Filling in the Blanks

A few friends have suggested that I write a post that is geared towards readers who do not have a personal connection to someone with an ASD.  This makes me laugh, not because I think it isn't needed (I do), but because this infers that I'm an authority on the subject. Which, I suppose, I am becoming a little more each day.

So, I thought about it and realized that there is a lingo, a separate language, that people caught in the spectrum conundrum (he he!) use.  Here are a few highlights:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): There are five disorders that are on the spectrum.  They are Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Aspergers, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), and Rett Syndrome.  There are some commonalities among these disorders: Speech delays, gross and fine motor skills delays, sensory processing issues, verbal (difficulty with speech or no speech) and nonverbal communication issues (i.e. trouble making eye contact), social difficulties (i.e.understanding other people's emotions, sharing emotions, holding a conversation), and stereotyped behaviors.  It's my understanding that Rett Syndrome affects only girls but it is similar to CDD in that children with these disorders are often asymptomatic until age 2 with no previous delays, atypical development, or missed milestones.  So, what's the difference between autism, aspergers, and PDD-NOS?  I have no idea and neither do many professionals.  What I've come to understand is that children on the spectrum defy categories every day and these disorders are fluid.  Most professionals I've spoken to use just ASD as a diagnosis because the focus of treatment needs to be the specific challenges each child has and not the label.  Having said that, the presence of speech seems to be a defining factor.  Many doctors believe that if speech developed to any extent before the age of 2 without intervention, that child does not have classic autism.  Others disagree. Aspergers children seem to be fixated with certain subjects, become obsessive with rules, interpret things very literally, and are enormously awkward socially, in addition to the other ASD issues. SMILE  has received both the classic autism diagnosis and PDD-NOS.  WINK's only diagnosis has been Aspergers.

Stereotyped behaviors:   Spinning, hand flapping, repeating words or phrases, strict adherence to routines, repetitive playing (i.e. spinning the wheels on a car)

Sensory processing issues:  Some children are sensory seekers (the more the better) and others are sensory avoiders (it's all too much). Likewise, their behavior is designed to either cause more or less sensory input.  Either way, children with these issues respond differently to the sensory stimuli they receive.  Lights may be too bright/ too dim, sounds too loud/too quiet, gentle touches may be abrasive, firmer touches may be perceived as too light.  Some children on the spectrum cannot stand to be touched.  Others are calmest when they are snuggled or wearing confining clothing.

BSC and TSS: Both are mental health professionals. The BSC is a Master's level clinician who develops a behavioral treatment plan for a child.  This treatment plan (called a Functional Behavior Analysis- FBA) spells out the issues that need to be addressed and the best ways to reach behavior goals (i.e. becoming more flexible in play, learning non-aggressive coping skills).  The TSS is the individual who carries out the FBA by working one on one with a child in the home, community, and/or school. 

Comorbidity: This refers to a disorder, or number of disorders, that exist along side a primary disorder.  For example, OCD is a common comorbid disorder for ASD children. 

       I'll add on to this as I think of other terms that should be defined or explained.   Confused?  That's okay.  Me too.