I am the mother of a very hyper and tempermental 2 1/2 yr old, will be 3 in November, little boy. Since January I have been working with my Dr and Children's hospital, getting evaluation after evaluation, and have come up empty handed every time. No one will make a diagnosis!! The pediatric psychologist says he's displaying signs of Autism and the neurologist says its adhd. I am at my wits end with all of this. My son goes constantly, running, jumping, screaming, ect. He's a very bright child, understands what you say to him, but he won't talk. Only says maybe 10 words at the most. Other than his verbal skills, temper, and hyperactivity he's a normal child. I just can't get our pediatrician to understand the fact that if my son could actually focus for more than a few seconds, he could pick up the verbal skills he's lacking. Temper wise my son has a very short fuse but I believe that if he could actually communicate verbally that most of the temper problems would calm down alot. I am on my feet all day running after him, keeping him from unlocking our front door and running out, keeping him out of the fridge or off the stove-he's always into SOMETHING.

Any ideas on how to better deal with a child like this and how to get our pediatrician to better understand my frustrations?

By 18 months, a child should have a vocabulary of 20 words.

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It is becoming recognized that inability to communicate causes mega frustration, yup.

Also, some kids with sensory issues see regular lights as being blindingly bright; fluorescent light are painfully loud; sounds like school bells are incredibly painful, etc. Tags in clothing are painful on their skin. Washing hair can be painful too.

Have you heard of Temple Grandin?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin

For more on these sensory issues (they can affect people w/o Autism too), you may want to ask if your Library has Temple Grandin's books.


http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Pictures-Other-Reports-Autism/dp/0679772898


http://www.amazon.com/Animals-Translation-Mysteries-Autism-Behavior/dp/0156031442/ref=pd_sim_b_img/103-6728207-3244627
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She has AMAZING explanations for some of the Oversensations and Communication Frustrations & rages that developmental spectrum kids experience.

She has Autism (high functioning) and managed to complete a PhD. She is a unversity professor. She also mentions some ADHD type traits.

We have a centre here in Toronto called Mukibaum. It is designed for kids with sensory and 'behavioural' [communication] issues. (Their sensory and motor systems are often different, and these people respect that.)


They alter their settings to accommodate the child, rather than punishing the kids like some many "behavioural" systems do.


http://www.mukibaum.com/Programs/progsensory.html

http://www.sensoryint.com/faq.html

Some people talk about a Sensory Diet. The kids are often overly aroused (aggressive, anxiety, hyper), and this is a way to manage that, externally.

As the Mukibaum director wrote in one blurb that I read, "behavioural expressions are not always "psychiatric", they can be sensory-based."

If some kids see things brighter, hear things louder, and have the frustration of blocked communication, ofcourse they will respond the only way they can: getting agitated.

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Read this... "Workshop #2"

http://www.sensoryconference.ca/preconf07.html

Jessica,

Have you thought of asking your doctor (or SOMEONE who might know) if there are any "Early Education Programs" in your area that might offer services that will help you and your son. I live in Massachusetts - which I believe is one of the best states when it comes to having those kinds of programs - so although I know there are MANY near me, I'm not sure if the same goes for Ohio. But there SHOULD be something!!

At the least - you need some EXTRA HELP and/or RESPITE I would think! And in Massachusetts, I believe your son could have access to an "aide" or "teacher" and even a weekly pre-school experience, either with other children who are experiencing similar challenges and/or at a school setting but working mostly one-on-one with someone.

When you asked for ideas about how to handle your son I thought for a FLASH second, "Lock him in a padded room for awhile." Now - I KNOW that is a HARSH and ABUSIVE (not to mention OFFENSIVE) thing to say or think, but I would expect that it must be so incredibly STRESSFUL for you (and the many other mom's with similar situations) that there just HAS TO be some help for you and for your son -- if for no other reason than for KEEPING YOUR SANITY!!! Ya know?

Do you HAVE any respite at all?

Hope someone comes along with more helpful ideas.

I'll keep you in my thoughts & prayers.

Sincerely,
Sue

Gosh I feel ya. :)

My son was the same way. He's 15 now. First dx ADHD, then ODD...Anxiety and finally BPII.

It's a shame you are so far away...Jessica, they are doing some wonderful studies here in Cleveland out of Case Western Reserve.
I don't know if they have any satelite offices there, through University Hospital?

Perhaps its time for a second, second opinion, from a specialist out of that group? A child neuro-pyschiatrist, who specializes in all of the disorders?

Although, I lean more towards taking the word of a nuero-pyschc. They do know the brain and it's chemical issues. Not to take things away from a phychologist, however, a doctor is a doc and a phychologist is well you know...what I'm saying. It's a hard road. No easy way to let you down there. And 2 is really a toughy. My son ended up wiht his dx at age 4, in pre-school. But man was he a nightmare starting at the age of 18 months on.

I have 3 now. They are all ADD/ADHD. It was soooo much easier with them.
and I had the great fortune of finding a wonderful specialist here.

I hope you get a definite answer soon. However don't forget, it might not just be one of the other. ADD and the others mentioned, are often bedfellows. I am sure that is not what you wanted to hear. But like I said. My son has all of the above. I have ADD/Bipolar II myself.

Let us know how you are doing. Hang in there, I made it, heck I had more?:eek:
If I made it anyone can.

Hope :)

My cousins were diagnosed with Fragile X. They displayed alot of the signs you are talking about. Very poor verbal skills, screaming, running, climbing fences, opening the door and just running away. My uncle took them to a clinic that did some sort of Sound therapy. The oldest one is not talking in sentences. My cousins were mixed diagnosed as Autistic when they were 2. They show alot of the same signs as Autism, but on a higher functioning scale. Just a thought.

Autism is a spectrium, and it doesn't affect everyone the same way. Some people are only midly autistic and can (for th most part) get along fine. Then it goes all the way to the bottom where you have what people normally think of when they hear atusim. The complete withdrawl from people, rocking, no eye contact, no speach, etc.