Does my 15 month have an Autism Spectrum Disorder?
First let me say my son has Autism and is 8 years old. We struggled for years without any help or diagnosis and you are very very lucky to get these so early. Take advantage of every treatment that you can get to help your child. The earlier the better your child will do. Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development.” The five disorders under PDD are: • Autistic Disorder • Asperger’s Disorder • Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) • Rett’s Disorder • PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) Each of these disorders has specific diagnostic criteria which been outlined in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . Here is the best site I have found from experience that describes Autism and its sub-disorders that are included in it.
He was recently diagnosed with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID) and Motor Planning Dysfunction (MPD) by an Early Intervention therapist. When I expressed my relief to her about him not having Autism, she actually indicated, although not very clearly, that he might still have autism but that having him “officially” diagnosed with autism is optional. I tried to discuss it further with her, but I’m still not clear whether he has or might have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I’ve looked online and I’m still confused. To look at my son, the ordinary person probably wouldn’t see any problems other than a lack of verbal skills. If he has an ASD, it certainly wouldn’t be at the severe end of the spectrum. He has the communication abilities of a 6 month old and ranges between 9 – 12 months in the cognitive, social, adaptive and physical development areas. Are SID and MPD actually ASD’s in and of themselves, or are they completely different? Thanks to anyone who can help! First let me sa
