MOSAIC MOMENTS

Last week I began the story of how I was searching for answers regarding Tim’s lack of Social Skills. This was such a frustrating, yet eye opening time for all of us. It wasn’t that I was looking to put a “label” on Tim. I just knew that something else was going on with him and the only way to find out how to help him was to first discover what the problem was.

After speaking with on of our families at IMDSA who had one child with Autism and one child with mosaic Down syndrome, I was leaning more to the idea, once again, that Tim had Autism. So, I asked the school to conduct another test with him to see if he had Autism. It took a while to get the testing done, but finally we got the results.

Again, he was labeled with “autistic tendencies” but not Autism. I was frustrated beyond words. I knew that there was more than just MDS happening with Tim! I had spoken to too many families and met too many children with MDS to know that this was not a trait for mosaic Down syndrome!

Then, finally, I stumbled upon a website that made sense!

O.A.S.I.S.is an acronym for Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support. This site has a check list for symptoms of Asperger syndrome. Asperger syndrome is considered to be on the Autism Spectrum, however there are some marked characteristics that are different. O.A.S.I.S. is a great site to better explain all about Asperger syndrome.

So… I went through the check list for Asperger syndrome, and Tim fit high in every single question but three. And, the three that he didn’t fit high in, he had earlier in life. So, maybe he had just learned how to handle these issues.

So, now I at least know why Tim has his quirky side. However, by the time I found out, he had already graduated high school! So, there really isn’t anything extra for us to do for him. He has learned, to some degree, how to handle his social troubles. I am constantly reminding him how to say hello to people when I know we will be in a crowd. I think he now uses his exuberant vocabulary just to bother me!  He definitely has Auditory Processing Disorder and he does have some Sensory issues, but they are not too bothersome for him.

Just knowing what the problem was helped me to understand and to be a peace with it. I sometimes tease him for having an “Asperger moment” when he uses words way beyond my understanding. (He is a walking dictionary!) I do wish that he had this diagnosis early in life. I feel as though if he had it in his early elementary years, he would have had a better time in school. Perhaps more teachers would have understood his social problems and maybe he would have gotten more help to overcome those problems.

It isn’t about putting a label on your child. Because if that is what they have, then they have it! However, by getting the diagnosis, no matter what the problem is, at least you know what the problem is then you can have the tools to help the problem. 

Thanks for staying with me in this long story! Please be sure to come back tomorrow when I continue to explain mosaic Down syndrome, Down syndrome and all that it involves.

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