Could it be Aspergers or ADD/ADHD

[frustratedmom529]

My step-son is seven.  He is in first grade.  He has severe problems with learning his words, letters, sounds, etc. Everything to do with that sort of English/Language Arts part of school.  Also with anything math or number related.  He doesn't make friends very easily at all.  He will not approach other children and usually identifies better with adults.  When I say that I don't mean on any kind of mental/intellectual/emotional level, he would just rather be in the company of adults.  Even if that means sitting on a bench watching other children play.  His school is giving him extra help with his school work because of his problems and also because he has proven he cannot learn in groups.  He has to have one on one and even than it takes a very long time for him to grasp any topic.  I have mentioned my concerns before and they dismissed them saying he was too young, all kids his age are 'shy'.  That's another thing, he has no memory for anything..long or short term.  You can ask him, when he gets home from school, what he had for lunch and he won't remember.  When he was younger he was incredibly intelligent and seemed very advanced for his age.  Around age 3 it was like he just stopped understanding things.  I can only give examples;  You will tell him BOY is spelled B-O-Y.  He will repeat it.  Than, when you ask..How do you spell BOY, he won't have any idea.  Before school we thought it was for attention but now, after all kinds of testing, it obviously isn't.  There are a lot of other little 'odd' behaviors he exhibits; I posted on another topic about him wetting his pants daily, he cannot sit/stand still, he has to touch everything and usually will put it in his mouth, he doesn't sleep well..wakes up extremely early and tosses and turns all night, has no emotional concern when he hurts someone either on purpose or accident, very rarely gets upset about anything but when he does it's usually very over dramatic, acts like a baby a lot.

[Sally44]

If you are looking for a diagnosis, I would recommend going through your doctor as they tend to do more indepth assessments.  You should ask to be referred to professionals who are experienced in diagnosing Aspergers and Autistis Spectrum Disorders.  Typically they should be seen by a Speech and Lanaguage Therapist who should assess their receptive and expressive speech as this can sometimes be different ie. they are better at talking than understanding what is said to them.  You could also look at Semantic Pragmatic Speech Disorder.  This usually accompanies being on the autistic spectrum and it will explain why he takes language literally etc.  The Speech and Language Therapist should also assess his social interaction skills and put together a programme to teach him how to hold a conversation etc.  He should also be seen by an Educational or Clinical Psychologist.
You haven't mentioned he gets upset at change.  Is he okay if you do something in a different way, or if his daily schedule is changed, or if you have to make last minute alterations to what you had planned to do?
Is he okay with transitions eg. stopping doing something eg. watching TV.
Can he organise and plan and sequence things.  Can he follow verbal instructions.
You don't mention any sensory issues.  Is he okay with noise, smells, tastes and textures of food.  Is there any unusual behaviour you don't know the cause of.

[frustratedmom529]

Thank you so much.  I just feel, sometimes, that I'm seeing things nobody else it.  Than I feel guilty because I, obviously, wouldn't wish for him to have something wrong with him but on the same token, if we could figure out what exactly is going on we could better help him.  Thank you very much, I will definitely get the school, doctor, and myself on the same page.

[Rachel Thompson, Ph.D., BCBA]

It sounds like your son has some academic difficulties that are not typical of Asperger's, although it is difficulty to know the the severity of these difficulties without formal assessment. In addition, you did not describe any patterns of repetitive behavior or restricted interests that would be required for an Asperger's diagnosis. I would certainly recommend that you share these and any additional concerns with your pediatrician, who will be able to assess your child in person and, if necessary, to recommend local resources. In the meantime, I also recommend working with your son's school on his academic and social issues. Even if you son receives no diagnosis, it is certainly reasonable for you and the school to develop approaches to capitalize on his strengths and develp his skills in areas in which he struggles.

[frustratedmom529]

So, I found this checklist and marked the ones he exhibits.


Child keeps to himself when free to play (e.g., lunchtime, recess)  YES
Child is not interested in team sports or interactive board or playground games  YES
Child lacks pretend play involving other kids  DEFINITELY YES
Child is not aware of unwritten rules of interaction (e.g., games with made-up rules are difficult)  YES
Child is indifferent to peer pressure (e.g., clothing style)
Child has elaborate routines or needs things arranged in a certain way
Child becomes upset by change in schedule
Oversensitivity to sounds or skin contact (e.g., clothing tags)
Child makes less eye contact then expected  YES
Child does not modulate voice (e.g., formal monotone, too loud)
Child is overly fascinated by a topic so collects information (e.g., walking encyclopedia of facts)
Child’s emotional expression is too much or too little  YES
Child lacks ability to understand another’s feelings or point of view  YES
Child is uninterested in your side of the conversation (e.g., tends to lecture)  YES
Child interprets statements literally (e.g., misses jokes or sarcasm)  YES
Child expects others to automatically know how he thinks or feels  YES, VERY MUCH
Child makes inappropriate comments and is unaware of their impact on others  YES