Aspergers or NLD?

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Hello all, I'm new. My 8 year old son was diagnosed with NLD last year, along with ADHD, Developmental Coordination Disorder and a General Anxiety Disorder. I was told by his psychologist who did his psychoeducational testing that he was "definately on the spectrum" and could fall under "PDD-NOS". This totally confused me since I thought PDD-NOS was a separate diagnosis in itself under the ASD's.

Anyhoo, my son has had many obsessive interests and has to have a schedule. For the past 4 months he has been interested in cars and will talk about them continuosly, asking me the same questions over and over. He also will interrupt when I am speaking, just to talk about cars. His psych suggested I designate times where he can speak about them.

He also has sensory overload when it comes to certain noises and smells. For example, he has started crying at the smell of potato chips and asked me to leave the room. Last weekend he started crying in a restaurant because he said it was too loud and the food smelled awful.

My son also has great difficulty reading social cues, and often asks me what is going on. He will be starting a social skills group in school next week. He has trouble reading people's tones and will misinterpret what people say. In addition, he takes things VERY literally and rarely looks people in the eye.

I decided to go with my gut and have him tested for an ASD, since I feel he may have Aspergers. The results actually come in tomorrow. Do any of you with NLD have obsessive interests or sensory overload issues like I have described?

Sounds like what I went through growing up. You sound lucky though by getting him diagnosed ASAP. As a child, it was very hard espeacially in my school years. There would be times where I'd want something but couldn't give it a name. I too had trouble making eye contact. It got worse in my years in high school, I got very depressed and didn't know why I couldn't get myself to fit in with my peers. I even had trouble with some areas of learning. I would obsess over some subjects and forget about the others. After attempting suicide I was taken to many doctors. I was diagnosed with major depression. Having trouble in school, I was diagnosed with ADD. I had been so many different medications and yet no one ever brought up the word Asperger's. After many troubles with drinking, I was put at a inpatient program. It was there that a counselor after seeing me many times brought up Asperger's to my parents. Well, in short, I got a diagnoses. I've been learning to live sober. I think I'm much better had it not been for outpatient programs. The symptoms of your son sound like many of the traits in the autism spectrum. But I'm not the one diagnosing. Sensativity to outside stimuli is a major symptom of it. Again, it's great that you're getting him diagnosed early. That will help tremendously. Good luck.

Good idea getting him diagnosed early. That way he will understand himself. Leaving it undiagnosed could cause your child to grow up confused of why they are different, and could put him into the same situtation as MissConstrue.

I defenantly have obsessive interests. Those interests usually change over time. Growing up I was overly sensitive to sound. Being in a loud noisy place made me uncomfortable. I cannot stress how much it will help if he knows WHY he is different, instead of growing up confused of why he is different like I did.

ASD, AS, HFA, PDD, NVLD, etc, etc.............make life simple for yourself, he seems comfortably in the spectrum of autism.

We live in times were the need for the perfect grade is of grave importance. I understand this need in myself. However, you could go to 5 shrinks and get 5 different variations of the same fruit salad.

Over the years the fruit salad will change and mutate into something else, who knows.

the need to call all things by there rightful name is so important I feel, autism is something I am starting to rest with in myself since my dx last July at the age of 41.

I wish you well.

thanks all for the well wishes. yes, i agree with this. his psych said she doesn't like to put labels on patients, but i need diagnostic clarification so i know exactly what i need to focus on for my son. i have read everything i could find on the net.

my son has told me he feels like he is his "own world" and doesn't feel like other kids.i wouldn't say he feels comfortable being on the spectrum, in fact he is always quite anxious.

he had an adverse reaction to his meds for his adhd and started having suicical thoughts (part of the black box effect they warn you about), so i immediately discontinued the meds and havent had him on anything since. i never wanted to put him on anything, but felt helpless watching him struggle and thought they might help. this was after he said "mama, what's wrong with me?" which just broke my heart.

i do whatever i can for him and love him unconditionally, as a parent should. luckily he is able to express his concerns to me and we try and work them out. i have battled his school for a year since NLD isn't recognized in the diagnostic manual. he was finally approved for an IEP a month ago. he would often break down during homework and just start crying. i am very proud because he has shown more confidence since some of the load was taken off with his accommodations.

http://tinyurl.com/2khbxt

That is a link for learning about the differences between Asperger's and NLD . I was diagnosed by one clinic as having NLD.. Another clinic told me they would have diagnosed me as "mild Asperger's"... It is commonly agreed that both are on the "Autistic Spectrum". I also have ADHD.