My ASD Child

Question What is PDD-NOS, and how is it any different than Autism? Answer Pervasive Developmental Disorder—Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)/autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PDD-NOS is one of five forms of Autism Spectrum Disorders. PDD-NOS is often referred to as atypical autism. Many parents experience a lot of confusion about the diagnosis of autism or PDD-NOS. There is even a lot of confusion among physicians and diagnosticians themselves. Some pediatricians have been known to tell parents that “a diagnosis of PDD-NOS is reserved for children on the spectrum who are curable.” Other pediatricians have told parents that “PDD-NOS is not even on the spectrum!” Many clinicians seem to take a milder diagnosis and simply label it PDD-NOS. Let’s look at Autism first… A. To be diagnosed with autism, you must have: At least SIX (6) of the below symptoms from categories (1), (2) and (3) You must have TWO (2) symp

Not all teachers are necessarily prepared to accommodate the ASD (high functioning autistic) student and her/his special needs, but most are willing to learn. As a parent, it is your responsibility to educate those who need to be “in-the-know” about the disorder. Copy, paste, and print-out the information below, then “hand-deliver” this information sheet to your "Aspie’s" teacher. In this way, the teacher will have some initial steps to get the ball rolling (he/she will hopefully get more up-to-speed with special considerations as the school year progresses). Aspergers Information Sheet: Dear _____ (teacher’s name), Please review the following “teacher’s tips.” They may prove to be very helpful in dealing with my Aspergers child – and may make your job a lot easier! Thank you. Sincerely, _____ (parent’s name) 1. An increase in unusual or difficult behaviors in my child probably indicates an increase in stress. Sometimes stress is caused by fee

Many parents who have struggled with a child for several years feel a sense of relief when their child gets a “diagnosis.” The parent may say things like, “It was such a weight off my shoulders to finally understand why my child behaved the way he did. I thought it was my parenting, but now I see it was his disorder instead.” Many adults who have had emotional problems and/or social difficulties over the years find it comforting to one day discover, “Oh, I have Aspergers! No wonder I haven’t been able to hold a job or find a girlfriend/boyfriend.” Unfortunately (or fortunately as the case may be), finding solace in having a “disability” or “disorder” comes with a price – a much bigger price than most realize they have paid. 1. All ‘unwanted’ diagnostic features can be helped with therapy. True, there are some potentially problematic cognitive and behavioral patterns associated with Aspergers that come with the “Aspergers-package” (e.g., insistence on routine, narro