He’s just Spirited

There have been many words to describe Christopher, Spirited, Wild, Intense, Quirky, Picky, Fickle, Fast, Smart, To Smart, Etc. But people always seem to avoid one word in particular, “Autistic”. Wow, that’s such a hard word to say, especially when describing your own child. I guess that’s why I haven’t really talked about it on this blog. However, I have had several requests for me to share our experiences, and after thinking it over I am going to do my best at sharing what I think might be helpful to someone else who may find themselves where we are.

Last week we received an official diagnosis of PDD-NOS. What’s that? 

Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified, or PDD-NOS, is a condition on the spectrum in which people exhibit some, but not all, of the symptoms associated with classic autism. That can include difficulty socializing with others, repetitive behaviors, and heightened sensitivities to certain stimuli. Those with PDD-NOS are sometimes thought to have a "milder" form of autism, though this may not be technically true. One symptom may be minor, while another may be worse.

We came upon this diagnosis after having him evaluated for ADHD. Actually I was pushing for Sensory Processing Disorder (which we may still get) At Christopher's second visit with the Therapist, she brought out some forms for me to fill out. One in particular caught my attention, GARS-2. I knew then that they were going to place him on the spectrum. I immediately began doing research, and that gave me time to prepare myself for the diagnosis.

As scary as it is to say that my child is on the Autism Spectrum, it really doesn’t change him. He’s still the same quirky, cute, smart, picky, wild little boy that I love. What it does change though, is my ability to get him the services he needs. I have pushed hard for Speech at OT services, and now he will get them. It also gives me something to tell people to help explain some of the things he does. (like his crazy love for fuzzy gloves) And even though I have always known he was on the spectrum, it has helped me feel better about why I can’t get him to behave certain ways.

Having just received the diagnosis, we still have some logistics to work through. I hope that documenting parts of our journey will be a help to someone. And so I will do my best to share openly.