Diagnosis: Autistic Spectrum Disorder

In March 2007, Tyson was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) after being assessed by DSC (Disability Services Commission).  After months of speculation, I finally had an answer – an answer that simply asked more questions.

I had known for awhile that something just wasn’t right with Tyson.  Unlike other babies, Tyson showed very little to no interest in the world around him. There was no cute cooing, no big smiles greeting people – Tyson seemed to hate everything and anything. The Child Health Care Nurse was meet with huge screams that were so loud that by the time Tyson was 6 months, she had already decided that he wasn’t like other babies. 

Tyson took alot longer than other children to reach his milestones. What I noticed the most (and this saddened me a great deal) was that Tyson wasn’t playing with his toys. He was playing, in a strange sort of way, but it wasn’t with toys.  Tyson showed a great deal of interest in anything in the kitchen that was plastic (think Tupperware) yet he didn’t really like pots and pans (they were too loud). Give him a toy and he would just look at it, expecting it to do something by its’ own accord.

Of course, I tried to reassure myself that ‘boys mature later’ and that eventually all of the pennys would drop and one day, Tyson would wake up a normal, little boy and do all the things that normal children do (don’t ask me what I was comparing Ty to as all children are different).

Boy, was a kidding myself!! 

Taj was born in March 2006. Having 2 boys under the age of two was extremely difficult. I still don’t know how I managed to survive – I think I literally took things one hour at a time.  Tyson’s insecurity and anxiety increased massively. His behaviour got worse and I knew that something had to be done – I just didn’t know what.

Changing Child Health Care Nurses when Taj was born was one of the best things I could have done for Tyson.  The new CHCN made such an effort with Tyson that he took to her like a fish to water.  It was through her suggestion that we were referred onto a Pead and a speach therapist.

Tyson hated the speech therapist and went off his trolley (HUGE meltdown). To be honest, it was very traumatic for all concerned.  The speech therapist pretty much said that she couldn’t/wouldn’t have sessions with Tyson until after he had been diagnosed.  What really bugged me about this was that she made out that it was Tyson’s fault for the meltdown, not the fact that she tried to restrain him. Grrr!

Thankfully, things went alot better with the Pead. Tyson was allowed to just wander around the room and look at various items.  There was no pressure on him to do a certain activity and the session was much more relaxed.  After about an hour of observation (and unobtrusive interaction) the Pead announced that she felt that Tyson has autistic spectrum disorder.

Normally, parents are shocked to hear that their child has ASD. Not me, I was so relieved that I actually smiled. Finally, I had a diagnoses – for me, that meant the world as it meant that I could start getting Tyson ‘back on track’.

And what a track it has been!  Early Intervention (EI) outside the home along with approximately 30 hours of Sensory Intergreation Therapy that I do with Tyson (and Taj) at home is all finally starting to show.

Thanks for reading,

Roxy