when Brayden was a baby infant size, our pediatrician and their pediatrics office have always went over the "Autism Checklist", if I can find similar questions that I was asked I will give y'all examples. However, almost all the questions except maybe 2 Brayden fit. I was always told by his peds doctor that he was just a self dependent baby.  Then when I go with Ken over five years ago now.  Shortly after being together he mentioned to me about Brayden doing things just like a family member of his. Then  six months into our relationship we moved in together and he voiced his opinion again. I kept going back to what the pediatrician stated about his independence. Then when I worked in home health I believe by the grace of God to show me the light of things, I was placed with an Autistic Girl. The more time I spent with her the more I began thinking back to Brayden's infancy to at that point now.  That was also the year he was in Pre-K and the teacher noticed it even after you know we spoke our concerns with her about Brayden because we knew if anything would alter his capability to learning we wanted o get him help. Kindergarten was good. Then we made it to first grade. That's when things began to change.  Click here to go to the post about Brayden's Unfinished Diagnosis, it goes into more depth.  

Below are some signs of Pervasive Developmental Disordered that I found on WebMD. Here is where you can find them on WebMD.

1. Difficulty with verbal communication, including problems using and understanding language
2. Difficulty with non-verbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions
3. Difficulty with social interaction, including relating to people and to his or her surroundings
4. Unusual ways of playing with toys and other objects
5. Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine or familiar surroundings
6. Repetitive body movements or patterns of behavior, such as hand flapping, spinning, and head banging
7. Changing response to sound; the child may be very sensitive to some noises and seem to not hear others.
8. Temper tantrums
9. Difficulty sleeping
10. Aggressive behavior
11. Fearfulness or anxiety

These are signs of someone who may be experiencing Pervasive Developmental Disorder. 

Again, if you like to read the whole article on WebMd, please go to this page.

Another good website to go to learn more about autism, is www.autismspeaks.org

Also when explain above about Brayden's pediatrician diagnosing him with PDD-NOS, here is a good article about that as well.  

Thank You so much for your interest about Autism and PDD. 
I am a beginner in all of this and learning new things as we go along. If you have any advice or just words of wisdom. Please comment below. Or you may email me at eichhorstdiedra@gmail.com

Sincerely Grateful, 

Diedra