Search This Site

Followers

How should I go about getting my son tested for Aspergers?

"How should I go about getting my son tested for Aspergers?"

Many different professionals can diagnose Aspergers and High Functioning Autism (e.g., psychologists, pediatric neurologists, developmental pediatricians, psychiatrists, and other professional diagnosticians). Getting a “comprehensive psychiatric evaluation” from a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who specializes in Autism Spectrum Disorders would be the best option.

If parents are considering getting an official diagnosis, they should bring the following items to the evaluation:
  • any kind of “baby development log” that was kept noting important milestones (e.g., crawling, walking, first words, etc.)
  • if the child kept a diary on his/her experiences in dealing with other people, this may be useful
  • medical history/records
  • parent’s/teacher’s notes on the child’s behavior
  • school records from Kindergarten through High School that shows the child’s abilities, both weak and strong

What moms and dads find most helpful are those evaluations which are the most comprehensive, provide the greatest specificity about how their Aspergers youngster learns, and can capture the “unique needs” of the child. Parents are looking for in depth reports that will help them – and their child’s teachers. Generally a multidisciplinary team approach evaluation done at a medical or evaluation center, or a neuropsychological battery of tests, done by a neuropsychologist, provide the most in depth reports. This report then can be used by the parent to understand the child’s thinking and feeling and to help the parent and teachers create the most effective IEP.

Evaluation often involves some connection with the school system. If the child is of school age, mothers/fathers start by requesting that the school do an evaluation for determination of eligibility for special services. This would be in the form of a letter, sent to the school. Sending this request starts the State’s evaluation process. It should result in the school sending the parent a list of tests which they and the parent check off to test the child. Parents give their permission for testing to begin by filling out and returning that form. Schools do a variety of tests themselves.

A key for obtaining a good evaluation is to use evaluators who have extensive expertise and experience with Aspergers. Always ask if this tester or center does a lot of testing of Aspergers children. When well chosen tests are done by experienced professionals, parents and teachers can better understand the Aspergers child’s strengths and challenges. The suggestions and recommendations from these reports will guide the application of all interventions, strategies, accommodations and modifications of task requests.

Do NOT feel obliged to continue to see any professional that makes you or your child feel uncomfortable or who pushes their own agenda to the exclusion of meeting your child's needs. Continue to seek what you find helpful, and look elsewhere when it is not.

The Aspergers Comprehensive Handbook

No comments:

My child has been rejected by his peers, ridiculed and bullied !!!

Social rejection has devastating effects in many areas of functioning. Because the ASD child tends to internalize how others treat him, rejection damages self-esteem and often causes anxiety and depression. As the child feels worse about himself and becomes more anxious and depressed – he performs worse, socially and intellectually.

Click here to read the full article…

How to Prevent Meltdowns in Children on the Spectrum

Meltdowns are not a pretty sight. They are somewhat like overblown temper tantrums, but unlike tantrums, meltdowns can last anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. When it starts, the Asperger's or HFA child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and your child are totally exhausted. But... don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. At the least provocation, for the remainder of that day -- and sometimes into the next - the meltdown can return in full force.

Click here for the full article...

Parenting Defiant Teens on the Spectrum

Although Aspergers [high-functioning autism] is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager on the spectrum are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

Click here to read the full article…

Older Teens and Young Adult Children with ASD Still Living At Home

Your older teenager or young “adult child” isn’t sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent? Parents of teens with ASD face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."

Click here to read the full article…

Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

Two traits often found in kids with High-Functioning Autism are “mind-blindness” (i.e., the inability to predict the beliefs and intentions of others) and “alexithymia” (i.e., the inability to identify and interpret emotional signals in others). These two traits reduce the youngster’s ability to empathize with peers. As a result, he or she may be perceived by adults and other children as selfish, insensitive and uncaring.

Click here
to read the full article...

Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and HFA

Become an expert in helping your child cope with his or her “out-of-control” emotions, inability to make and keep friends, stress, anger, thinking errors, and resistance to change.

Click here for the full article...