Hi! I just found this forum and I've been loitering around, reading.
I have an 8 year old son who has... something. We have started the process for having some various tests done to see what exactly is going on with him, but it will probably be some time after Christmas before we are able to get the tests done. At this point I don't even know what the tests involve, but I know that his counsellor has recommended testing for Aspergers, OCD, anxiety, and even Touretts as an out there possibility.
I've been doing some reading and I'm fairly convinced that some degree of Aspergers is where we are going to come out, with maybe some anxiety and a bit of OCD thrown in, but really all of his behaviors seem to fit is AS in some way or another.
He has a lot of the typical behaviors such as extreme social awkwardness, not being able to read non-verbal body language, loud talking and constant vocal dialogue of whatever is going on inside his head. He doesn't really talk to you, but talks at you, on whatever subject he is currently interested in, and has to be consistently reminded that sometimes other people have things they'd like to talk about too. And, oh dear, the special interests and collections! We are knee deep in them, though they seem to change over time. A special interest usually seems to last a couple of months to a year. This has ranged from Thomas the Train, coins (only if they have a man with a beard on them!), Pokmon, Legos, Hot Wheels, sharks, the Periodic Table, and (the oddest) small condiment packages from restaurants. Collections are taken out and painstakingly arranged often. Legos must remain set up and can not be moved. Condiment collection must be properly arranged and must not be used unless "in case of emergency". Luckily we have not had an emergency need for McDonald's syrup packets or any such thing.
The collections and special interests are not really much of a problem and are often even fun and interesting, but the social awkwardness and pain he feels when dealing with other kids his own age is becoming a problem. He desperately wants friends, but his lack of awareness of social or unspoken cues, his sometimes inappropriate words and phrases, lack of knowing how to have a two sided conversation, etc... make maintaining friends impossible right now. He just doesn't know how to do it, and I guess we have to learn how to help him.
He is currently in therapy, and has had therapy in the past (he used have very violent meltdowns where he would destroy things in his room, and even sometimes hurt himself by banging his head or hitting himself). Luckily therapy helped with the violent meltdowns and we haven't really seen that in the past year to year and a half, though he has occasionally expressed that he wants to hurt himself or 'cut my stupid brain out and get a new one'. These usually happen when he is disappointed with himself for making a (small) mistake, but he is very harsh on himself and thinks he is either good or bad. So, he knows something isn't right, but he has no idea what to do about it.
Well, I won't go on and on, though I could easily do so. In all, he is an exceptionally smart boy (brilliant in some ways) with lots of talents. I want to do the best I can to help him deal with whatever is going on so that he can adapt and pursue his special interests and learn how to cope with life.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to exploring the forum in more detail.
I have an 8 year old son who has... something. We have started the process for having some various tests done to see what exactly is going on with him, but it will probably be some time after Christmas before we are able to get the tests done. At this point I don't even know what the tests involve, but I know that his counsellor has recommended testing for Aspergers, OCD, anxiety, and even Touretts as an out there possibility.
I've been doing some reading and I'm fairly convinced that some degree of Aspergers is where we are going to come out, with maybe some anxiety and a bit of OCD thrown in, but really all of his behaviors seem to fit is AS in some way or another.
He has a lot of the typical behaviors such as extreme social awkwardness, not being able to read non-verbal body language, loud talking and constant vocal dialogue of whatever is going on inside his head. He doesn't really talk to you, but talks at you, on whatever subject he is currently interested in, and has to be consistently reminded that sometimes other people have things they'd like to talk about too. And, oh dear, the special interests and collections! We are knee deep in them, though they seem to change over time. A special interest usually seems to last a couple of months to a year. This has ranged from Thomas the Train, coins (only if they have a man with a beard on them!), Pokmon, Legos, Hot Wheels, sharks, the Periodic Table, and (the oddest) small condiment packages from restaurants. Collections are taken out and painstakingly arranged often. Legos must remain set up and can not be moved. Condiment collection must be properly arranged and must not be used unless "in case of emergency". Luckily we have not had an emergency need for McDonald's syrup packets or any such thing.
The collections and special interests are not really much of a problem and are often even fun and interesting, but the social awkwardness and pain he feels when dealing with other kids his own age is becoming a problem. He desperately wants friends, but his lack of awareness of social or unspoken cues, his sometimes inappropriate words and phrases, lack of knowing how to have a two sided conversation, etc... make maintaining friends impossible right now. He just doesn't know how to do it, and I guess we have to learn how to help him.
He is currently in therapy, and has had therapy in the past (he used have very violent meltdowns where he would destroy things in his room, and even sometimes hurt himself by banging his head or hitting himself). Luckily therapy helped with the violent meltdowns and we haven't really seen that in the past year to year and a half, though he has occasionally expressed that he wants to hurt himself or 'cut my stupid brain out and get a new one'. These usually happen when he is disappointed with himself for making a (small) mistake, but he is very harsh on himself and thinks he is either good or bad. So, he knows something isn't right, but he has no idea what to do about it.
Well, I won't go on and on, though I could easily do so. In all, he is an exceptionally smart boy (brilliant in some ways) with lots of talents. I want to do the best I can to help him deal with whatever is going on so that he can adapt and pursue his special interests and learn how to cope with life.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to exploring the forum in more detail.
