Diagnosing Bipolar and Autistic spectrum disorders.
These are very difficult diagnosis to make correctly especially with pediatric populations. I deal with two board certified child psychiatrists and both are very reluctant to place that diagnosis on a child and in many cases flatly refuse to do so. Many will medicate for the disorder but will not label.
In my opinion, there simply is not enough research available to correctly identify which behavior characteristics will correlate well with adult bipolar. Remember that it was not too many years ago that it was current wisdom that the age of bipolar onset was in mid to latter adolescence and did not occur in childhood.
Autistic spectrum including PDD is very difficult to do correctly. I have talked to a number of people experienced with this including a psychologist with over 25 years working with Autistic kids, she will still refer out to a diagnostic expert for the final determination.
ADHD is simpler but the chance of false positives is always a problem due to the many issues that can mimic ADHD behaviors.
These are tough to get a handle on and I felt this information might be useful to those dealing with this especially Bipolar and Autistic spectrum disorders.
This is only my opinion but it is based on a good bit of research and talking to those with experience with these kids.
Only those who have raised children with disabilities can really understand what the parents must go through and survive for the sake of their children. We have to keep plugging even though diagnosis is shaky and treatment is uncertain. There are never answers, only new questions that each time hopefully get us a little closer to helping.
Dizfriz
My sons neurologist diagnosed my son with AdHd and some symptoms of Pdd not full force thankfully. If anyone interested and live in NY try this www.childbrain.com. The Pdd symptoms he has is talking about stuff he is interested in all the time. Flapping his hands and eating disorders meaning he is very picky on what he eats.
You must go to a neurologist which was recomended to me on this site about a year and a half ago and Im glad I did.
Ok I am a newbie here and have posted several different topics. i know would like to ask about my five year old. He has been diagnosed with bipolar due to a long eval. and many different stimulants that had reverse effects on him. But I have read more about this pdd. He has really weird fears like of loud noises. He is so scared of the vaccum, flushing toliets., and flying things. I am not sure why. He also plays weird and likes to line his toys up and he loves to draw. Is there anyone our there with a suggestion for me.My son had three diagnoses and two were wrong. One, the first one, was ADHD/ODD and stims didn't help him or made him aggressive. The second was more dangerous--bipolar. He didn't have it, and didn't really have the symptoms so I'm not sure how he got tagged with that, but he certainly was put on some very potent, serious and unnecessary meds and gained forty pounds in all. He was very drugged up. In truth, he has PDD-NOS. Lining up toys is a very common symptom of PDD, as is covering ears for loud noises. Speech delays or idocyncries (spelled wrong) are common, but kids with Aspergers, which is a PDD, do not have speech delays. Social problems to the extreme are the rule. The kids just don't know how to play in give-and-take games. They may run around with other kids, but don't know how to sit and share or talk to them in a conversational way. Many times they only talk about their own interets, and they tend to have obsessive interests. The only way to know is to have him completely evaluated. The only professionals who do complete evaluations are NeuroPsychs. They run batteries of tests that can run up to twelve hours (different appointments, of course). These kids do not "get" social skills or people and need early interventions in school and in the community to reach their highest potentials. There is everything from very low functioning autistic kids who can't speak at all to those who have extremely high IQs and seem "a little odd" and can't make friends and do really strange things that other kids would never do. KIds can have both bipolar and PDD, but they are often mistaken for one another. I have a few things to recommend. First, take this online PDD assessment test. People with PDD kids swear by it, although it's not considered official. Then go to the PDD message board and voice your concerns there and his bipolar diagnosis and talk to others in the same boat. Then, if you like, the Conduct Disorders board has the smartest bunch of moms I've ever chatted with. Most have been through the diagnostic mill with their kids, and have great suggestions for diagnosing and for what to do before the final evaluation is finished. Who diagnosed the bipolar? A Psychiatrist did for us, and he was wrong. Psycologists (without the Neuro and with no MD) are poor diagnosticians. You need the Top Guns to sort it all out. NeuroPsychs can be found at University and Children's hospitals. I will hook up links for you to read. Good for you for not just blindly listening to a professional. They, unfortunately, are often wrong. My son doesn't even need meds, yet he was on twelve.
www.childbrain.com/pddassess.html
www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_topics.asp?...
Jillette, your psycologist probably doesn't know PDD. Most don't, no matter how good you may think they are. Not one psycologist thought my son had it, and they all had different reasons why, but he does have it and the proof is in the pudding. PDD interventions have changed his life. People on that PDD board swear by the test. I'm one who believes it too. KIds with ASD have big anxiety issues. Too much noise, light, people, social situations, transitions...they cause meltdowns unless the kids are caught, identified, and get de-sensitized through interventions, although many do get better without them, as they grow up. They still don't outgrow the traits though. OCD is another symptom. The kids do what Heather's kid is doing--stack toys, or demand certain routines, or freak out if something in their room is changed, or obsess over stuff. And most psycologists don't know this--they just don't keep up with it. Anyways...
Heather, if you post again on the PDD board, I think most there will tell you NOT to have a regular psycologist screen for PDD. They don't know how, in gneral. You'll get good advice there. A behavioral class isn't a really good fit for ASD. I'd ask about that too on the PDD board. THese kids aren't behaviorally disturbed and don't respond to regular discipline. They are neurologically impaired and need teachers who understand how to best teach them both academically and with their behaviors. If you want to private message me you can write my e-mail at psm0904@gmail.com
Sometime along the way, you'll get a PDD dx. It can take a long time, but don't NOT get interventions and wait. The earlier the better. My son wasn't officially dxd. until 11, but I knew, and didn't sit back and wait. He got everything, and it really paid off :)) Good luck!
MomWI38928.3648148148The test, according to those on the PDD board, is very accurate. I suggest you go on that board, talk to people, and see a NeuroPsych. Early intervention is the best treatment. Some kids start before they turn one, but then you sort of have to know what's going on, and, unfortunately, many professionals don't have a clue about higher functioning autism (or sometimes even lower functioning). They call it ADHD, when it's not. You're a good mom. Fight for intervetnions even before you get a diagnosis. Along the way, you'll probably get confirmation by somebody, but don't waste time expecting to get it. Have your chld tested through the school district so she can at least get Speech, OT, PT and, hopefully social skills. (((Hugs)))Yeah he does get all that at school right now. He goes to a speical school for children with behavior problems. So he gets social skills and speech there.My daughter on the online PDD test said she had moderate and I had her psychologist screen her and came out no but she may have anxiety and OCD. I get the results in two weeks.
As for screening have your psychologist screen her to me sounds like anxiety. I know a lot of people have had success with neuropsych but with insurance it does not always cover. You can check into it but I would try and have your child screened first. A psychologist can screen for PDD etc. Good luck
PS welcome to the boardOk I took the test and my son scored a 171 which says severe pdd. Now what do I do. How accurate is this testing?