Diagnosis - How to get the correct diagnosis for your child and understand what it really means.


Home \| Aspergers Forum \| Contact Us \| Tip of the Week \| Search \| Member Area

Become a Member and get Immediate Access to all of our Aspergers Resources, Parenting Information and Discussion Forum

About this Site

Article Index

Frequent Questions

Mission Statement

Sample Articles

Subscribe Today

Tell a Friend

Ask for Help

Aspergers Forum

Aspergers News Headlines

Aspergers Short Q & A's

Aspergers Support Groups

Most Popular

RSS Feed

Tip of the Week

Member Profiles

Behavior

Diagnosis

Treatments & Therapies

Communication

Parents Issues

Sex & Sexuality

Siblings Issues

Social Skills

Adult with Aspergers

Education

Gaining Independence

Gluten Free Cooking

Inspirational Stories

Jules Shepard

Matthew Readman

Aspergers Newsletters

Aspergers Videos

Help

Members Only Downloads

Other Aspergers Issues

Parenting Aspergers Blog

Promotional Materials

Text Size

Here's what people benefiting from our Aspergers advise are saying ...

"Dear Dave Angel, I just want to sincerely thank you for all your efforts and dedication with this website and articles which have all been so incredibly helpful to me...It's like a virtual support group

My little boy was just diagnosed with ASD at 3.25 years old, and I was devastated. But your informative articles have been incredibly insightful and I don't feel alone because of you!

Keep up the great work!!! We need you!"

Joan Brand
Long Island, NY, USA

"Hello Dave, I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you from the sunny Gold Coast in Queensland for all the information you send me. I am so grateful and am constantly referring people on to your site. The new system will be a great help.

I am mum to 3 children ages 17, 14 and 7.5. It is my 17 year old daughter Elizabeth who has Aspergers. I really appreciate all the tips and encouragement that I receive and I just wanted to say thank you. You do a wonderful job and it is such a blessing for me."

Heather Clark
Queensland, Australia

"Dear Dave, Thank you for your work in creating your wonderful newsletters. They are so informative and helpful. I look forward to receiving them and they have been a great help in matters relating to my 13 year old who has Aspergers."

Janey Grainger

Bromley, Kent, UK

"Your articles help me a great deal in trying to understand my son and find ways of helping him. Keep up the good work, in my mind you truly are an angel."

Suzanne Byrne
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Australia

"Dave, Just wanted to THANK YOU for all your help and wisdom with ASD and for sharing that with us! I've learned so very much about my grandson's world, since meeting you and being on your mailing list. What a true blessing!"

Lynn Wiley

Hinseville, Georgia, USA

home | Diagnosis

Diagnosis - How to get the correct diagnosis for your child and understand what it really means.

As I'm sure you already know getting the correct diagnosis for your child can often be an up hill battle for parents to say the least! And even then it's not really much use if you're not sure what it really means.

In the Diagnosis section of Parenting Aspergers Community I offer practical hints and tips for parents who are seeking the correct diagnosis for their child (whether a first diagnosis or even a re-diagnosis). I also provide easy-to-understand information about what the diagnosis actually means for you and your child.

My 9 year old son with Aspergers also suffers from terrible anxiety and OCD and fits of crying for no particular reason (other than he can't make "it" stop). We took him to see the same team that diagnosed him four years ago, and the head psychiatrist recommended 10mg Prozac daily to help with his behaviours and distress. My husband is truly horrified and I am too scared to put this into his body. I detest the misery he is in daily, and it his really disrupted our lives. He has counselling with a psychologist once a month for social skills training, but he doesn't tell her about his "head telling him to do or say things" which make him cry and punch himself. Help! Is medication such as Prozac safe for young children?
Prozac is a medication that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a drug that is safe for children over the age of seven in the treatment of depression. The medication has been used as a treatment for depression for many years and has been used effectively. Your doctor feels confident enough in the drug to prescribe it for your son. You should talk to your physician about why he feels this is the right medication for your child and also talk about any hesitations you and your husband have about giving the medication to your child. Ask your doctor for information to read about Prozac. Do some research about Prozac on the Internet. You can find books about Prozac in the library that can give you more information about using Prozac to treat depression in children. Find enough information that you feel you can make an informed decision about giving this medication to your son ... . . . keep reading

Do you have any material on how to get through an annual doctor visit with an aspergers child? He is 10 and goes for his physical every year, which means the doctor has to check his private parts, he giggles and will not stand or lay still for her to get a good check. What can I do to ease this for the doctor and my son. We always have a talk before we go about what the doctor checks, and he knows its coming. He just can not stand to be touched there.
As your son matures, the annual physical process should become easier. Your son is now able to anticipate all the aspects of his physical, including the ones that make him uncomfortable. You and your son should spend some time in the week or so leading up to the annual exam talking about what the expectations are about his behavior while he's in the doctor's office. Talk about ... . . . keep reading

My son has Aspergers but recently he has also been diagnosed PDA Pathological Demand Avoidance syndrome. He is nearly 12yrs old and is in mainstream school with support. We are out of our mind his dad and I with worry as he has changed alot hitting and strangling himself he won't comply at home or school. We need help but don't know where to get it, and although he was diagnosed we haven't been given any strategies to go with the report. He wants to stay at his current school but we feel the school although they are trying they are not able to meet his needs,and we cant cope at home. Do you know of PDA? And if so any ideas of where we can seek help?
Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome (PDA) is a diagnosis that is related to but separate from the autism spectrum. People who have PDA are socially manipulative and have great success in social situations. They can maintain good eye contact and they are skilled verbally. They tend to manipulate and lie to get what they want. They can have an almost obsessive need to dominate in social situations and they are very good at imitating socially inappropriate behavior ... . . . keep reading

My 14 year old son has bits of bipolar, asperger's, and ADHD, among other development delays. We are having trouble with his mis-treatment of our cats and kittens. We have found ourselves with 6 total, 3 being kittens. My son does not want us to give them away, but sometimes he is too controlling and rough with them. Do you have any advice for us?
Many children don't understand when they are being too rough with animals, especially when the animals are much smaller than they are, such as kittens. A strong fourteen year old could inadvertently hurt a kitten, which is something you seem to be concerned with ... . . . keep reading

Where can I find psychologists who have expertise in Asperger's Syndrome?
Whether you are trying to get an evaluation for a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, or trying to build a support team for a child who has already been diagnosed with Asperger's, it is necessary to include a good psychologist. A psychologist with experience in Autism spectrum or Asperger's will be a vital member of your child's medical team. Finding a specialist can be a bit difficult unless you know where to look ... . . . keep reading

I am still trying to receive a diagnosis of Aspergers for my child. What should I do in the US or UK?
When you think something is "not quite right" with your child, it is best to follow through with the appropriate action. A parent knows his or her own child better than anyone else. That bond is there for a reason. It is the parent's natural instinct to take care of the child's every need. If you think that your child may have Asperger's Syndrome, you should pursue the assessment process as soon as possible ... . . . keep reading

Just wondering if you have any suggestions as how you can help me with my six year old daughter who has just recently been diagnosed with Asperger's and anxiety disorder. On top of this she has experienced retentive encoperesis and since being toilet trained has only opened her bowels on four occasions on the toilet. I do currently see a continence nurse but, at this stage she only goes of a night in her bed so the nurse thought maybe we could try and make her go during the day by using laxatives. This has lead to higher levels of anxiety so that if she needs to go during the day she will scream for up to over an hour on end until she vomits, it is awful. Have any information about any bowel issues with children with Asperger's or any suggestions?
Many children with Asperger's have difficulty with toilet training. While some children with Asperger's easily learn to use the bathroom and at an early age, it seems to be more common that children with Asperger's have trouble with it ... . . . keep reading

I have a 15 year old son who 8 years ago, was diagnosed with Asperger's. This information was only disclosed to me very recently. We have struggled for 8 years to find out what was wrong with our son. He has suffered great emotional stress and continues to suffer. We have since had several re-evaluations to confirm this diagnosis. My question is: What type of permanent damage has this caused my son and what type of treatment would you recommend? He is very angry and does not fully comprehend what is happening or why. He does not understand how a doctor he has seen since he was an infant and he trusted could have caused him so much pain. How do I make him understand that this was not his fault? He has become more withdrawn and now even refuses to go to school.
Struggling for years, only to discover the answer was just out of your reach must be devastating. Your whole family obviously feels betrayed by your son's doctor. It is hard to imagine the reasoning of keeping your son's Asperger's diagnosis from you for such a long time. You can attempt to pacify your son on the issue, but people with Asperger's are very rigid thinkers, seeing things as black and white with no gray tones. He may be difficult to sway in this situation ... . . . keep reading

How do I explain Aspergers to my 10-year-old son?
Many families struggle with how to talk about their child's diagnosis. They are concerned not only with how to talk to the child about having Asperger's Syndrome, but also concerned with telling other family members, the child's teachers at school, friends and neighbors. It can be a complicated situation and one you should talk through with your family ... . . . keep reading

Aspergers Sleep Strategies
Sleep can be complicated for people with Aspergers. Unfortunately, sleep disturbances tend to start at a very young age and remain a problem over the years. When the parents of a typical child lament the struggles of a poor sleeper, they can eventually look forward to a time of restored rest. This is not always so for the parents of a child with Aspergers. It often takes planning, perseverance, and some serious strategizing to find that restful state. Common sleep strategies include ... . . . keep reading

I am trying to figure out how to tell my son that I'm positive he has Asperger's, knowing it will set off rages & irrational behaviour.
Talking to your child about Asperger's will vary greatly according to the age of your child. A very young child who is not yet of school age will have a far different understanding of what Asperger's is and what it means to him than an older child or an adolescent. Only you can decide what is the best and most appropriate way to talk to him about his diagnosis ... . . . keep reading

Can children with Aspergers have some of the characteristics of Aspergers and not others?
The short answer to your question is that yes, many children will exhibit some symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome and not others. Many children will have Asperger's compounded by other factors, such as ADD or ADHD, which can intensify some symptoms of Asperger's as well as to add additional symptoms. While it is impossible to say that there is a set of symptoms all children with Asperger's exhibit, there are a few cores symptoms that most children with Asperger's will present ... . . . keep reading

Is it possible to have varying degrees of the Syndrome and is it possible to grow out of it a bit and mature? Some mild, some middle and some severe cases?
There are varying degrees of Asperger's Syndrome. The symptoms vary from person to person and the degree to which the symptoms affect the person can vary as well. Consequently, it is very difficult to pinpoint a set of Asperger's behaviors that all children with Asperger's will exhibit. It is not possible to grow out of Asperger's Syndrome. It is possible, however to ... . . . keep reading

My 9yo son with Asperger's often has extreme bloody noses that can bleed profusely for little or no reason. It's worse in summer of course, but even through winter he'd have real gushers. Other parents of kids with Asperger's have told me the same thing, so we're wondering what, if any, the correlation between Asperger's and blood noses might be. Have you heard of this?
There doesn't seem to be a strong correlation between a child having Asperger's Syndrome and his propensity for getting bloody noses. Some children are simply more prone to having bloody noses than others. There are many theories about what causes the nose to bleed and if your son consistently gets serious nosebleeds, you should consult your doctor to see if you can work on ... . . . keep reading

Fears of suicide for the child with Asperger's
Children who have Asperger's Syndrome are more susceptible to mental health issues (including thoughts of suicide) than the general population, especially during adolescence. Because of their difficulty with decoding social cues and information and their problems translating the world in a way they can understand, children with Asperger's tend to feel isolated and alone. These feelings can be exacerbated by ... . . . keep reading

My child has a dual diagnosis of Aspergers and Downs Syndrome -- can you tell me what similarities there are and give me some helpful hints to help him better at school and home.
Asperger's Syndrome and Downs Syndrome are two separate entities that do not share many similarities. Downs Syndrome is caused by the presence of an additional chromosome in a fetus. It can cause learning disabilities. Downs Syndrome has many special distinguishing physical characteristics, such as a small head, a small mouth, and upward slanting eyes. People with Downs Syndrome typically have trouble with physical coordination and are likely to suffer gastrointestinal problems as well as heart problems. Children with Asperger's Syndrome suffer from ... . . . keep reading

More Headlines