For those who are afraid... | ADHD Information
to hear "It's more than ADHD" I really like these two posts from another board. It applies to autism, but could be ADHD or any disorder. The originial parent wanted to know how she'd ever know if her child has apraxia, SID, etc. or autism and this answer was great. I think the same applies to everyone here who suspects the child may have more than ADHD, but is afraid to hear it and would rather think, "My child has ADD, OCD, social anxiety disorder, etc." These two posts say it all.
at 3:42pm | IP Logged
I'm not an expert (unless being a mom to an ASD kid makes you an
expert 
), but here's my two cents:
Autism isn't diagnosable by blood test or any other test. It is diagnosed
by a set of observable symptoms.
The conditions you're talking about, SID, apraxia, etc., similarily are
diagnosed by apparent symptoms, there is no definitive test for them.
If a child only has the symptoms of one of these disorders (say SID), then
I'd say yes, they have SID, and not autism. However, when a child has all
of these disorders, which combine to have the same symptoms as autism,
then why don't we just say autism?
If a child has problems with sensory integration, problems with motor
planning (oral and otherwise), processing problems, language problems,
social delays and repetitive behavior, we can say that they have SID,
Apraxia, Language Disorder, and anxiety/ocd. Or, we can say they have
autism. The former don't get you services to TREAT the symptoms, the
latter does.
Hmmm - an analogy. I could say I have a black thing, made of metal,
with a handle and a spout, which I fill with water, place on the stove, and
heat until it whistles. Or, I could just say I have a kettle, ya know? Either
way, I'm talking about the same thing, so there's no "wrong answer".
One's just much more to-the-point, and leaves less room for
interpretation/misunderstanding.
Here's another answer to the same post. I love this answer too. I think many parents here, who have severely affected kids and are afraid of more than ADHD, should pay attention to these posts. They really say it all. Yes, I was afraid at first too.
Donny's Mom -- You described the situation EXACTLY. The reason there are checklists for diagnosing ASD's (besides the fact that there are no blood tests or urine tests or scans to determine this yet) is because all autism is is a laundry list of issues (yes, ADD/ADHD is among those issues and is almost universal in ASD kids). When that laundry list of issues is put together, it results in a child who has extreme difficulty behaving in a normal social manner, has serious communication issues even if he or she has "normal" speech, and has developed wierd behaviors that presumably help him or her cope.
I have a question for Sleuth. In what way is thinking your child has 5 or 6 separate issues different from thinking your child has autism? I know you are having a hard time with the "A" word. But how is thinking "It's not autism, it's just that my child is hog-tied by a variety of issues" making it easier for you? This is not a rhetorical question. I really would like to understand. I honestly can't see how describing your child's disability makes it easier for you than calling it by its proper name. And there IS a downside, as you know, of not using the "A" word. As a previous poster pointed out, if we deny that our children have autism, we can sometimes end up with fewer and less appropriate services for them. Sleuth, my heart goes out to you. You've posted this same question in different words so many times. I wish I could make it easier for you.
bumping my own post. I loved these posts.Bumping up again to push the trash down, plus these are good posts