I officially received the report from the Tantrum Tot’s autism evaluation that was one month ago (July 19th) at UMSC in Charleston. I wrote about that experience, here, here, and here.
The report, about 15 pages long, outlined all the tests and social interaction the doctor’s had with the Tot and their reasoning for deciding that he does not, or no longer fits the criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Their observations were based largely on his social interaction with the examiner, and their observation of several tantrums.
I concede that the Tot had TANTRUMS, not MELTDOWNS during his evaluation.
The interesting part of the report is that they actually gave him a diagnosis of Disruptive Behavior Disorder/ Oppositional Defiance Disorder, which left me scratching my head a bit—this is a first for us. What exactly makes an oppositional in a two—year old a disorder? Aren’t all two-year old oppositional by nature—or was that just me? I wonder if I would have received that diagnosis as a child had it existed with the way my autism presented itself?
Does anyone else have a child diagnosed with ODD? Do you think it possible to put a label like that on a child so young? I think for me, some more research is in order since I admittedly know very little about Disruptive Behavior Disorders.
The report sent to me, did also maintain the Tots developmental delays, and repetitive/expressive speech delays, and recommended early intervention services for those delays. I think that they ruled-out autism strictly on the social interaction they perceived. I suppose only time will tell at this point which way the Tot is going to go as far as development is concerned. I will be keeping a very close eye on him though.
On a positive note: I have observed a tremendous improvement in the Tots speech and social development since he has been attending his daycare/preschool full time. He loves it now. I really think he is enjoying the structure they give him.
I have friends children who are autistic and at age two could talk as an Olympic event. I cannot for the life of me remember his name but there is a lecture by a lead doctor in ADD/ADHD who argues that ODD shouldn’t be a stand alone diagnosis but is the emotional facet of ADD/ADHD
Aspie Teen (now 14) was like that! He could talk your ears off at two–then again so could I. LOL
I think that the ODD being the emotional part of ADD, ADHD and even ASD’s could be quite accurate. I would definitely have been diagnosed with ODD as a child had it been considered back then–God knows I was oppositional; I still am. But the opposition stems from other things that are going on–impulsivity, sensitivities, etc.
Everything I have read talks about autism being a social disorder especially amoung children of the same age. How is your son around kids his age? I would focus on that, first and foremost. My daughter can chat it up with children several years younger as well as older and adults fairly easily. But put her with someone her own age and it takes quite a bit of time for her to feel comfortable or at least functional. She was diagnosed with Aspergers at 5.
I am not sure how I feel about the way it is classified so prominently as a social disorder because it is just the tip of the iceberg for me. That said, though, you are right in that talking to older children, adults and younger ones is usually not the problem. The problems always seem to lie when engaging your “peers.”
My 14 year old can talk your ear off! If you come to our house (an adult that is) he will talk to you non-stop, but not have anything to do with anyone at all his own age. ASD kids tend love Adults–I did when I was younger.
i don’t know how many social interactions they had with Tot, but wow…just seems like it takes many interactions over a period of time, and different types of interactions in order to rule something out…feels like they just wrote that off very quickly, but what do i know. strange. thx for the update.
They only had that one interaction during that evaluation! And to make it worse, we were referred by the pediatrician, and speech and hearing in November, and was not seen until the end of July!!! Three hour drive in each direction fit then to in my opinion also, rule it out very quickly! Then if course they recommended services for developmental and speech delays, and gave an ODD diagnosis? I think the whole thing a bit odd.
very frustrating, hope, sorry this turned out to be such a strange, confusing evaluation.
the word “hope” was part of a new sentence that i discarded, sorry for the typo…what happens when i comment before coffee!
OH yes, I know. I NEED my morning coffee 🙂