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somanyspoons
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10 Feb 2017, 9:49 pm

There's still some subtle signs that something is going on. His challenges with a tricycle. The not talking to other kids at all. And we don't know from talking on line what the extent of his tantrums on transitions look like.

Honestly, that the specialists are trying to find a label in order to get him into early intervention tells me that something is showing up as needing help with him.

But yah, it's just not typical of HFA. Aspergers, maybe. I wonder why they didn't "PDD - NOS" him? That's what most docs I knew used to do when they wanted a kiddo to get EI but didn't really know what was up yet.

I wonder if the specialists were using the term "high functioning" colloquially. Like, they meant ASD 1. But they used the term high functioning to calm his parents, because they wouldn't know what ASD 1 is, but you can tell that high functioning means that there's not major impairment. It's weird, but I could see that happening.



somanyspoons
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10 Feb 2017, 9:50 pm

FYI - the fact that my brain sticks on these things and won't just let them go is WHY I'm not a special educator anymore. It would be so much less stressful if other people's odd behavior didn't seem like a mystery I need to solve!



ASDMommyASDKid
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11 Feb 2017, 7:08 am

somanyspoons wrote:

I wonder if the specialists were using the term "high functioning" colloquially. Like, they meant ASD 1. But they used the term high functioning to calm his parents, because they wouldn't know what ASD 1 is, but you can tell that high functioning means that there's not major impairment. It's weird, but I could see that happening.


That is a strong possibility. Sometimes (especially now that the Asperger's diagnosis doesn't exist) I think all HF means is that they do not think there are intellectual impairments.

I am also sure that not all the professionals are using the diagnostic labels in the new DSM (V) either -- Autistic people are not the only ones who prefer not to change how they do things. :)

So, HFA can mean a lot of different things, but again, the main thing is that the child gets the support he needs, if he needs it.



Ettina
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20 Feb 2017, 10:38 am

DT154 wrote:
So if a child who is 3 and 5 mos. can:
- ask for things
- speaks in full, clear sentences
- uses pronouns correctly
- uses adjectives
- has good eye contact with family and adults
- have a small conversation (not more than one or two reply)
- seems not to have any sensory issues
- comments on things ('daddy, see the spider?')
- plays with brother fine
- asks 'what is that?', 'where is mommy/daddy/brother's name/grandma?', 'what are you doing?', 'can you play with me'
- point to things in books and labels objects, characters without being asked first what/who they are
- shows joint attention all day long
- can change to any channel on the remote if asked to do so
- can use the touchpad on a laptop
- completely potty trained
- can dress himself
- can throw and catch a ball
- can tell you where he hurt himself

But:
- still doesn't know how to reply to or ask 'why' questions
- still cannot ride a tricycle
- can't follow multiple-step commands
- cannot tell a story, sustain conversations
- still has a bit of Echolalia (but seems to be lessening)
- will not talk to other children, but plays alongside them fine and sometimes will approach them, but shys away from them when eye-contact is made
- plays with toys normally, but seems to say the same things when talking to self
- transitioning from his own world to another activity can sometimes start tantrum

does this sound HFA?

I'm still not sure. thanks. :?


If your 3 year old can talk at all, they're definitely HFA.



gingerpickles
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12 Mar 2017, 11:31 pm

It is hard to say and each is different . I was Asp diagnosed at a young age. It runs in the family the math and "oddness"
But my son, before onset was exceptional. early walker, early talker and migraine sufferer. Like me.

Onset was 4 days after illness with a high fever and a 14 hour migraine episode. Took less than a month to erase and replace that little boy with another one; his pediatrician at first couldn't accept anything permanent could be happening and wanted to wait until he was well into age 3 to send him up to test.
In Headstart preschool he had IEP since by then ( a mere 4 months later) he was well deteriorated into unfuncntional. The pediatrician there wondered if it was classic autism and referred to specialist. He is non verbal and had a long path to his mellow sweetness of today. My older kids were on edge of spectrum, specially my older son. Both fathers have full autism in several family members by some unlucky twist of fate or dysfunctional selection process.


I try not to watch his earlier videos to avoid morbid feeling. I use them for his team to see changes now and then.

That said, average 3 year olds have hot and cold social interaction, they are only just walking out from the sterotyped Terrible Twos. Your list "But" sounds like a supermommy/superkid checklist. But the main list to me, just sounds like an introverted personality in a regular toddler. I see no OCD behaviors listed, or stim reactions (most young children are not fond of transition , just hang at walmart checkout an hour :lol:

Heh btw my son only finally potty trained reliably this past Jan. I am elated. He is 11 but getting pretty manly young (whiskers, chest hair, pit hair) and it was getting a little awkward
I would be considered HFA or ASD1 on today's scale I guess?


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DT154
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17 Apr 2017, 10:14 am

OP here. So last week we got an actual assessment from the Los Angeles County Regional Center from a Clinical Psychologist (not just a school psychologist). She basically said that she could not see anything in my son to diagnose him with autism. During the assessment, she noticed "he brought out lots of different toys to show me", "shows imaginative play" and his milestones were on track. She did however note that his eye-contact can use a little work. I felt his eye-contact was good enough, but I'm not the expert. But since his speech is really improving, she couldn't see any reason to diagnose him. He was much more cooperative than the first evaluation with the school psychologist; asking and answering questions, sitting still, doing puzzles, playing with toys correctly, etc. In the elevator, she asked him to push the G and the 4 button, he did. After she walked us out, he waved and said bye to her.

So.,. Do I just take this as final? She asked us if we were comfortable with her conclusion and we the parents agreed: we just don't see any other blaring signs.



Last edited by DT154 on 17 Apr 2017, 10:56 am, edited 4 times in total.

kitesandtrainsandcats
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17 Apr 2017, 10:37 am

Q: So What is HFA again?
A: All sorts of interesting things when Googled:

The Harry Fox Agency
https://secure.harryfox.com/
The Harry Fox Agency (HFA) is the premier mechanical licensing agent and provider of rights administration services in the U.S and the largest U.S. aggregator ...

HFA Asthma Inhalers: Making the Switch - WebMD
www.webmd.com/asthma/features/hfa-asthm ... the-switch
Sep 26, 2008 - WebMD explains how HFA asthma inhalers differ from CFC inhalers and how to make the changeover easier.

HFA Creative Solutions Meaningful Places
www.hfa-ae.com/
An Architecture & Engineering Firm Focused On Designing for the Customer Experience. Learn. CONTROL SYSTEMS STRATEGIES SAVE MONEY. Upcycling: ...

Harvard Factory Automation - Home
www.hfaconveyors.com/
Manufactures conveyors and box fill systems. Describes company.

The Humane Farming Association: HFA
www.hfa.org/
Farm animal protection. Leads national campaign against factory farming. Home of HFA's Suwanna Ranch, the nation's largest farm animal refuge.

Hillary for America (@HFA) | Twitter
https://twitter.com/hfa?lang=en
The latest Tweets from Hillary for America (@HFA). We're working to elect @HillaryClinton as the 45th president and break down every barrier that's holding ...

Heart Failure Association of the ESC (HFA) - European Society of ...
www.escardio.org/Sub...of...(HFA)/Heart-Failure-Association-HFA-of-the-ESC
Download the HFA Curriculum and use it as a blueprint for training across Europe. ... Download the HFA White Paper "Heart Failure: Preventing disease and ...

Healthy Families America
www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org/
HFA, a national program of Prevent Child Abuse America, has three goals: to promote positive parenting; to encourage child health and development; and to ...

HFA Custom Art Services
https://www.customartservices.com/
HFA Custom Art Services is North America's number 1 artwork and mirror supplier to hotels. We offere great custom designs with great pricing.

Harvard Film Archive - Harvard College Library
hcl.harvard.edu/hfa/
Collects and screens fine foreign, art, historical, and other films.


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ASDMommyASDKid
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17 Apr 2017, 12:52 pm

DT154 wrote:

So.,. Do I just take this as final? She asked us if we were comfortable with her conclusion and we the parents agreed: we just don't see any other blaring signs.


Deciding you don't want to pursue anything at this time does not mean you cannot pursue it later if issues crop at another time. There are different developmental stages where issues tend to crop up and it is very common to be diagnosed later if that happens, even if you have "passed" prior screenings.

Think of it this way, whether your child is or is not autistic is not really the point as long as you are individualizing how you treat that child with respect to strengths and weaknesses and learning differences. In other words, if you have trouble transitioning a child, that is something that as to be dealt with individually regardless of neurological status which is not a binary thing anyway.

The only thing a diagnosis is essential for is when you need actual therapies that cannot be accessed otherwise. If those therapies are not necessary then it doesn't really matter. You can always try out strategies to help your child with various things and you can always try strategies that are commonly recommended for autistic children regardless.



zette
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17 Apr 2017, 9:14 pm

DT154 wrote:
So.,. Do I just take this as final? She asked us if we were comfortable with her conclusion and we the parents agreed: we just don't see any other blaring signs.


I would take this as encouraging, but not final. Enter a period of watchfulness for a couple of years. My son was evaluated by San Diego Regional Center at 31 months. They said his speech delay was minor and didn't qualify for services, so we paid for 6 months of private speech therapy out of pocket. They also did the ADOS, and said he was not autistic, just "strong willed". He sang Happy Birthday and blew out a pretend candle during the test. Two and half years later, at age 5, he had been kicked out of two preschools for behavioral issues, and testing with the ADOS module for that age resulted in a diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome.

There is a reason you sought out testing in the first place. Just keep a watchful eye on things, supplement with therapy if it seems like he needs it, and revisit the psychologist if preschool doesn't go well or behavior seems excessively difficult.