Dropping the probable
P-Day today, first paedtrician’s appointment since last September, ‘only’ four months late but never mind. I told Boy Lacer this morning he had a doctor’s appointment and he was all “I don’t want to go to doctors!” but I realised he was thinking of the cold stethoscope, lollipop sticks down the throat kind, so I go “It’s the doctor with the puzzles!”, to which Boy Lacer’s eyes lit up and he goes “Put shoes and socks on now!”, as in he wanted to go then and there.
We dropped Girl Lacer off at school and went the long way round to the hospital, via John Lewis in town to check out sewing machine feet. They told me it was best to order directly from Janome, as it’s quicker and they kindly gave me the number, so I ordered the part over the phone and I’m now paranoid that I’ve ordered the correct part. I know the foot is missing and that’s what I’ve ordered but I’m a bit worried now that more than just the foot is missing, if you know what I mean, as the woman on the end of the phone goes “Is it blah blah blah or blah blah blah?” and I go “It’s the foot, um you know the bit that goes on the fabric?”.
Anyway we then went onto the hospital (all this walking is being done in the rain by the way) and we still manage to get there a bit early, so me and Boy Lacer are in the waiting room chatting away (counting to ten and then backwards and then pretending to be rockets) and the doctor can hear us and she comes in and goes “My hasn’t your talking improved!” and it has. Unfortunately though as we discussed, his improved vocabulary is making other traits evident now, the talking about certain things constantly, one tracked stubbornness and the opinion that I know exactly what is going on in his head and then getting frustrated with me when I obviously don’t get it. Anyway, we discussed Boy Lacer’s strengths and weaknesses, his vocabulary is good now (although he still sounds ‘babyish’ as in he doesn’t yet talk as fluently as an average 3 year old), as are his analytical skills. He’s not good at socialising with other children except his sister (and Girl Lacer has done a lot of hard work with him, with a great deal of patience for them to be now playing as well as they do together, Boy Lacer does now initiate games with Girl Lacer sometimes) and he’s not good at ‘moving on from things’ i.e. he’s a stubborn little so and so with a well enforced one track mind. His physical problems weren’t really addressed (and they never are except by the physiotherapist funnily enough). Anyway the ‘probable’ has been dropped, which I knew they would, it would have been nice to have had a more definite diagnosis than ‘just’ asd though, as it’s a wide spectrum! I know it can be hard to diagnose a 3 year old that rigidly though, I still suspect it’s Asperger’s though and either dyspraxia or something completely separate, as in just hyperextension.
Anyway back home now and will be off out in the rain again in a minute to pick up Girl Lacer. My sewing machine foot will be in the post in the next few days and then I’ll know if I have a functioning sewing machine again or if another part is missing to and until then, argh I want to sew something!
I wouldn’t worry too much about trying to pinpoint where on the spectrum he is right now. They do change a lot and really the difference between Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism seems to be very blurred (at least it is to me!)
The only thing i would say is that a diagnosis of autism or even just ASD is likely to be more beneficial when looking for services, applying for DLA etc than one of Asperger’s.
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I know it’s frustrating to not have a definitive diagnosis now, but as someone who has dated (and is still good friends with) a man whose Asperger’s went undiagnosed until he was 23, I’m so glad that you’re getting Boy Lacer the help that he needs now. I’m also glad that he and Girl Lacer get along so well. My friend and his sister never really connected as kids, and are struggling to establish and maintain a sibling relationship as adults. It sounds like, although the road will not be easy, that Boy Lacer ultimately has a very bright future ahead of him.