Is my autistic client really autistic?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238388)
Walnut Creek, California
October 14, 2020 11:20am CST
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I am currently working with a 4-year-old girl who has been diagnosed as autistic. But is she truly autistic?
Yesterday, when I arrived at my friend's preschool, she gave me a hug, and would not let go. Autistic kids are often not affectionate.
When we were on the playground, she smiled when I sang to her and pushed her on the swing. I made a point of singing in rhythm to my pushes on the swing. She does not yet "use her legs."
She made some vocalizations as I sang, but she does not sing yet. Later, I watched her engage in some "developmentally appropriate" goal-directed behavior, climbing up a slide and then turning around to slide down.
She does not engage in many of the behaviors I associate with autism, like flapping her hands or engaging in repetitive ritualized behavior.
Do you have any experience with autistic kids? I invite your comments. I have worked with maybe ten autistic kids in my career. My specialty is not autism: it is kids from disadvantaged backgrounds who are developmentally "normal."
18 people like this
16 responses
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
14 Oct 20
Autism is a big spectrum and no two children are same. I have got few voluntary hugs from my autistic children and that really surprised me. But those were very few in my near to 10 years of working.
But the way you have described her here she seems an easier one to work with and with more potential to improve. 
She is responsive.
She is responsive.3 people like this
@TheHorse (238388)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Oct 20
Yes! With most of the young children I work with, I see learning/development happening almost every day. Plus I get lots of hugs. My frustration with (especially older) autistic children has been the lack of a feeling of a "relationship," as well as ceilings on the change I see. But I agree--this child can "grow."
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
15 Oct 20
@TheHorse Some on the spectrum having labels like mild autism or Aspergers can actually bloom. Many a times diagnosing these children who are not classic autism cases is tough. But I feel that we should not be bound and prejudiced by labels. We should assist them to grow as per their potential.
I agree with you. An early intervention works. Once they grow up and miss the right intervention at right age, it can be far more challenging. I have seen it with my own younger daughter who was diagnosed mild autistic at 3.5 years. But now is a bright teenager. Yes she has traces of Autism. She loves to socialize and be around people, is academically good, excellent with art and music. But when it comes to social skills we see the gap. She loves to talk but fails to take social cues, gets uncomfortable and stressed if things don't go as expected, struggles to understand proverbs, jokes etc. She takes things literally and struggles with abstract concept.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238388)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Oct 20
@arunima25 Yes! She sounds like what I hope for for this child! I she truly has very high-functioning autism, she may struggle with proverbs, jokes, sarcasm, irony, etc. down the road. For now I'm going to find her areas of interest/strength, and work with them. The label doesn't matter to me.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238388)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Oct 20
I'm just going to work with her as an individual and see what happens. Apparently her mother is in "denial" that she has delays. I'll wait until I know the child better before I get involved in the politics of what other (other than me!) services she's getting.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
15 Oct 20
Not like that but was one dude a while back and he was a genius. Social skills like you expect but if anyone started crap with him whole neighborhoods would rise up. I get mad at how people are so mean when you should be learning from them.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
15 Oct 20
@TheHorse I see, yeah there is a pretty big difference there.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238388)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Oct 20
@crossbones27 Some autistic kids have social issues but near normal cognitive development. Others suffer from more serious delays. I'm just going to get to know this child better and not worry too much about the diagnosis.
1 person likes this
@ShyBear88 (59342)
• Sterling, Virginia
14 Oct 20
Girls typically don’t show signs of autism because they are know as maskers boys can’t mask, girls are good a copying how others act and show act and girls will accommodate to that watched act. But that doesn’t mean they are not autistic many females are speaking out to spend light. Being autistic fiend tennis they can’t share emotions or feel it even express. Depending on where they fall on the spectrum many can express emotions especially affects.
1 person likes this
@ShyBear88 (59342)
• Sterling, Virginia
16 Oct 20
@TheHorse you should look up girls of autism a lot of them are open about what it’s like being a girl. I have a friend that is raising a 11 year autistic daughter you wouldn’t know look and talking to her. Also my husband best friend she is autistic she is also my kids god mother
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238388)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Oct 20
@ShyBear88 "Girls of autism"? Will give it a try.
@TheHorse (238388)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Oct 20
@Spontaneo Her father is out of the picture. Te mother is in denial about her issues.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
14 Oct 20
I don´t know much about autism. But I don´t know if a chid can be diagnosed so early in life unless her autism is very severe.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
14 Oct 20
@TheHorse I don´t know much. But I haven´t heard of autistic children who hug.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (84928)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
15 Oct 20
Autism is a spectrum disorder. It affects each person differently. Not every autistic child is going to display spastic uncontrolled movement, and can actually behave normally. Autistic kids can be affectionate to people, but usually only to certain people they like or trust.
If she has a confirmed diagnosis, it is likely she'd be on the high functioning end of the spectrum. However, given she's only four-years-old, it may take a while to know for sure where she lands.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (136063)
• Marion, Ohio
15 Oct 20
It sounds like you are describing a shy child. But I have no experience with autism.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (136063)
• Marion, Ohio
16 Oct 20
@TheHorse That might even get the diagnosis changed over time.
@rakski (156949)
• Philippines
15 Oct 20
huh?!? maybe a high functioning one?
kids with autism do not socialize or go directly to person to show affection. They do not smile much or make eye contact and do not respond to stimulus such as singing. They usually have sensory issues.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222896)
• United States
15 Oct 20
I don't have any experience with autistic children. Sorry.
1 person likes this
@ScotMac (1335)
• Edinburgh, Scotland
14 Oct 20
Friends of ours have a 16-year-old son who, when he was 5 was diagnosed with ADHD and that diagnosis hasn't been confirmed or followed-up since then. 5 is a bit young to be saddled with any such diagnosis and his behaviour doesn't really gel with ADHD and surely a 'one-off' diagnosis of this kind isn't sufficient - such cases should be reviewed every so often. His parents no longer agree with the ADHD diagnosis (it's more like he's bi-polar) but they are having trouble progressing his case. It seems that some medical professionals don't like to question the diagnosis of other medical professionals and that is surely wrong.
1 person likes this
@cperry2 (5608)
• Newport, Oregon
15 Oct 20
Some offhand experience, My grandson is on the high end of the autism scale. He is highly functional but his emotional age seems severely stunted, he just turned 20 but acts more like an early teen. He attends college, but only a couple of classes at a time. And he has the goal of becoming a sociologist. He certainly has the smarts for it but I wonder about his ability to deal with the emotional situations that he would find himself dealing with.
He does not and to my knowledge has never expressed himself by flapping hands or following repetitive ritualized behaviors. He is extremely inwardly focused and keeps himself isolated from the rest of the world. He does have a couple of online friends that he plays computer games with.
Even when we visit, he tends to stay in his room with the door shut.
1 person likes this
@Blondie2222 (28610)
• United States
17 Oct 20
She could be in the early stages of autistic and not have all the symptoms. I hope you working with her will help her develop better and have a good life ahead of her.
