Autism – PPD NOS – Diagnosis or Label?

The pregnancy was full of turmoil, but during the week expected out popped my beautiful perfect 7 lbs baby.  I nursed her the first two months then switched to formula which caused lots of uncomofortable gas.  At 5/6 months she would sit up by herself and try to say kitty.  At 7 months she would hit the back of her head off her carseat, a wall or chair behind her – the doctor said to just keep her safe in a padded area.  At 9 months she took her first steps and at 10 months she was riding a little plastic battery operated 4 wheeler.  For her 1st birthday she refused to eat without a fork or spoon.  She was always so happy and seemed so advanced.  By 3 she had a temper and would lunge her body, throwing herself on the floor, hitting her head.  Also when mad and sitting, same thing. Doctor said this was also normal, not to give in to her tantrums, keep her safe and she will grow out of it.  I made choices like buying her velcro sneakers – since at 4 she wanted to tie shoelaces and would get frustrated and throw the shoe as hard and far as she could.  Kindergarten went by as a breeze, teachers loved her, she had friends, her ABCs and 123s were right on schedule, and she was absorbing all the teacher could teach.  Around 8/9 years old she still tested 3 grades higher on all her tests.  She exceled in vocab and fought math.  I taught her percentages and multiplication using money and going to the store to see items for sale.  She learned really quick without realizing she learned math.  But her grades started slipping.  She started getting in trouble at school.  Started throwing fits and wanting to die.  She got kicked out of daycare for pushing around other kids.  She started stealing, lying, and just expressing how horrible her life was.  Therapy begin.  Family counseling.  A few trips to the Emergency Room because of attempts on her life, or threats of attempts.  Five years of counseling, three therapists, four psychiatrists and two general practitioners.  Diagnosis was thrown right and left – ADD, no ADHD (no, she’s not hyper and can definately pay attention if she chooses to), BiPolar, ODD, Aspergers, and the list went on.  Try this med, that med, do this blood work.  After 3 years one therapist gave up, said she hasn’t learned anything in 3 years, hasn’t changed and doesn’t know what to do.  Even her school scores – she hadn’t learned anything in those three years! She seemed to regress.  The psychiatrist that year was the most help.  He didn’t see anything really wrong with her.  She was bright, friendly, smart, fun, creative when she wanted to be.  When she didn’t get her way, or was bored she’d clam up, ignore, be rude, hateful, spiteful.  Said medicine would only help 20% if at all.  For whatever reason she believes the world should revolve around her.  We stopped going to therapy for a year.  We reminded her over and over, she is making these choices, she is in control, she has the power to control.  It was a very nice year. School went well, turned 13, home life was well, summer went well, then fall came along with school.  Already throwing fits, life is horrible, wants to die, can’t stand this or that, everything’s stupid.  Just to let you know, she is afraid of pain.  She will not do anything to herself that actually causes pain.  She ended up back in the hospital for threatening her life.  The psychiatrist there said, maybe she has PPD NOS – on the autism spectrum.  Lets start her on this drug and see what happens.  Well, within three weeks that drug was thrown out – it was causing her to be hyper and she was blaming everything on the medicine.  Couldn’t sit still in class – its from this pill, Refuses to listen – the pill won’t let her listen, etc..

She did open up and tell the social worker and the therapist and me that she is perfect when she wants to be.  If she is at someone else’s house, she’s very well behaved.  She doesn’t feel she has to be at home, because it’s her home and things should go her way, she should get whatever she wants and if not, she’s going to be rude and hate life.  She said point blank, she doesn’t want to listen and doesn’t care about our rules or requests.  That she’s only following government laws so she won’t get arrested or go to jail, other than that no one can tell her what to do unless she wants to listen or unless they give her something she wants for it.

Does this sound like someone in the autism spectrum to you?  I’ve had so much different advice, but nothing seems to work.  If it does, it works for a week then back to the same.  I would love to hear your thoughts, stories or resources!!!