I wrote a post the other day because we were supposed to get in to see the neurologist and I didn't know what to expect, but it snowed that morning and we had to cancel (we live a few hours away from the neuro and have to drive over a mountain pass to get there).
So I was nervous to see the neuro, but glad to get some guidance or help understanding my DS. Now we have to wait until mid april for an appointment and I'm already so desparate.
A little background on 3.5 year old DS:
He was born 4 weeks early and had I a terrible time getting him to nurse, plus he had bad reflux. He wasn't a very high need baby, but he tended to get upset around alot of people (at a party or shopping). At 13 months he started drawing--he constantly carried a little notebook around with him and would draw shapes, mostly circles. He didn't speak until around age 2 (that's when we started speech therapy) and then he was diagnosed with apraxia. At age 2.5, we underwent a daylong autism evaluation, and though he had certain autism-like behaviors (lining up toys, ritual behaviors, and the speech issues), they "couldn't place him" at that time (on the spectrum) because he interacted well, had great eye contact. He also has a very slight intention tremor.
He goes to preschool through early intervention and does well, but over the past 6 months or so I've noticed some behaviors are getting worse/more noticeable.
-greater sensitivity to clothing textures, light, sounds
-greater need to move, bounce, bang, spin (he could spin FOREVER and never gets dizzy)
-Exhibiting an increase in echolalia (I think I kept telling myself that he was only repeating so much because he was so delayed in speaking, but now I can't deny it), probably 85% off what he says. If asked a question he rarely comes up with his own answer, just repeats what I've said.
-He recites shows that he watches when he tries to fall asleep. He memorizes everything and could spend hours reciting.
-Going to bed is a huge struggle. I think he's anxious.
-His behavior is very often unmanageable. He screams, he can become physical, he seems unable to handle any change in routine. He has a meltdown multiple times a day.
-Tends to interact less with peers, but enjoys older kids or kid's his same size (he's very tall for his age).
I just don't know what to do. I just need a diagnoses or some understanding or some more help for him. My DH is an incredibly easy going type of person that never seems to worry, but he also has an autistic brother so I think he might be dreading the idea that there is something going on with his own son beyond apraxia. And I have a young cousin who has Asperger's and her mother, my aunt, is always telling me that she's sure that DS has Asperger's, which scares me to hear. And I keep losing my patience with him and end up feeling HORRIBLE because I feel he can't help it. I just feel alone and would love reading suggestions or any advice.
Oh, and he is obsessed with Thomas and loves to lay on the floor and roll the trains right by his face, loves that perspective.
So I was nervous to see the neuro, but glad to get some guidance or help understanding my DS. Now we have to wait until mid april for an appointment and I'm already so desparate.
A little background on 3.5 year old DS:
He was born 4 weeks early and had I a terrible time getting him to nurse, plus he had bad reflux. He wasn't a very high need baby, but he tended to get upset around alot of people (at a party or shopping). At 13 months he started drawing--he constantly carried a little notebook around with him and would draw shapes, mostly circles. He didn't speak until around age 2 (that's when we started speech therapy) and then he was diagnosed with apraxia. At age 2.5, we underwent a daylong autism evaluation, and though he had certain autism-like behaviors (lining up toys, ritual behaviors, and the speech issues), they "couldn't place him" at that time (on the spectrum) because he interacted well, had great eye contact. He also has a very slight intention tremor.
He goes to preschool through early intervention and does well, but over the past 6 months or so I've noticed some behaviors are getting worse/more noticeable.
-greater sensitivity to clothing textures, light, sounds
-greater need to move, bounce, bang, spin (he could spin FOREVER and never gets dizzy)
-Exhibiting an increase in echolalia (I think I kept telling myself that he was only repeating so much because he was so delayed in speaking, but now I can't deny it), probably 85% off what he says. If asked a question he rarely comes up with his own answer, just repeats what I've said.
-He recites shows that he watches when he tries to fall asleep. He memorizes everything and could spend hours reciting.
-Going to bed is a huge struggle. I think he's anxious.
-His behavior is very often unmanageable. He screams, he can become physical, he seems unable to handle any change in routine. He has a meltdown multiple times a day.
-Tends to interact less with peers, but enjoys older kids or kid's his same size (he's very tall for his age).
I just don't know what to do. I just need a diagnoses or some understanding or some more help for him. My DH is an incredibly easy going type of person that never seems to worry, but he also has an autistic brother so I think he might be dreading the idea that there is something going on with his own son beyond apraxia. And I have a young cousin who has Asperger's and her mother, my aunt, is always telling me that she's sure that DS has Asperger's, which scares me to hear. And I keep losing my patience with him and end up feeling HORRIBLE because I feel he can't help it. I just feel alone and would love reading suggestions or any advice.
Oh, and he is obsessed with Thomas and loves to lay on the floor and roll the trains right by his face, loves that perspective.
What makes you scared of AS?
Ds1 never played w/ cars and trains the way most kids do. (He collects and sorts.) My 14 mo old Ds2, however, will "drive" anything he can find! He was driving a piece of bread the other day. 
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