My ASD Child

“Our son is diagnosed with AS. He has stomach problems, difficulty sleeping, and can’t stand loud noises of any kind. Is this part of AS, or are these totally separate issues?” It’s very likely that these issues are part of the Aspergers (AS) condition. There are a number of concerns that often accompany a child with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism. Here are the primary ones: 1. Fragile X syndrome is a genetic disorder and is the most common form of inherited intellectual disability, causing symptoms similar to Aspergers. The name refers to one part of the X chromosome that has a defective piece that appears pinched and fragile when viewed with a microscope. Fragile X syndrome results from a change, called a mutation, on a single gene. This mutation, in effect, turns off the gene. Some people may have only a small mutation and not show any symptoms, while others have a larger mutation and more severe symptoms. Around 1 in 3 kids who have Fragile X syndrome also meet the di

“My husband and I suspect our 7-year-old boy has Asperger’s, but admittedly, we have procrastinated having him diagnosed for fear of labeling him with something that will follow him the rest of his life. Should we pursue a formal diagnosis simply based on our suspicions? And how do children get diagnosed with Asperger’s?” It’s better to know than not to know. If your child has Aspergers and nobody knows it, the disorder affects him anyway. If parents and teachers do know, they can help minimize the negative impact and leverage the positive. Without the knowledge that you have Aspergers, you tend to come to some negative, misguided conclusions (e.g., “I’m a failure” or “I’m strange” or “I’m a disappointment” etc.). Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism diagnosis is often a two-stage process: 1. The first stage involves general developmental screening during well-child checkups with a doctor or an early childhood healthcare provider. Kids who show some developmental probl

“We believe our son has Asperger’s Syndrome and we want to have him tested. What are the symptoms we should be looking for and who should we go to for testing? Also, is it possible that his current symptoms may be reflective of something other than Asperger's, like CDD?" Ideally, you would take your son to a child and adolescent psychiatrist who specializes in autism spectrum disorders. But these doctors are hard to find. Alternatively, you can have your son’s pediatrician make a referral to a specialist. Symptoms of Asperger’s and High-Functioning Autism vary from one youngster to the next, but in general, they fall into three areas: Communication difficulties Repetitive and stereotyped behaviors Social impairment Kids with Asperger’s do not follow typical patterns when developing social and communication skills. Moms and dads are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their youngster. Often, certain behaviors become more noticeable when comparing