I wondered about that. There have been many times we've said to ourselves, regarding our son, "there is no way he is autistic. He doesnt fit any of the patterns." Then there are times when we do clearly see manifestations, when his autism "comes out". But its really led us to doubt the diagnosis at times.

It has been my understanding that either one has it, or one doesn't. It doesn't wax and wane as other disorder symptoms seem to.



That's what we've been thinking in regards to our son (diag PDD-NOS). That he has 'elements' of autism.

He's really an ODD personality comorbid with adjustment disorder and the manic side of BP (unipolar?). Charge this with 100,000 kV of INTENSITY. And there you have him. He passed all of the autism screens they do as a child, had a very good pediatrician who did notice the onset of ADD, however, but AS was never thought a possibility and he'd been looked over by a number of PsyMD's and psychologists before his diagnosis at 14.


[QUOTE=My Paper Heart;6157713]
Autism is the umbrella term for a spectrum that ranges from Rett Syndrome (least functioning and has a limited life expectancy due to degenerative brain issues) to Asperger's (highest functioning). Just because these labels apply doesn't mean that's that -- there are spectrums within these too so there's high functioning Asperger's, low functioning, etc.


[QUOTE=My Paper Heart;6157713]

And a very large umbrella at that. Too large. So large that whatever symptoms, tendancies, traits we point out to the doctors and psychologists, they always seem to be able to fit them in that umbrella.

We came across a term - Pathological Demand Avoidance - did a bit of research and it fit our son so much more than any of the autistic labels but because it isn't in the DSM ( though it is recognized, if not informally, in Europe ), I think 3 people on the North American continent are even aware of it.


Anyway...