Trouble with getting a diagnosis of SPD for daughter

Good Afternoon,




My name is Amanda and I have a 6 year old daughter that I believe has been struggling with a SPD or Autism since birth. Ill give you the fast and short of our concerns, although the list is quite long...

She had fine motor delays since birth, she didnt sit up until 10 months, walk until 18 months, as a baby and toddler should would bite me when she was angry, she wasn't potty trained until 4 years old, had to do physical therapy to help her hold a pencil and do the other fine motor activities that my 2 year old now does...

She is forever drooling, like she is afraid to swallow her spit, but has no trouble eating, but refuses to eat with a fork and most nights uses her hand for even her salad...She has a blanket that she has to have when at rest and will turn the blanket so she can rub the blanket in the same spot, she is a hand flapper, she bites her fingers and her tongue, doesn't listen, smiles when she should be crying and I have only seen true tears 4 or 5 times, she interrupts conversations and makes a tantrum out of something as simple as a request to put on a shoe, she picks fights and smiles. She listens to the TV so loud that Im sure the neighbors can hear it 5 houses away but will stand directly in front of the TV (while flapping) and refuses to turn it down

She can walk around with food on her face and hands, her shirt tucked into her pants, her panties sticking out above them and just be as happy as can be...

The odd thing is and what throws me off, is she is incredibly smart, reads like a champ, is very inquisitive about the world and has a memory for life details that shock me

and to think, this is the short list....Im frustrated and aggravated and we have tried the pediatrician, the school, and a counselor and everyone tells me she is fine, but only spends a short time with her....HELP...What is this???? How do I get someone to help???



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Mar 31, 2011
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possible aspergers?
by: AmyJ

Some of the things your daughter does sound a lot like my son, who is 5. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at age 4, although I suspect he has SPD in conjunction. You might want to look up the symptoms for Asperger's to see if you think they fit for her.

Feb 05, 2011
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Get an OT eval.
by: Anonymous

Yes, keep pursuing. See if your pediatrician will give you an order to go and get an OT evaluation done. A lot of doctors, school officials, don't know much about sensory issues. The schools I have found contain very little knowledge.

Oct 22, 2010
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Is it a Sensory Issue?
by: Anonymous

I am trying to figure out what is wrong with my child. He has fine motor issues with things like scissors, cannot ride a bike with training wheels at age 5, Is constantly touching things. Hugs constantly and impulsively, does not like tags in his shirts and certain textures of clothing, is afraid to sleep alone,feels like he is being yelled at when he isn't,Is afraid of movie theaters and walks on the balls of his feet. He also does not like trying new activities or sports. It takes a lot of convincing to get him to try and he often does not want to continue with them. One therapist said she thinks it is ADD but the school said that shouldn't be diagnosed until age 8. What does all this mean. I feel like its a sensory thing but am not sure.

Oct 19, 2010
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SOUNDS LIKE YOU COULD BE TALKING ABOUT MY OWN CHILD
by: Anonymous

I wish I had more than 3000 character's to describe how I felt when I read your post. It was as thought you mirrored my child. Except for the fact that my daughter ( 9yrs ) was diagnosed with Dyslexia @ 6yrs, and has since been in a specialized school. My little one somehow manages to 'wear' her food, losing her focus on simple commands, i.e.. take socks to hamper on your way to the bath tub. I will find socks next to bathtub, and she's singing an dancing in front of the mirror for 20 minutes. Funny though, when she was cast as the lead in her play, when she could not get the 'cue's' down as to know when to come in, she just memorized the whole damn play ! I wish there was a society for the children slightly 'off', I'm mean don't all kid's want their undies hanging out, happy as can be ? Frankly, there are day's I'm in awe of my daughter. She sings, she stands up and act's, which I wouldn't do, EVER... on the other hand, the frustration at day to day life. In the fact that I have to sit on her for every little thing, or her mind has checked out. She has big issues with emotion regulation, meaning that she has poor recognition of the emotion going on around her, and how to respond. She could drop a pencil, or witness someone's arm being cut off, and likely would freak out over the pencil. However, no sooner do I say that, I have to correct myself, and say that she is overly aware in other area's of emotion. She will almost 'act' out situations that are very menial. Everyone just looks @ her strange. It is drama, quite a bit of it. I have chosen until recently to just deal with these oddities. I think you are doing well in seeking help. I wish we had the tools to deal with the things that an average 9 year old faces. We are now on that quest, albeit a little late. Oh..well... my typing is distracting her from working, wudda ya' know :) Good Luck

Oct 17, 2010
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agencies of healt and autism spectrum disorder
by: Anonymous

I subscribe to your cry of pain, turn to pediatricians and child psychiatrists and all agencies of health, Because devote more attention and appropriate treatment for autism spectrum disorders.hope for you.

Oct 17, 2010
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Diagnosis
by: Anonymous

I would continue to pursue this. I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my late 40s and early intervention to help her deal with her sensory issues is so important. I would continue to seek out other opinions and possibly write to your local city officials or health agency to seek some positive reinforcement. Email as many support agencies as you can and see if you can find an occupational therapist that can assist you to speak with medical professionals.

Give your child all the support she can in the meantime - as I know it is a very difficult disorder to live with.

Keep on searching; you will find someone to help with this diagnosis.

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