aspergers and sensory issues?

[uauuauu]

Hi, my 3 year old has some characteristics about her that the doctor says is normal and developmenal, but I dont think it is.  She just turned 3 and can read short books.  She knew all her letters age 18 months and could read them.  However, she has other issues too.  She wont play with other kids at preschool.  She sits by herself and plays alone.  She will not let her grandmother pick her up or play with her.  She sees her grandma once a month, but for her, she only will allow contact with people she has bonded with due to seeing everyday.  She wont play with other kids when we go to the park, wont chase after them, nothing.  She plays fine with her big sister.  She only likes toys like puzzles, legos, electronic games like leapster.  She will play these things for hours on end, wanting to do nothing else.SHe beat a leapster game for kids ages 4-8 when she was 2 years old.  She plays with technics legos, made for kids 8 and up.  She did 100 piece puxxles since age 2 and 1/2. She also wont walk on the grass in bare feet, sounds normal enough, but last summer she wouldnt even walk on the grass with shoes on, she would say it hurt her feet, even with shoes on.  She wont walk on sand at all.  She wont go in a river or lake.  All that just sounds like sensory intergration issues or something, but then the other issues too.  Like not letting grandma talk to her, not playing with other kids except her sister.  She has no problems at home with playing with sister, its not just that she is shy.  She wants nothing to do with anyone except myself and her sister, and my boyfriend who lives in.  I was thinking autism, maybe aspergers, but her doctor says no.  Anyone know anything about aspergers?  Does

[tiredbuthappy]

at this age, unless the symptoms are severe and very clearly autistic, most doctors diagnose individual symptoms instead of autism-spectrum disorders. you don't mention where you live. in the states, you can probably contact your school district for an early intervention evaluation. you can also go to another ped for a second opinion if you feel strongly about it. i have worked with a few children, ages 2-4, with characteristics you describe. none of them was diagnosed as "autistic."

have you talked to her preschool teachers about it? what is their opinion? they may be able to refer you to someone as well.

[cpatow]

I'm not sure what state you're in but my son, who's now 7, had serious sensory integration issues when he was a newborn through to kindergarten, although much lessened between 3 and 4 and then lessened again at 5. Our story is way too long for this forum, but he was very behind in gross / fine motor skills (80-90% at age 1) and also behind across the board. I thought for sure he had autism as he wasn't waving to folks at one and a host of other symptoms as well.

We began taking him to a developmental specialist in Orange County, California who swore to me that he didn't have autism or anything on that specturm and that he had a vestibular system immaturity, which is part of the sensory system. We had him in P/T and O/T along with a special sensory integration therapy and slowly over the years he came out of it. Today he's a happy, albeit ADHD kid who is caught up in all areas and doing well in school.

This developmental specialist is pretty sought after from what I remember and was so right on with what our son had. I didn't believe him that he didn't have anything in the autism spectrum, but it turns out that this guy was spot-on. I know he consults with people that don't live in California, at least he used to. If you'd like his contact info I can see if I can dig it up (we live in Georgia now)

My son also had many of the issues you talk about...wouldn't go on sand, on grass, in a pool (except on a stair), didn't like being touched, but other times loved deep pressure touch, I could go on and on.

Long story short (or at least concluded), sensory issues can masquerade as so many other things...getting the right diagnosis is so hard!