ADOS

Today, Conner was scheduled for the ADOS assessment, that was ordered by his neurologist, at the Early Steps office.

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)

Published by Western Psychological Services, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) has quickly become the leading assessment used by clinicians when an autism spectrum disorder is suspected. The interactive assessment has modules tailored for individuals that range in age from toddlerhood to adulthood. The modules are also customized for both nonverbal and verbal patients.

According to the Western Psychological Services website, “The ADOS consists of various activities that allow you to observe social and communication behaviors related to the diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders. These activities provide interesting, standard contexts in which interaction can occur.” Scores that result from the assessment can lead a professional to diagnose either the more general pervasive developmental disorder or the more specific diagnosis of autistic disorder.

Reference
Hincha-Ownsby, Melissa (2008). Autism spectrum diagnostic tools: ADOS, ADI-R and PDDBI help professionals diagnose PDDs. Retrieved on September 2, 2010 from: http://www.suite101.com/content/autism-spectrum-diagnostic-tools-a49265

There were two assessors that conducted the screening. Considering that he was in a foreign environment I would say that he did exceptionally well. I was asked to sit in the corner of the room and to refrain from engaging in the session so that they could make observations just on how Conner reacted to the assessors and communicated on his own.

There are two sections to the assessment. One focuses on communication and the other on social interaction. The results for the communication section fell within the normal range. In the area of social interaction his performance placed in the very mild range on the autism spectrum. The assessors will report their findings to the neurologist who will then decide what diagnosis if any Conner will be given. Our next appointment with the neurologist isn't until late November or early December. So, once we have gone for the sleep study at the end of September, I will call to see if I can get an earlier appointment.

Honestly, the results of the assessment do not surprise me. If you asked me if I thought Conner was autistic, my first answer would be no. However, when it comes to social interactions there are some areas that I do notice a difference between him and his siblings, and his peers.

He has come such a long way over the course of this past year. I think back to where he was last year at this time and all I can do is breathe a sigh of relief. At 21 months of age, he had less communication skills than Shannen has today at 15 months old. It breaks my heart to remember what life was like on a daily basis just a year ago. Each day was a struggle for all of us. We constantly battled to figure out what it was that Conner wanted or needed. When we failed to understand him he used the only coping skills he had at the time. This included screaming, crying, hitting, kicking, pushing and on some occasions biting.

Within the last month, Conner's speech has blossomed. He has progressed from using one word requests to using three or more words when requesting. He even uses please and thank you as part of his communication. He enjoys singing along to his favorite cartoon shows(even if the words aren't exactly what is being sung) and instead of pointing to a picture can request specific programs by name. We have heard him counting and identifying some letters. Up until now, it has been difficult to know just what Conner comprehends or doesn't with his limited verbal communication. As his skills improve, he is demonstrating more and more knowledge to us each and every day. It is very exciting!