Is Asperger's connected to Chiari malformations?

[punkin52]

My son is 14 now but was diagnosed with a Chiari malformation 18 mm when he was 5 years old.  It was an incidental finding during an MRI.  He was slow to speak, and when he did it was in 3 word phrases.  For a long time he did not speak but he did have sensory issues that caused him to have frequent movement, including standing on his head. 2 weeks after his decompression surgery at Duke University in 2002, he could speak in full sentences.  The surgeon thought it was coincidental, but I did not.  
Now I am recognizing symptoms that could be Asperger's in nature.  He does not want to go to school and I have no idea how to get him there.  He is 6'5" tall and lives in an adult body with a child's maturity.  He can use his size to avoid doing things.  He does not like to leave the house.  He was bullied in school lasst spring and I had to teach him at home for the last two months of school.  I really want to get him back to school this year, but I am runnning out of time.  I have used all of our financial savings sending him for speech therapy, OT, and special reading programs in additon to some very expensive private schools.  We don't have the money to put him back into a private school   He has an IEP for a Charter School and will be in the 8th grade.  Has anyone else had this experience?  Is it possible for the Chiari to come back?  Any suggestions are welcome. Medications have not helped much.  Thank you!

[itsy1]

I've often had questions about this for my ADD.  I know it is not the same as Asperger's, however, they are both caused by the way different sections of our brain work (if I understand things correctly).

I've asked TCI neurosurgeons, psychiatrist, psychologist, neuros, and OTs about the possible link and their experiences with people and these disorders.  All of them say what sellma and drewlevas have said.  That and they've also said that high cranial pressure could have some sort of unknown link.  

One thing I've been told is regardless of how their caused it's a case of treating both my conditions, and yes, worsening CM can aggrivate/ worsen a condition such as Asperger's or ADD in my case.

I have a special needs son too.  I'm sorry you both have to go through this and hope this post helped a little.

[drewlevas]

Well some web site realed Chiari and Asperger syndrom, saying that they are commonly found together. And that Chiari can make Asperger symtomes worst!

Good luck with your son, I understand just to well what it is to by bullied.

Drew

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

From all the reading I have done the younger the child that is symptomatic it can impede normal development....including speech, as many will have had reflux as infant and swallowing was an issue.....walking can also be an issue since balance is a problem for those with chiari.

I have not heard the link with Aspergers, but nothing is impossible and since not much is known about chiari I am sure   Chiari and another condition  is something even more difficult to locate info on.

  Chiari affects the brain stem...this is the control center for all functions including emotion, balance, hormones....the list is long.

  When was ur DS's last MRI?...It is possible that scar tissue has formed, or that the herniation has dropped down so that it is again creating an obstruction.

  Seeing his size, and his use of it...and how he was bullied, I would try to home school for now until u can figure out what the issue was and get him to calm down about school.JMO

  Good luck and do keep us posted.
     "selma"