Update on Little Man

Okay, I do apologize for keeping you all in the dark. Things have been crazy around this house. Everyone, except me, has been sick in some form for the last 1.5 weeks. So, some things have kind of been put on the back burner.
So, without further ado, here is my update that has taken me a few days to write.



My son was given a PDD-NOS diagnosis.


According to the DSM-IV~ 
The essential features of PDD-NOS are severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills; and stereotyped behaviors, interests, and activities. The criteria for Autistic Disorder are not met because of late age onset; atypical and/or sub- threshold symptomotology are present. (Page 77-78)

This category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizotypical Personality Disorder, or Avoidant Personality Disorder. For example, this category includes "atypical autism"-- presentations that do not meet the criteria for Autistic Disorder because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or sub-threshold symptomatology, or all of these.




I don't really think that I am satisfied or at peace with this diagnosis. It seemed to me that the doctor was reluctant to give Little Man an Aspergers diagnosis because he is still so young and she just threw him into the PDD "umbrella" category because he obviously isn’t “normal”and shows some disabilities. I feel like further evaluation should have been given.

I also questioned her on whether it made a difference that she was an adult during the evaluation and she didn’t get to do any observation on him with peers. She claimed that any social disabilities that he has would be prominent no matter what the situation. I, however, do not agree. I have seen my son interact with adults with a slight disability, yet when it comes to his peers, that is where is social disabilities lay. In fact, I have read, that many children with Aspergers are considered to be "little professors" because of their language skills and their ability to interact so well with adults, yet they cannot relate well with their peers because they are unable to pick up on social cues. 

It also felt like she was using homeschooling as an excuse. Saying that he may act differently were he in public school or a more structured environment. She knows he goes to church every week, Awana every week and MOPS every week. He has previously been in a preschool. It's not like he has not had any child interaction or he just lives at home in a bubble and he never goes anywhere. 

It is frustrating because I am pretty sure that he has Aspergers but because he didn't meet every single stinking criteria and because of his age, she wouldn't give him a diagnosis of Aspergers.

I don't have the full report yet, because she said she is going to mail it to me. But there were things that she pointed out to me on the evaluation questions and many of her observations that makes it even more confusing and why I do not understand why she did not diagnose him with Aspergers and gave him the PDD-NOS diagnosis instead.

She suggested social skills therapy group and "maybe" occupational therapy. But other then that, she didn't offer a lot of help for us/him. She said she would have a list of resources and books with the report she sends me, but she did not even offer her own counseling services to us. So she gave me this diagnosis and really nothing to move forward with. I left with the feeling that I had no idea where to go from this point and how we help him change and learn.

I have found out that there is an autism center in our area so I think we will be asking for an appointment with them and hopefully getting a second opinion.

Of course we will continue to pray about it and seek the Lord's guidance, but at the moment, I do not feel as if there is closure or as if I have gotten anywhere. I suppose in a way, that we at least have some sort of diagnosis, but without a proper diagnosis, we are not able to get the therapy and help that Little Man needs.

It is frustrating and a difficult situation for us to be in. I know that somewhere in all of this, God has a plan for Little Man and all of us, but I have yet to know what it is. I am trying to trust in Him, but it is so hard.