Mildly Autistic?

[Mamma23_01]

I'm a bit worried about my three year old daughter.  I posted a question to you before, wondering about her pysical symtoms.  She has been diagnosed with Chiari 1 Malformation, as well as possible spinal disorders.

The behavioral question I have is this:

She has a strange habit of having to have everything "in order".  Since she was about one, if we gave blocks to her, she would organize them by color, shape and size.  She does this even to this day.  If we give her anything that has different sizes, she organizes them from largest to smallest.  Yesterday, I gave her trail mix, and she organized the nuts, raisins, etc.  (she doesn't do this with other food).

She also gets very upset when her routine is interupted.

Otherwise, she is very outgoing and friendly.  She plays with other children well: no hitting, scratching or biting.  She is loving and empathetic.

Is there any way that she might be some kind of autistic?  Or maybe because she has been through so many medical tests and hospital visits she needs to have some sense of control and order?

Any advise you can give me would be appreciated.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Based solely on the one symptom of ordering behavior, you really don't have to be concerned about an autistic disorder. Some children who display anxiety disorders (particularly OCD) display such ordering behavior, but also many children who do not have any mental or emotional condition display the behavior. Unless it interferes with her functioning, you really needn't tend to it at all. Rather, just appreciate it as one aspect of her personality. In and of itself it is harmless.

[Ebean]

I would go for a proffesionsl opinion because the answers are so multiple and there can be so many different ways of tresting things. A developmental Pead would be the best and he/She can direct you from there - Been there done that and am now on the right path.

[Mamma23_01]

I just read a little about signs and symptoms of autism on the internet.

She has hit all of her milestones early (except potty-training).  She smiled, spoke, laughed, all of these, at the right time.  She has always had more words than expected of her age.  She communicates very well, and is very, very social.

So the only thing that falls into the spectrum of autism is the need to organize things.  If someone comes and "messes" it up, she doesn't scream.  She usually interprets it as play, and laughs, then re-arranges it.

I'm really wondering if her need for order is due to the fact that she has undergone SO many medical tests.  (she's been under general anesthesia at least five times).  We are finally going to see a neurosurgeon at the end of this month, so hopefully we'll get the medical answers we need.

I just wonder if she feels out of control after having all of these things imposed on her.

[DinaGrimes]

My nephew would always place things in groups, certain orders, line things up, etc.  He was also very good with puzzles.  Turns out he excelled in math and is now an electrical engineer.  Could this be true for your daughter???

[Mamma23_01]

My two older girls (ages 6 and almost 8) are excellent at math, so I was wondering if this could be part of the puzzle.

My husband has a few points lower than genius level IQ, and he excels at math also.  His father was a nuclear physicist.

My daughter also can memorize songs on the radio after hearing them once (my husband is a musician too)