ADOS test
Monday we took Moose back up to MMI in Omaha for an ADOS test. It's a test to see if/where a kid falls on the autism spectrum - it's not a standardized test because really it's just playing with him/her for an hour. However, they use specific toys as their standard and are looking for specific things.
Moose impressed me, first of all, by playing with a complete stranger for an hour (mind you, I was IN the room but I hardly said anything). He would look over at me every once in awhile but only came over to me once. He transitioned from toy to toy SO well, too! No tantrums. And these were cool toys: bubbles, mechanical bunny, balloons, snack - things he'd played with and loved or novelty toys.
Besides Monica (a grad student who played with him), there were me, Dr. Matthews and another grad student (who was there the time before when we went) taking notes. They said it was "interesting" how he smiled and got so excited over bubbles and the bunny (I'm thinking some autistic kids don't show much emotion) and he told the bunny "I love you" and how well he transitioned. They did also say that his eye contact was still poor and Monica had some trouble getting his attention by merely saying his name. I knew those things, and how he parrots some things you say (I think she was impressed I knew the word for parroting - Echolalia). They gave us some pointers on getting him to start using better eye contact (when he asks for things, make him look us in the eye before answering - which he has done very well with so far).
Dr. Matthews still thinks he's on the spectrum, now she just has to tally up the scores, look at his history, gather all of her information and call me with the results. She said it would be either yesterday or today...so hopefully today. She gave us the name of another psychologist who does the same thing she does but down in Kansas (as we've probably found a rental we'll be moving into in the next few weeks - Big A is going to look at it again today).
Now, we wait for results. I'm also taking Moose to our primary doctor for blood tests so they can look at his chromosomes, DNA, and test for fragile X syndrome (which is a type of mental retardation so I'm seriously doubting he has that) - which will be good to know for Squirt and our niece, nephew, and any other kids our siblings decide to have. Sometime she'd like us to get an MRI for Moose - basically to check out things in his head and look for other conditions. I guess that involves sedatives which makes sense because I don't think even he would lay still for that long by himself. And then some time she would also like us to get our genetics tested. But those are things that can wait for now.
For now...we wait (more).
Moose impressed me, first of all, by playing with a complete stranger for an hour (mind you, I was IN the room but I hardly said anything). He would look over at me every once in awhile but only came over to me once. He transitioned from toy to toy SO well, too! No tantrums. And these were cool toys: bubbles, mechanical bunny, balloons, snack - things he'd played with and loved or novelty toys.
Besides Monica (a grad student who played with him), there were me, Dr. Matthews and another grad student (who was there the time before when we went) taking notes. They said it was "interesting" how he smiled and got so excited over bubbles and the bunny (I'm thinking some autistic kids don't show much emotion) and he told the bunny "I love you" and how well he transitioned. They did also say that his eye contact was still poor and Monica had some trouble getting his attention by merely saying his name. I knew those things, and how he parrots some things you say (I think she was impressed I knew the word for parroting - Echolalia). They gave us some pointers on getting him to start using better eye contact (when he asks for things, make him look us in the eye before answering - which he has done very well with so far).
Dr. Matthews still thinks he's on the spectrum, now she just has to tally up the scores, look at his history, gather all of her information and call me with the results. She said it would be either yesterday or today...so hopefully today. She gave us the name of another psychologist who does the same thing she does but down in Kansas (as we've probably found a rental we'll be moving into in the next few weeks - Big A is going to look at it again today).
Now, we wait for results. I'm also taking Moose to our primary doctor for blood tests so they can look at his chromosomes, DNA, and test for fragile X syndrome (which is a type of mental retardation so I'm seriously doubting he has that) - which will be good to know for Squirt and our niece, nephew, and any other kids our siblings decide to have. Sometime she'd like us to get an MRI for Moose - basically to check out things in his head and look for other conditions. I guess that involves sedatives which makes sense because I don't think even he would lay still for that long by himself. And then some time she would also like us to get our genetics tested. But those are things that can wait for now.
For now...we wait (more).
Comments
So awesome that he transitioned so well!
I will be waiting to hear what the results are!