Son’s diagnosis just came out

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Today we got the preliminary results for our 9-year-old son. The doctor is sure of the diagnosis, but needs one more test to more accurately determine his ASD level.

So my son’s diagnosis are ASD, ADHD, general anxiety and mild depression. It’s a lot to take in, but nothing really surprised me. His iQ was amazing, at 130 (98th percentile for age).

He will need therapy, life skills group therapy, possibly speech therapy.

This is a lot to take in, especially with me just being diagnosed myself with ASD. But here we go. Lots to learn.

Yes, that's a lot.

Relating experience of friend: Last week my friend's ND daughter was diagnosed SPD and ADHD so severe that it is diminishing her daughter's IQ. My friend said she cried a whole lot and then took that deep breath that comes after that and started making appts. I see it as another grief process (or change process): the five steps... starting with shock, ending with acceptance (after bouncing back and forth a lot).

Relating to multi DX: I gather that ASD includes may things to a mild degree (anxiety, ADHD, SPD, etc.) So I take it if those are strong enough they get called out separately, like they did for your son. I definitely had depression as a child; now I have anxiety. I wonder about hypomania and a touch of ADHD, but I've had time to compensate for my "comorbids" and some have softened or can be attributed to age now ("where did I put my glasses? Old fart).

If my daughter is DX'd my husband will go to a Parents of AS child support group... would I be welcome? I guess it would depend on the group's culture. I know that I need as much support as I can get to remain "high functioning". Assuming support groups are in your area, have you considered one for yourself or husband?

Deep breath along with all those feelings and thoughts. Hang in there!

You got this. (of course and it's hard, and you got this.)

Long run you will find a lot of keys hiding in all that information. It is a lot, but it will also help you. Good luck.

Thank you, guys!

This is a lot to deal with. Thank you for the support! It helps a lot to have this place to share and vent.

You wrote that your son "will need therapy, life skills group therapy, possibly speech therapy."

What have you got scheduled so far? or plan to schedule first or soon? You're a few months in the lead relative to me, but I expect to have a somewhat similar experience. It's hard to push forward to diagnosis my daughter since she's so "well behaved" (as I was). But I know how quickly that can turn on a person.

I'm told there is funding available to support therapy services, but I am not sure if it's Local, State or National (U.S.). Could just be a Local or non-profit organization; I'll find out in good time.

I agree with life skills therapy, which is basically glorified life coaching, and speech therapy, if he needs it.

As for regular therapy, not so much! Therapy, as we know it, as usually unhelpful to aspie kids at best, and harmful and traumatizing at worst. Plus, therapists, when they treat a child, are really on the parents' side: their job is to help the parents manage their child, not help the child manage his life, even if they say otherwise. They will pretend to be the child's friend, no doubt. But to anyone with a shred of social insight (which most aspie kids do have), the jig is up: they will see right through the fakery, will lose trust toward both the parents and the therapist.

My advice to you is to vet the therapist long and hard before you let him/her within 100 feet of your son. Better yet, stay away from therapy altogether. Stick to life skills and speech training.

Starting look at this. This article mentions speech therapy could be beneficial for adults also... ha!
https://www.verywellhealth.com/speech-t ... ics-260577