Need some help, my son's pediatrician believes he has Asperger's...

Good evening all, just for some background, my son is 7 years old and has had some issues with his personality and attention at times. His school psychologist has observed him in class on several occasions and believes he has ADHD and/or Asperger's syndrome. Maybe I'm just in denial or maybe I read too much on ATS but I just don't see it, he has his moments where he just can't handle school and becomes overwhelmed but who hasn't? There are so many traits he has that I had at his age and still have and I was never diagnosed with anything and as far as I'm concerned I turned out fine. We both have trouble with eye contact, we both have trouble focusing on one objective at a time and completing that objective, we both become completely engrossed when playing a video game or watching a movie, we both daydream and kind of drift off for a few minutes, and we both have trouble in social situations. So I guess what I am looking for in here is some way to explain to my wife and the doctors that I think he will be OK and he shouldn't be medicated?

If anyone knows about Asperger's then I don't need to mention he is a great student!!

P.S. The pediatrician prescribed Vyvanse for him, boy did that backfire, he was a monster for those 2 days, and the doctor immediately took him off it and wants us to take him to a neurologist.

this is not the place to asking for medical advice.

there are plenty of medical discussion forums on the net which may prove a little more informative and reliable. especially dedicated asperger discussion groups.

a lot of people on this site should probably be on medication.

reply to post by lacrimaererum

Thanks, I don't considerate it medical advice really, I searched on here and found some older topics about Asperger's but being that I don't trust 80% of the diagnosis' that doctors hand out now-a-days I just wondered if I was being too paranoid of big brother dumbing us down...

Peace!

reply to post by Wheelindiehl


I don't think either of you are sick. Examine how food makes you feel after you eat it. The ability to focus can be somewhat controlled by diet, all foods have some sort of effect on the chemistry of the brain. I can give you a little help in trying things, I have studied the properties and chemistry of many foods and spices. I can't really evaluate the results though, you have to watch how these diet changes effect you just as you noticed your son's problems from the meds. It is hard to see when you yourself are having your brain chemicals altered, you will need someone to help examine the changes that are occurring and evaluating the positive or negative overall effects. I can only tell you what foods to try and some of the reasons and possible side effects. I've made mistakes on myself and learned from them. You would be surprised how little changes in diet over a weeks time can change a person's disposition.

reply to post by Wheelindiehl


I say steer clear of medication. That's such a young, fragile age to be drugged up. It won't cure anything anyway, only mask a potential problem.

If he is ok at home and his grades are good, then what's the problem? Not all kids are alike. They don't all have to be social. If you see more of an issue in his teens, then talk to someone. Personally I still wouldn't medicate my kid then either. Just work on any issues, talk, expose him to new situations, explain the importance of staying on task, be strict and understanding, etc.

Too many kids are drugged up. Don't go that route because one person in this world recommended it. Good luck!

My son is among the PDD-NOS high functioning autism cases. PDD-NOS basically means they looked at our son, stuck their thumb up where the sun don't shine and said "Doh! We thunk up dis hear idea..and he gots it! Now take this pill and never forget a dose!"

I don't want to make light because I know many children have many levels of issues today from whatever is ravaging our young generations. Something damn sure is, but I disgress.

What I say to you though, fellow Special Needs parent (or soon to be, by the sound of it) is get a second opinion and third, if your gut says you need it. Drop any intimidation issues white coats have ever given you ....You'll be needing to stand up to some, from time to time, as your Son's future unfolds now.

Also... find a support group of other parents. It's a priceless thing to have numbers for support and ideas.

Originally posted by Wheelindiehl
Good evening all, just for some background, my son is 7 years old and has had some issues with his personality and attention at times. His school psychologist has observed him in class on several occasions and believes he has ADHD and/or Asperger's syndrome. Maybe I'm just in denial or maybe I read too much on ATS but I just don't see it, he has his moments where he just can't handle school and becomes overwhelmed but who hasn't? There are so many traits he has that I had at his age and still have and I was never diagnosed with anything and as far as I'm concerned I turned out fine. We both have trouble with eye contact, we both have trouble focusing on one objective at a time and completing that objective, we both become completely engrossed when playing a video game or watching a movie, we both daydream and kind of drift off for a few minutes, and we both have trouble in social situations. So I guess what I am looking for in here is some way to explain to my wife and the doctors that I think he will be OK and he shouldn't be medicated?

If anyone knows about Asperger's then I don't need to mention he is a great student!!

P.S. The pediatrician prescribed Vyvanse for him, boy did that backfire, he was a monster for those 2 days, and the doctor immediately took him off it and wants us to take him to a neurologist.

I am not an expert but have dealt with my own autistic child for 18 years now. Sounds to me like you both fall under the Autism spectrum. Just remember this. If it's Asperger's then your child is in the high functionning catagory of Autism. I suggest that you get an expert neuro-psychological evaluation to get a definitive answer, and appropriatetreatment. Afterwards, if it is Aspergers, strive to get the assistance your child will needs to thrive.
Don't discount that, although it was not diagnosed, you may also have dealt with this same issues. Imagine how much easier life would have been had you had the resource advantages these children have today as opposed to 10 years ago, let aone 20 or 30.

Most of all, don't be afraid to look forward, there is help out there in Autism / Asperbers groups and associations..

Both ADHD and/or Asperger's syndrome are greatly over diagnosed. It has turned into an industry.

Unless he has real problems, leave him alone. Don't rely on the diagnosis of the school psychologist. If you employ people to find witches, they find witches.

And certainly, keep him off of the meds. If you aren't careful they will have him on meds to control the meds. His grades are good, sometimes he gets pissed off at school.

He sounds normal. Trust your instincts not the opinion of someone who has an interest in diagnosing people to keep himself in a job.

Drugs are not a solution but can be a help, in extrem cases.

Ask your doctor for info and education on the problem instead, both asperger's and ADHD can be learned to live with, i have been through both when i needed my diagnosis, and have meet many people in group theraphy that are aware of their problems and learned to get through with simpel adjustment to their daily life, i have adjusted and don't take any drugs, thanks to the info i got from those people.

reply to post by Wheelindiehl


Hea. I'm no expert, but I am borderline Asperger's myself, never been "diagnosed" but I tick a lot of the boxes on the test... I suspect a lot on ATS are the same.

My main advice: Try to avoid letting the doctors give your kid any drugs....

I suspect you know about this already...
---
Also... Many people actually see Asperger's as a good thing. Sure it has some bad points. I struggle with some types of interpersonal communication, but I find doing some types of tasks very easy compared to "normal" people.

I think it helps a lot to spend time with other people who also have Asperger's. When you see it in other people you recognise it in yourself. That helps a lot...

When I was younger I found dealing with some things much more difficult than my friends, but as I have gotten older I have learnt to adapt, and have far less problems. I think that tends to be the way it works for most. It gets better with time. Eventually...

Asperger's people are naturally very good at things like computer programming for example. Have you considered getting him into that? I was writing computer software when I was 7. I bet your kid can also... He might love it.

Just a few thoughts. Like I said, I don't really know. That's just my experience.

reply to post by Wheelindiehl



I think there probably are better forums for medical advice, but ATS can probably offer some medical perspective for you...

I'm an advocate for natural healing when possible, and staying away from pharmaceuticals so you can categorize my opinion based on that if you must.

Wheat is a known antagonist for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD's) and sometimes ASD symptoms can almost disappear completely with removal from the diet & system. I know a couple who have a daughter with ASD and she went from non-eye-contact & speechless to indistinguishable from other children. She even takes martial arts classes now. Her parents described cleansing her system of, then abstaining from wheat products. Wheat as we know it today, even "heirloom" varieties, do not do well with our digestive systems.

I realize that this forum pounds the Anti-Vaccine drum pretty regularly, but I am here to thump it again. Vaccines, even those ones that every child in america gets, that generations have gotten, that you got, that your parents probably got, that are sworn 10 ways to be safe; Aren't. Period. Vaccines can get your child's immune system twisted in a hurry. The heavy metals that are used as preservatives, why IDK, cannot be naturally cleansed from the body. These metals build up in the Lymph system and basically turn the immune system, which is 95% digestion, into a trash can; filled to the brim. Now, being unable to cleanse heavy metals naturally, this trash can doesn't get emptied on trash day. The however much percent of it that is filled up with heavy metals & # it can clear, stays in there. That gives less room for clearing out colds, viral attacks, allergies, everything. Also, that decreases the body's ability to provide the immune-backup that one's digestive system needs for foods to be properly utilized. The short of that is that; wheat being nasty in general to the human digestive system, becomes a serious adversary when it runs across a compromised immune system.

If it were my child, after I did some DD on some more specialized forums, TRULY, would remove wheat from their diet to see what reaction happened. Its not trying some invasive experimental surgery or potentially deadly drug. Its removing a food from the diet.

If you do suspect vaccine burn as being a culprit eventually, don't ask the doctor for help. They don't even acknowledge it as being an issue. Find a holistic naturopath.

Thank you all so far, it's almost like a family here and I appreciate every bit of advice so far, I am a very easy-going care-free person (to a point) with a good sense of humor so no need to be uptight on my post, one movie line I will never forget (Howard Stern - Private Parts) a little Asian man tells Howard "Make funny, no make Fun!".

Thanks again, Peace!

Originally posted by ollncasino
Both ADHD and/or Asperger's syndrome are greatly over diagnosed. It has turned into an industry.

Unless he has real problems, leave him alone. Don't rely on the diagnosis of the school psychologist. If you employ people to find witches, they find witches.

And certainly, keep him off of the meds. If you aren't careful they will have in on meds to control the meds.

That right there.

It sounds like both you and your son have traits of autism. But you have to draw a line in the sand with some doctors. By that I mean, do NOT let them "treat your son," but DO get treatment for your son's symptoms IF those symptoms are negatively affecting his life. And medication is not the only treatment, nor is it usually the best or most effective one.

Whether or not your son is "really autistic," in the end, doesn't matter. A diagnosis is just something to write on an insurance form. What does matter is that your son is helped to grow up into the best version of himself that he can be. "High-functioning" does not always turn out to be high-functioning, but good results are more likely to be achieved through your involvement, coaching, skill-building, and encouragement.

For example, you could teach him those instances in which it is necessary and helpful to make eye contact with others, and help him practice making eye contact for when it is necessary, and that will be very helpful to his development. But trying to force him or train him to make eye contact all the time in an effort to "normalize" or "socialize" him, is just going to overload him more. But it sounds like you already grasp that concept. Just be a good dad and let him be a good him.

Just checked out the drug he tried, it blocks the reuptake of neoamphetamine and dopamine. and boosts the amphetamine levels. does your kid have any asthma problems, if not there would be no indication that this might help. By blocking those two chemicals and boosting amphetamine I would suspect your kid would become unruly if that was the wrong medicine.

I have been studying these types of meds for a while to try to help my daughter with her kids problems. I think that the school psychiatrist may be trying to establish need for her service at the school. Kids do go through stages. Although a psychiatrist in school is a good thing, trying to prove the need can be a problem. Kids are kids, not one of them is alike.

I would suggest to get some good real pepperoni and some ritz crackers and give your kid three of them for a snack at night for a week and observe him. That will slightly increase the reward system of the brain by upping the availability of adrenaline, neoadrenaline, seratonan, and dopamine. How it effects him can be regulated by some condiments that are in people's fridge. Condiments are often adjuvants. If you eat too healthy by todays standards, you may find yourself on antidepressants after body stores of octapamine created by the tyramines and tyracines are depleted. Tyracines are processed from Phenalalanines. This comes mainly from meats. If you are a vegetarian you can get these from kimchi, or real soy sauce. Like I said, eating too good by the present standards of this society can have complications. Adding a little coffee gives this chemistry a boost, coffee is an adjuvent, too much and the kid will be wild.

My recogmendation above is to make a similar chemistry to the pill they prescribed. This is more broadform and certain other food chemistry would need to be added to control the way the boosted chemistry is applied. I am working on this, I know that a simple cucumber and celery can lower any raised BP that occurs in a healthy individual. Same with Turmeric which is in mustard. Mustard contains Iso-thiocyanates though which act as a goitinerogen. That happens when the mustard seed, a member of the Brassica family, is mixed with vinegar. It has some anticarcinogen effects but over-consumption of mustard can block Iodine uptake. This can then cause the body to have less power to fight cancer. Like I said, foods are powerful chemistry.

get 2nd opinion from another doctor.

Make sure they do tests before they prescribe brain chemical altering drugs to little kids.

Not even a doctor can diagnose thru online description.

reply to post by Wheelindiehl
You know my son was in a waiting room at age seven and a woman told my ex wife that he had aspergeres and she should look into it further. Well they did look and quickly put him on meds. He seemed a normal little boy to me, and it made me very mad that she accepted everything they said. Now at age 12 he aces school but still has no social skills and he is laid back,way back.
His mother didnt bother telling the doctor that she had five relationships since me and had moved him from house to house,school to school,man to different man. She also failed to mention that she let him do whatever he wanted due to her sub conscience hidden regret that she fails to show him that relationships dont matter, and ABSOLUTELY no stability and structure in his life.I have told her she is a hore and doesn show him the fore mentioned things in his life and she still denies it.
My point to you is really search yourself and see where you may be doing it wrong in his life. Not saying you are, but if he dont deserve to be on that CRAP dont let him be put on it.

When I was younger, I had all the problems that you have listed. I was diagnosed with ADD back in the mid to late 80s. I was prescribed ritalin but was taken off becaused it made me a zombie, I was controllable but brain dead. So my parents took me off of it. At 31 I still have most these issues and can't hold a job. I dropped out of high school also.. I just can't take the frustration. I've cursed out more employers and walk off the job than I can remember. After doing some research I do believe I have some type of autism. My Grandfathers brother was fully autistic just never diagnosed. He would always sit by himself and leave if anyone came near. He could remember any date, and time of day down to the second of any event he knew about. He was like Rainman but with dates. So I think something was passed down to me. I really don't know what to do, but I do forsee a hard life ahead, once my parents are gone. I don't really have any answers, I just wanted to share my story.