DownSyn Forum

TheBradyBunch · Posted: August 26 2010, 2:18 PM Post subject: I didn't realise

For some reason when people asked if Noah spins I thought they meant him physically...I didn't realise they meant toys.

He spins everything he can, or he will lay with his head against the ground and roll small cars back and forth...

The towel thing...blankets or towels he shakes while standing up, it's actually the best way to get him to practice walking...I had no idea this was "stimming"...

He also chews...his thumb is actually deformed from him chewing it, and the finish on his crib has been chewed off along the top and side rails...

I know he has sensory issues too

He has several repetative behaviours, I basically have to be on him at all times in order for him to do anything productive...like hand over hand play and constant re-direction...

Plus the fact that he is way behind his peers with DS who are the same age...he has no signs and only a handful of babble sounds (which are again repeated over and over..)

He also licks railings, looks under doors, closes all doors, looks at the edge of the stove and cupboards, looks out of the bottom or sides of his eyes...I actually have to make sure I push his face out of the way of the corner of the fridge everytime I close it...the second I open the fridge he crawls as quickly as he can to push his face in it..

All of this is constant...he also hits himself, bangs his head against his crib, or my chest when I hold in him a sitting position

He is waiting on the list for an assessment...but even that we probably won't see until January...

Does this sound like autism to anyone else?

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Mom to: Nicholas (May/02), Nathan (April/04), Charlene (June/06), Noah (DS, ASD) (May/07), Jesse Lynn (July/08 ), Tessa (Apr/10), Kaitlyn (Jun/12)

"Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us"

Tom · Posted: August 26 2010, 3:45 PM Post subject:

He certainly seems to be showing the signs of PDD. If I had to guess based on what you described I would say yes that he has PDD.

This is Mikey stimming:

http://www.randomthinking.info/wordpress/2007/10/06/mikey-stimming/

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Tom

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Helen · Posted: August 27 2010, 9:00 AM Post subject:

Yup, it does sound like autistic behaviour to me...

We checked Matt alongside this - it may help you?

http://www.autism-pdd.net/checklist.html

_________________
Helen

Mum to ...
Rachael, Matt - DS & Autism - and Hannah. My gorgeous kids!

TheBradyBunch · Posted: August 27 2010, 11:52 AM Post subject:

Noah can check off most of the requirements...

I think the only one he couldn't was the one for a child who can talk...which he can't.

I'm wondering though, how do they plan to measure his IQ when he can't talk? He doesn't really gesture or point or well...anything like that.

Oh and we have to give him melatonin just to get him to sleep for most of the night, but he'll still wake up when it's pitch black outside and bang his crib, laugh at nothing and make some just odd sort of primal noises.

He doesn't seem to understand facial queues either, like if I'm obviously displeased with him he will smile and laugh, and then out of nowhere he will copy the face but he isn't displeased. It really makes no real sense.

_________________
Mom to: Nicholas (May/02), Nathan (April/04), Charlene (June/06), Noah (DS, ASD) (May/07), Jesse Lynn (July/08 ), Tessa (Apr/10), Kaitlyn (Jun/12)

"Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us"

Momof6 · Posted: August 27 2010, 12:09 PM Post subject: Re: I didn't realise

TheBradyBunch wrote:

He spins everything he can, or he will lay with his head against the ground and roll small cars back and forth...

The towel thing...blankets or towels he shakes while standing up.

He also chews this thumb..

He also licks railings, looks under doors, closes all doors.

Austin does these things also. He also rocks back and fourth on the floor and bumps when he sits in a chair. I have asked a few times if these are issues and my answer was no. Should I be worried, and look more into it?

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Tom · Posted: August 27 2010, 1:09 PM Post subject:

They could be sensory issues. He's a little young to diagnose with PDD.

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Tom

Dad to Beth ( 20 ) and Mikey (15 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
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Helen · Posted: August 27 2010, 4:02 PM Post subject:

With Austin, if he only does those things, but his social interaction is good, then I would suggest you keep an eye on him, but don't worry too much. We were told that a child needs to be 'deficient' in all three areas of development to be considered autistic.

Like Noah, Matt will laugh at 'nothing' and it comes from nowhere, but not respond to other people's facial expressions. At least, that's what he did when he was 3. Now he has learned to laugh when we laugh, and it's wonderful.

Matt doesn't talk, and has only recently - in the past year - learnt to sign again. And this is limited to 4 or 5 signs which he does, usually, on cue. He says no words, just kind of grunts and moans! In terms of IQ, it is hard to measure as it relies on the child understanding language to complete a task.

Can you push for an assessment of Noah ASAP? It sounds like he could benefit from more early intervention.

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Helen

Mum to ...
Rachael, Matt - DS & Autism - and Hannah. My gorgeous kids!

TheBradyBunch · Posted: August 28 2010, 1:05 PM Post subject:

I can't get assessment any sooner...unfortunately the waitlist is long and I don't have the $1500 it would cost to pay for one myself. He is on the cancellation list though, so hopefully that will get him sooner...but people don't usually cancel.

If he does get his diagnosis, it would open up funding so I could hire a therapist to work with him, I too think the sooner the better

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Mom to: Nicholas (May/02), Nathan (April/04), Charlene (June/06), Noah (DS, ASD) (May/07), Jesse Lynn (July/08 ), Tessa (Apr/10), Kaitlyn (Jun/12)

"Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us"

kpmomof9 · Posted: November 14 2010, 2:41 AM Post subject:

Tom wrote:

They could be sensory issues. He's a little young to diagnose with PDD.

I have 4 (non-Ds) kids diagnosed on the spectrum. My most-severe kiddo was diagnosed at Emory Autism Center when he was 13.5 months old (he's now 9 & his diagnosis was accurate back then & remains so today), my PDD-NOS kiddo was diagnosed at 15.5 months old (he's almost 7 and his diagnosis was bumped to full-out autism versus atypical autism a few years ago) and my 2 Aspies (Asperger's) were diagnosed at 3 years old and 11 years old.

My point? A 3.5 year old is not too young to be diagnosed. Not at all. And the sooner intervention is begun, the better, so getting an evaluation would be top priority if I were Noah's mom.

I do realize autism + Ds is different, but I feel strongly that my point still stands. Smile

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Kate, mom to 9 (including 2 beautiful daughters who have Ds)
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Hannah (8/5/09; Ds, CP)

Bethany (11/13/07; Ds, complete AV canal, systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, atlantoaxial instability, autism)

Tigger · Posted: November 14 2010, 8:26 PM Post subject:

So many things Talitha does seem to be consistent with her being on the spectrum - a lot of stimming with tags on toys or clothing, noises, obsessive behaviours, inability to deal with changes in routine, limited diet, hyperactivity, almost non-verbal outside home and she will climb into a small animal cage or cupboard and happily stay there for an extended period of time making her stimming noises. If we try to get her out she yells and pulls the door shut again.

But her pediatrician won't look at anything else until we have had another sleep study done which we are on the list for. He feels that all her odd behaviours relate to her sleeping issues - she has to have clonidine and melatonin to sleep and still has interrupted sleep and can function on very little sleep.

Every time I read a thread like this I wonder if I should be pushing harder for an assessment. I don't want her labelled unnecessarily but it would get her more funding and support *sigh*. Sorry if I have hijacked - it just keeps bothering me.

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Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

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TheBradyBunch · Posted: November 15 2010, 2:14 PM Post subject:

I hear you. I have just had Noah referred to a sleep specialist. I guess when I told the dr that Noah is up to 9mg of melatonin and that it doesn't knock him out all night he realised that we have a problem here. He is supposed to be assessed for Autism in Jan sometime, this is where he is on the waitlist apparently and there is no way to speed things up without the $1500 (with 6 kids and one income, we just don't have it). The sleep specialist like everything, will take months to get into. I don't think his sleep has anything to do with his odd behaviours...there are too many of them to just be a sleep problem. Kids misbehave more with little sleep...I don't think they look to stim all day in whatever way they can...DS or not.

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Mom to: Nicholas (May/02), Nathan (April/04), Charlene (June/06), Noah (DS, ASD) (May/07), Jesse Lynn (July/08 ), Tessa (Apr/10), Kaitlyn (Jun/12)

"Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us"