The more I read more broadly about LDs the more I realize, most kids with LDs seem to have common symptoms with ASD, just fewer of them (NOT frequency of them!). The underlying commonality seems to be APDs or SPDs, causing social and communication problems.
DS is maybe ... MAYBE ADHD, and DH asks me all the time if he might actually be spectrum-y. He is hyper, all over, and defiant of authority. Plays interactively and well with other kids, and starting to get into phonics, at 4.5.
Also, Stanley Greenspan refers in more than one book to "regulatory disorders." He says to be sure to evaluate a child's HIGHEST functioning, as well as lowest ... ie with various persons and environments in mind, to ascertain their true potential. He also says the therapies that work will probably be the same ones ...
HTH!
ETA: Oh, and Carol ... he sounds MUCH like my Sam! Sam has trashed the house in so many ways ... climbing and pulling and testing his muscles against furniture ... UGH! Sensory-seeking, for certain!
I have heard of a lot of kids like that - both on the spectrum and off. Just little Houdinis. Are you concerned about him running out of the house at all? Because there are alarms for that. There are also alarms you can install on beds and on doors so that if he gets out, an alarm goes off. It will be hard on you for a while, but it might make him think twice about getting out of bed.
I hope this gets better for you soon - you sound very stressed!
I'm so anxious about this, its bothering me so much. I know no one here can diagnose him, I'm just looking for opinions because my mother thinks there is nothing wrong with him but when he repeatedly puts himself in danger after numerous injuries i just don't know what to do. He has broken everthing in the house, I can't even keep curtains on my front window, he trys to hang on them, he's already pulled one very large curtain rod out of the wall from hanging. He has gone in the kitchen early in the morning when everyone is sleeping and turned the stove on and burnt himself this is not the first time.
He also asks the same questions over and over, he constantly runs away from me when trying to change him or wipe him ect, will not sit for more than 30 seconds to do any kind of activity with me. He rarely cries or gets upset when in trouble. He's very impulsive. the list goes on. I'm just at my wits end with him.
sorry this is so long. thanks for listening everyone.
Well, I think it's always good to have a younger child evaluated if the older one has a diagnosis - at least if the younger one is showing some signs. I did that with my dd, even though in my gut I really didn't think she has autism (dev ped agreed with me). But, it was reassuring. But, if I had more concerns than I did - I think I would be relieved to at least KNOW - because worrying (for me) is worse than knowing. At least once I know, I can DO something about it!
As far as getting out of his room - can you put a gate up? Do you have a baby monitor in his room (hidden from his view) so that you can hear him if he gets up? We actually still have one in both kids' room (yes I'm very over-protective!). I like knowing if they are awake in the night. If they are scared, I can go to them. This happened the other night with some huge storms that came through. Dd was awake but just crying a little (wouldn't have heard her without the monitor) and ds was SOUND asleep. I went and got dd and comforted her. I also like to know if ds is getting up to go potty in the night - because we are working on him staying dry all night.
Well, big hugs to you - it sounds like life is pretty chaotic right now! I hope it gets better soon!
At the very least it sounds like he is hyper
Karrie
snoopy, thanks for your response. Its tough with him because he climbs over gates or just plain takes them down. He works all the child proof locks, uses everything and anything as a stool. He's like a houdini sometimes.
Kar, i know what you mean about the questions. if he sees a car go by our house he asked where is it going?? who is it??? what are they doing??? then starts over again, where is it going?? ect. And, he usually laughs when in trouble or sometime might cry and laugh at the same time, also laughs at me even when i'm really angry or upset. thanks for your response, sometimes it just helps to get things off my chest.
There may just be a sensory component to your younger son's behavior problems, so you might want to do this sensory checklist if you haven't done so already:
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processin g-disorder-checklist.html
Good luck with everything.
Wow, Thank you so much, Timmy seems to have every symptom of hyposensitivity in every catagory. I will have to print that out and take it with me to his evaluation.........thanks again, it really opened my eyes.