What will happen now?

[reneemcbride]

Well my son did a Autism screening test yesterday and he failed it.   They are sending him to a different dr to have some more test done.   Can any one tell me what other test they will do?   they dr said that he want sure what would happen next he said that this is the first kid that he has had that failed it so bad.   Could you please help me figure out what is going on i am so worried.  The dr went ahead and diagnosed him with PDD until he knows what exactly we are dealing with after the testing.

[KarenDiane]

By "failed" do you mean that he does have autism but they aren't sure how severe? I wasn't aware that there was a pass-fail test for autism. Usually, it is an evaluation and the Dr or therapists make a diagnosis based on what they see.

[stupiddumbgirlwhoshouldaknewbetter]

One thing I am sure that you know as a parent is that, no matter what you know about your son, when you take them miles away from home, to a strange doctor's office, they close down and the responses they provide do not really reflect their personalities or their abilities.  Try not to worry too much about this right now.  My son is bright and gregarious.  Put him in a doctor's office and he sits there looking at the floor making noises like a coffee machine.  I have had a cluster of student doctors virtually in tears of pity for me because they think my son is a vegetable because he behaves like one at his assessments.  He hates being autistic and gets very cross and deliberately will not perform.  He has felt this way since he was very young and non-verbal but he always understood and would not perform like a monkey for his assessment.

Wait it out a bit.  Ok.

[reneemcbride]

They just did a screening to see if he may have Autism and said the he failed it so that means that it is a good chance that he has it.   They also said that they cant tell me how bad it is or what kind of treatment that he is going to need until he goes and sees the other dr for more test to see how bad it is.   They just started the screening thing in texas this year.    From what i understand they ask a series of questions and then they grade it to see if they pass or fail and if they pass then they are OK and if they fail they need more test to see what they problem is.   I dont really know this is the first time i have ever had to do something like this my other 2 kids are normal and have no problems like this my middle child she has some mental problems but nothing like this she just has ADHD and ODD.   But she is a fully functional child and is has no problem learning.

[KarenDiane]

OK, the next step is most likely the evaluation. When my daughter was tested, they had me fill out a bunch of stuff but they looked at it together with their notes in order to diagnose her. Good Luck, and try to relax.

[reneemcbride]

I am trying to relax but it is easier said then done i just wish they would hurry up and let me know when they are going to do the other testing so i know what i am looking for i am really bad impatient i hate to wait and see what is going to happen.

[stupiddumbgirlwhoshouldaknewbetter]

Your son has not changed.  A word on a piece of paper.  A label.  A diagnosis.  He will still be the same boy he always was.  You know him better than anyone else.  When my son was first diagnosed he was like a wild animal.  We couldn't do anything with him at all and he wouldn't speak to us.  Life was utterly impossible.  Fast forward a few years and he is at mainstream school - popular, happy, good looking, sticking his fingers up at autism.  He is sometimes stubborn but he has a great life and so do we and he has a great future.  How old is your son?

[reneemcbride]

He is 4 years old and i know that i know him better then any one thats what i tell every one the he is a mommas baby and i know him like the back of my hand and they get mad but they will get over it.    I am glad to hear that your son i doing so good i just hope and pray that my son turns out that way.   Because i am really iffy about putting him in public school they have a program where i live that is for special needs kids and they do a great job there but i am waiting till i get the rest of his test done to see if he will be able to function in public school or if he needs to go to the special needs school.