How do they get diagnosted???

[Anny1983]

How do children get diagnost?, who takes the initiative to say: ok... your child is autistic, or he/she has the symptoms. I ask this question, because I work at a pediatric dental office, where we have several patients who really act like if they were austistic, but according to the medical history (that mother/father/parents) fill out, the patient/s isn't/aren't austistic. So, how CAN I... as a dental care provider, can talk to this parents? let them know, or just kind of talk to them about having their child checked up to see if there's any psychological issue going on. ADHD, ADD, Austim... could someone give me any ideas/s??? Is that, sometimes I feel I could help these children feel more comfortable when they come over the dental office, but what about if get are medicated? would this even help a little bit more to calm them down? Hope all my details and questions are not too confusing :(...

[Sally44]

As I know my son is on the spectrum I have told his denist.  One of the things I have asked him to do is to explain everything 'before' he does it.  He will also give them a little demonstration of how it feels ie. the air blast that dries the tooth he will blast that onto my son's hand so he knows what to expect.  He also did the same thing with the drill and let him feel the vibrating sensation.
For alot of autistic children it is also difficult because you have usually got two people stareing at you, plus a bright light!  The big glasses that he is given to wear really help.

[Anny1983]

Thank you so much for giving me your inputs, for giving me ideas of how to handle such situations, which aren't easy at all. As a dental care provider, I know it's not "kind" of my business to tell the parents: ok... I think your child has a psychological issue such and such going on, or your child acts like an autistic child (for which I should be really careful because it can be even offensive to the parents, like someone mentioned before), but working with children this close, gives me the opportunity to see more than whoever can even think. Sometimes I am talking to them, but they can't look straight at me, they don't listen, they keep acting like noone is talking to them... I know some children are just, and excuse me everyone here w. children: but some kids are just "brats"... others are super-extremely scared + anxious, and I DO NOT blame them at all... There are bunches of reasons to be scared of when going to the dentist (i.e. needles, wiggly tooth "pulled out," x-rays -specially the side ones 'bitewings',- even the mask on doctor/asst.'s face scare them. So, IT IS A HARD thing; but I really appreciate all the ideas you guys gave me, I really really appreciate it. And of course, I'll put some of this into practice and see how they work.

[Sally44]

It usually happens through school ie. they start school, cannot cope, show all kinds of unusual behaviour such as head banging, scratching at their face, avoidance behaviour, hiding under the table etc.  As a dental practice I think the best you can do is ask if the child has any difficulties or sensitivities you should know about.  I have arranged that if my son needs any dental work such as fillings that he will have gas for this rather than a needle.  There is no way you would get a needle into him unless you had 5 people to hold him down and the stress/anxiety is just not worth the hassle.

[mich97]

that's a tuff one..only a QUALIFIED professional should mention Autism to a parent (my opinion) perhaps you could ask the parent if the child has sensory difficulties/ difficulty w/ transitions/people touching them? and then perhaps ask if the pediatrician is aware or you may want to mention to make ped. aware of it.. that may be a way you can voice your concerns w/ out stepping over boundaries,upsetting a parent???
my 5 y.o. is NOT diagnosed on the spectrum but does have some delays/ mild sensory issues and is a strong willed kid!! he allows a cleaning/examine..He refuses an xray b/c that plastic tray thing they stick in your mouth "gags" him..is it his sensory issues or a strong willed kid refusing it b/c he does NOT like the feeling of it??? who knows, as an adult i don't even like getting xrays so can only imagine how it feels for a 5 y.o.(was 4 at the time)
also, about sedation..i'm not sure how one goes about sedation at the dentist office but my son did get nitrous( -?-spelling) to help "relax" him for a filling...it did NOTHING, it
still took 3 of us to hold him down..again, i think i just have a strong willed,stubborn child who does not like  going to the dentist..i don't tell him this, but I DON"T BLAME HIM!!!! :)
as a parent i don't know how i'd feel about giving my child any drugs to sedate him, unless it was medically necessary...(just my opinion) :)

[mrs_t76]

Many times, the parents can be in denial...heck, my husband is STILL in denial about our son who HAS BEEN diagnosed!  So you can't really blame the parent completely for not knowing as it is hard to swallow for many.  Speech therapists can give a good direction to parents to have them tested or not, also school psychologists often will request it as well.  Bottom line though, it is the parent who has to follow through and take the initiative.  The only ones who can give the medical diagnosis are Pedicatric Neurologist and Child Psychologist.  Pediatricians can recommend testing, however, most do not go that far as they only see the child for a few minutes a few times a year so how can they REALLY tell in that short of time unless it is a real severe case?!

As for your positioning on it and bringing it up to the parents...I am really not sure how to coach you on that as it can be a very threatening, embarrassing, and even offensive subject to bring to light.  One thing you CAN DO, to help bring some awareness to the parents while they are there, is have some reading materials of Autism Soectrum Disorders and such, at hand...Like magazines, but incorporate these things as well.  You can easily print of checklists and symptom references and have those about the office that may trigger something in a parents head.  It is a small step but may help in the long run.  

Sorry I couldn't be more help on this but it really is a touchy thing to tread on and to be the FIRST perhaps to tell someone that their child may have "issues" of some sort, could really have an adverse effect...and not in a positive way either.

Misty*

[888mom]

Developmental pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and child psychiatrists can diagnose autism.  If you have suspicions, you might want to have the parents address certain behaviors with their regular pediatrician first.  If the pediatrician has concerns, they can refer them to the specialist.

You may not want to mention the word autism unless you are sure that is what it is.  There are so many things that children can have other than that.  ADHD, OCD, behavior issues, etc.  Or it may just be that they're afraid?  

I had concerns about my daughter becauase she couldn't speak or understand language or respond to her name at 24 months of age (I actually had concerns at 18 months of age but our pediatrician and my husband and I decided to wait 6 months based upon family history of late talkers and other issues).  Children who don't have language delays probably are missed being diagnosed at earlier ages.  

If you know how to get an autistic child to sit in your dentist chair, let me know.  I have not taken my daughter to the dentist yet and she's 2 1/2 and I know I ought to take her in.  She will not let anyone else brush her teeth besides myself or anyone else touch her mouth for that matter.   I did get a book with Dora that shows Dora going to the dentist.  I am hoping that a few months of looking at this book, my daughter might get interested in going and not freaked out.

I also have not been to the dentist in years.  I can not stand someone touching my mouth or face.  Though there is a place I have scheduled to go in in a couple weeks... they do sedation dentistry.  I kept hearing the ads on the radio that they made the experience pleasurable and that you'd wake up not knowing what happened.  I was a horrible child going to the dentist.  My parents didn't take me that often either, mostly because they couldn't afford it and my dad's job didn't offer dental insurance.  Once I kicked the dental assistant, and another time I bit the dentist.  I was like 8 or 9 at the time. I had cavities, and they filled them.  Also cleaned my teeth and put that coating/cap or whatever it is called that protects your teeth from cavities.  I didn't go again while I was a child.  I had to go in during my 20s to have my wisdom teeth pulled out (no cavities).  Been one more time since for a cleaning (again no more cavities).  Am hoping sedation dentistry will be the answer.  In addition to the not liking my mouth or face touched... you have to lay in this uncomfortable chair and stare up at fluorescent lighting.  Gives me a migraine.  Not sure what it would give to autistic children who might be more sensitive to that sort of thing.  

Can kids be sedated?  Could you recommend the kids go to a sedation dentist if they have so many difficulties?  What types of behaviors are these kids displaying?  Will they not sit still?  Do they hate being touched?  Do they have fear?  Do they hate the lighting in the office?  Is it partly they don't know what to expect?  Can the parents go through the drill before the office?  Like have them read books on it?  Also if the parents dread going to the dentist (i.e. myself), the children might recognize the dentist's office as a place of fear.