Is this going towards a diagnosis of ASD

My son has been through our local child find, psychologist and SLP.
Pysch said he has developmetal delays and sensory integration disorder(not a diagnosis)

Psychologist reports- As of right now they say that he has characteristics of ASD as well as significant problems with adaptive behavior and physical self care.  Stating that profiles like his are typical among individuals who have found to have developmental delays.

SLP- Speech fluency and vocal characteristics both were observed to be developmentally appropriate.

One thing the SLP had down that I didn't understand was the following; (her words on report) It was observed, however, that his(will not name my son) speech intelligibility at the level of conversation was less than 75% in known and unknown contexts based on SLP observation. What does this mean?

Also is heading towards a diagnosis in Autism related disorders? Someone please...I am so confused.

Thank you for your time and help.

[Richard B. Graff, PhD, BCBA-D]

First, let me thank you for writing--I appreciate you taking the time to do so.  I am sorry if you were hoping for a more timely reply.

Your main question, seems to be whether or not your child will eventually be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.  I'm not sure how old your son is, how long he has been in school, what services he has (or has not) received, thwe extent of his delays, etc., Given this (plus the fact that I have not met your son),  I cannot answer that question.  However, regardless of whether or not he has an ASD diagnosis, the important thing to focus on is, what can be done right now to ensure that my son has the best chance to maximize his potential.  My answer to that would be to use applied behavior analysis (ABA) as the main focus of his educational activities.  Although ABA has been documented to lead to the best outcomes for individuals with ASDs, this approach will be effective with any child with delays.

I'm not sure where you live, but some states have recently adopted legislation dictating that insurance must pay for autism treatment, including ABA.  I suggest you look into whether or not insurance reimbursement is available in your area (although it is possible that he would need an ASD diagnosis for this).  I would also suggest you talk to the school, and ask them if a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA; one who specializes in the assessment and treatment of children with ASDs) could consult on your son's case.  If you go to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board website (www.BACB.com), you can search for a BCBA in your area.  A qualified BCBA should be able to identify stimuli that will motivate your son to learn.  He or she will conduct assessments to attempt to identify why problem behavior occurs, which makes it much easier to treat.  He or she should be able to identify teaching strategies that will accelerate skill acquisition.

I hope some of this information is helpful.  Best of luck for you and your family.

[rummell]

Also, has been to a neurologist who said he does not have Autism..though child find and other have stated stimming and fleeting eye contact. Thanks

[rummell]

well I have to say this site has been very helpful...uugg