WWTBAM Bored

I wanted to break this post out from the "Aspergers" thread.

This is a question for parents of older children and parents of wee ones (like MMFF, Toque, and ToLive, for example).

Did your pediatrician ever provide any "screening" for autism during the first few years?

The reason that I ask is that I do not recall any for our older two children. However, during the 18 month and 2 year "well child" checkups for our youngest, they provided a sheet for my wife to fill out (check boxes), to see if she demonstrated any autistic tendencies. (My daughter, not my wife.) I suspect that it might be a new early childhood screening requirement in Nebraska.


On a separate note, I am being charged $30 (because insurance does not cover it as part of the well baby checkup) for my wife to tell the nurse that our child definitely is not autistic. As an Early Childhood Education specialist, she knows the signs and that my daughter does not show really any of them. She said that she will refuse the sheet next time, as we do not like paying for services that we not only did not need, but also that we provided to ourselves. (Much like I learned my lesson several years back when I paid H & R Block for the privilege of doing our own taxes, when my wife had a Mary Kay business.)

This is new because they have come up with a checklist that can be used at a much earlier age, and early intervention is so critical.

They screened Stephen's hearing at birth because Steve's sister is deaf, and when Rain Man was born 16 months later they were screening everyone. Things change.

minimetoo26 wrote:This is new because they have come up with a checklist that can be used at a much earlier age, and early intervention is so critical.

They screened Stephen's hearing at birth because Steve's sister is deaf, and when Rain Man was born 16 months later they were screening everyone. Things change.

Thanks! I was trying to get an idea for how widespread of a practice it is.


We had some concerns with our son initially (probably even more if I had known that his Thomas obsessions could have been an indicator), but they disappeared as he entered into toddlerhood.

Appa23 wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:This is new because they have come up with a checklist that can be used at a much earlier age, and early intervention is so critical.

They screened Stephen's hearing at birth because Steve's sister is deaf, and when Rain Man was born 16 months later they were screening everyone. Things change.

Thanks! I was trying to get an idea for how widespread of a practice it is.


We had some concerns with our son initially (probably even more if I had known that his Thomas obsessions could have been an indicator), but they disappeared as he entered into toddlerhood.

I'm glad they're doing this even though I'm one of those who thinks sometimes the parent knows best. They wouldn't listen to us when Tommy was little, but one of his teachers had a grandson who was definitely delayed (and she would know, since she lived it every day) but her son was in denial and wouldn't get help for the kid. So having a baseline form for the pediatrician can help with the borderline kids who need help but aren't getting a referral and for the parents who won't face reality and get help for their kids.

I now have a straight-A kid who is artistically and musically gifted, but is just kinda weird. I can live with that.

I now have a straight-A kid who is artistically and musically gifted, but is just kinda weird. I can live with that.

I didn't know ES could sing.

ulysses5019 wrote:

I now have a straight-A kid who is artistically and musically gifted, but is just kinda weird. I can live with that.

I didn't know ES could sing.

He must have been dropped off by the milkman. None of MY kids has mange!

minimetoo26 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:

I now have a straight-A kid who is artistically and musically gifted, but is just kinda weird. I can live with that.

I didn't know ES could sing.

He must have been dropped off by the milkman. None of MY kids has mange!

Do any of them have fleas? Or cooties?

ulysses5019 wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote: I didn't know ES could sing.

He must have been dropped off by the milkman. None of MY kids has mange!

Do any of them have fleas? Or cooties?

Nope. Mini-me caught lice on his Super Bowl trip, but that was over a year ago. Cootie-free for 12 + months now....

Do any of them have fleas? Or cooties?

Duh. All boys have cooties.


t.

ulysses5019 wrote:

I now have a straight-A kid who is artistically and musically gifted, but is just kinda weird. I can live with that.

I didn't know ES could sing.

Weren't you paying attention when I was singing to Sprots the other day? She was practically swooning over my crooning.....

minimetoo26 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:

I now have a straight-A kid who is artistically and musically gifted, but is just kinda weird. I can live with that.

I didn't know ES could sing.

He must have been dropped off by the milkman. None of MY kids has mange!

Why does everyone think I have mange!?!?!? I even took a bath in sliver's polycart last night!!!

Evil Squirrel wrote:

minimetoo26 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote: I didn't know ES could sing.

He must have been dropped off by the milkman. None of MY kids has mange!

Why does everyone think I have mange!?!?!? I even took a bath in sliver's polycart last night!!!

She should have slammed the lid down and locked it.

Evil Squirrel wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:

I now have a straight-A kid who is artistically and musically gifted, but is just kinda weird. I can live with that.

I didn't know ES could sing.

Weren't you paying attention when I was singing to Sprots the other day? She was practically swooning over my crooning.....

First she found her ear protection guaranteed to 500 decibels.

Then she checked the restraining order. Still good.

Then she engaged the Charles Fox Singers to actually sing the song. . .

They didn't test my son for autism when he was young--but once symptoms started showing, they tested his hearing and such. Finally before he was 3, we brought him to an autism specialist to get the diagnosis.
Worst thing? Our insurance paid for the diagnosis--then nothing else. It is a lifetime illness for him, but the insurance companies won't cover something like that.