I know that every child is different, but my son is going to be evaluated in a few weeks. I have already spoken to a dr. by phone and she really feels that he is ADHD just by the things I have told her. I know that everything I read points in that direction. OK I know you can't compare children, but do children with ADHD have preoccupations with certain things? My son has to chose his clothes and has been this way for as long as I can remember. Everything has to be the same color. We go through major battles everytime he gets dressed. Before he even takes a bath he has to have his clothes out to wear. He also has this obsession with tying up things. He constantly ties things to his battery operated tractor to drag around the yard. He ties ropes everywhere and even I have a hard time undoing some of his knots!!! I also find that he makes up so much stuff!! Yesterday was his first day of preschool and he told me so many different stories about things that happenned yesterday so simple things like seeing his cousin (he did not) to major lies that they never fed him. I don;t know if we should indulge his stories or call him on them. I am so new to this but I should have seen the signs a long time ago (for more insight read I need help!!)it tells about my son. Thanks for the advice, everyone has been so helpful. Stacey

maybe OCD? Could be something else as well.

I'm no expert but a few of those things sound like ODD to me.

Welcome to the alphabet soup. :) It does sound kinds OCD, but I can see some AS in there was well. The problem is that aolt of symptoms overlap. We were 100% sure Steven was just ADHD, until he was diagnosed later with Asperger's and ADHD. Now we're wondering if it just isn't all Asperger's. It seems all roads start with ADHD though, snd when things for that don't work, other possible conditions are then looked at. My biggest advice is to keep and open mind and not lock yourself in on "it has to be X."

just to reply on the clothes issue our son is just ADHD and he has a massive clothes issue still to this day and hes 8, he has to have everything set out and be just right, they have to be a certain length and feel or he will never wear them, he has always been like this and to avoid him getting into such a fractious state i tend to try and help him and make ammendments when i can, mine gets very obsessed with certain things too like a suit jacket he had, he had to and still does to be honest at times have to wear it all the time even when its boiling hot! i tend to just allow him too as you can see the physical pain and anxiuosness in him if you try and tell him hes not wearing it, maybe its a security controlling thing?? anyway i hope all goes well for you contact me anytime to chatx

hey stacey0721, welcome to the forum, I recently was diagnosed with aspergers syndrome and I"m 27 years old and graduated and did well in school. and even have a decent job and more.

Based on what you define, it is very similar to what I have had to deal with and still do. Like the clothes, i will only wear lose pants (not baggy) but close to that when I'm at home, but when I go for a walk or go in public I have to wear tight pants, and or keep my hands in my pocket, and when I go out I have to wear a coat and or a fabric jacket, or a thick t shirt. no matter how hot it is

I also hate the sun, warm weather but the cold I love, I do have a question for you, does your child have periods of time where whistles,cries,laughs or something similar happen for no reason or a small reason, as if you stubbed your food against a wall by accident, would he laugh at you or something similar?

Also I have a passion for doing the same thing over and over every day, same routine, and when I do it, I get so involved into it that I forget to eat , or forget to do something. such as on my computer where I try to go to sleep at around 11 pm or 12 pm, but sometimes I'm so wired I stay up till 4 am. And a good 20-25% of the time I cant sleep, And when I do something I wont stop till I'm done or just to tired or bored to do it any longer. An example too is does your child like sports. cause for me it was basketball, and when I play first 5 minutes I do poorly but once I get a shot such as a 3 pointer, I will keep on getting them and nothing will stop me, unless I take a break.

Anyways aspergers syndrome has the following symptoms, and you should checkout the forum here too: .

Asperger’s Disorder Symptoms

Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least
two of the following:

*marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as
eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to
regulate social interaction
*failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental
level
*a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or
achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing,
or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
*lack of social or emotional reciprocity

Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests,
and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

*encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted
patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
*apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or
rituals
*stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger
flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social,
occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g.,
single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3
years).

There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in
the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior
(other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment
in childhood.

I also find that he makes up so much stuff!! Yesterday was his first day of preschool and he told me so many different stories about things that happenned yesterday so simple things like seeing his cousin (he did not) to major lies that they never fed him. I don;t know if we should indulge his stories or call him on them.
Hi Stacey. My son's about to turn 6 and is most likely ADHD (getting tested next week), maybe something else, who knows. I don't relate to the thing about clothes - but boy do I relate to "stories". I just had to chime in here, because my son's been telling stories for quite a while - his are all about being mistreated or hurt. Like if a kid hit him, he would start with that, then go on to say that the kid broke his arm off and he went to the hospital and the doctor fixed it. So I'll try to reason with him and say - "you didn't go to the hospital today", but he'll insist on it and say it was when I wasn't looking (!) He regularly has tantrums because the dog is looking at him and he says the dog's eyes are burning him! On and on. They're all about being mistreated by everyone and everything, exaggerated to abusurdity.

He has just started kindergarten and his made-up stories of being mistreated have escalated to include his parents. If if give him a nudge, he might throw himself on the ground screaming that I threw him across the room. I've even seen him stub his toe or something NEXT TO ME and accuse me of hurting him. Now I'm scared because teachers are required by law to report suspected abuse if a kid says stuff like that at school!! :eek: I've heard from parents who have suffered through multiple unwarranted investigations because of it! I've warned his teacher about it and am getting him into counseling, and I just don't know what else to do. When he's telling these things, he's so serious and upset - there's just no reasoning with him. Is it just lying for attention? I'm not so sure because it seems like he really believes these things!

So could I have done something at an earlier stage to stop this? I don't know, but it might be worth a try if this is new behavior for your son. I wanted to at least make sure that you take it seriously, because I didn't. Honestly, I thought it was a phase that he would grow out of.

Gee - sorry to be so negative - we have a lot of fun around here, too. Welcome to the forum :D !

I totally know what you are saying!!! The other night I rinsed him off in the tub and he sat back down in the bubbles and I asked him why he did that and he answered "you pushed me, I saw you push me." He really believed it. He started school two weeks ago 3X week and the first day he told me that two of the teachers slapped him across the face. I know the teachers and this would have never happenned. I have been in constant contact with them and they know to take thinks he says with a grain of salt. Last week he brought playdo home in his school bag and told me that the teacher gave it to him. I talked to her about it and she said it was missing and they did not know what happenned to it. The following school day I returned the playdo in a zip loc bag and when I got home he had the empty containers in his bag because he thought the playdo was still here. We just saw a dr. last week for our parent meeting and she will meet Carter this week. The dr. is so amazed at the things that a 3 year old has done.