Symptoms & Concerns

Symptoms and Concerns

 

Learn the symptoms and signs of Autism, Asperger’s, and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

We specialize in helping families understand and overcome a wide variety of developmental problems. To learn more about how we can help you, browse the list of needs we treat below. Click a heading to read more about each specific need and to learn about the signs and symptoms.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • Click here if you know or suspect your child has autism, Asperger’s, or PDD-NOS

Feeding Problems

  • Picky eater
  • Limited diet
  • Feeding tube
  • Refuses to eat
  • Chokes or gags
  • Stuffs food
  • Difficulty chewing and/or swallowing
  • Meals are stressful
  • Sensitive – refuses certain textures, tastes, smells
  • Resists changes to foods or food presentation

Social Communication Problems

  • Isn’t talking at all and has some social and/or behavior problems
  • Doesn’t initiate communication
  • Communicates with other people inappropriately
  • Can’t communicate needs or wants verbally or nonverbally
  • Echoes words and/or phrases repeatedly
  • Doesn’t read nonverbal cues well
  • Has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder
  • Has been diagnosed with a social communication problem (also referred to as pragmatic language problems or semantic/pragmatic language disorder)

Speech & Language Problems

  • Is difficult to understand (can’t articulate words clearly)
  • Mumbles when s/he speaks
  • Drools frequently
  • Has an open mouth posture
  • Has a limited vocabulary
  • Uses grammar incorrectly when speaking/writing
  • Has problems thinking of the words s/he wants to say
  • Says words out of sequence
  • Has trouble understanding others and/or following directions
  • Has difficulty staying on the topic of conversation or appears to not be listening when being spoken to
  • Has difficulty understanding what has been read to them or what they are reading
  • Has difficulty sequencing the events of a daily routine
  • Repeats words or phrases on a regular basis (stutters)

Social Problems

  • Difficulty making friends
  • Feels different or left out socially
  • Rejected by peers
  • Difficulty being independent
  • Doesn’t understand social rules (sharing, taking turns, personal space, etc.)
  • Misinterprets social cues
  • Doesn’t understand social boundaries
  • Doesn’t initiate contact with others
  • Doesn’t play appropriately with others
  • Can’t maintain social interaction
  • Doesn’t understand feelings of others

Behavior Problems

  • Resists change
  • Engages in repetitive behaviors
  • Aggressive and/or confrontational
  • Easily frustrated
  • Impulsive
  • Narrow range of interests
  • Limited attention span
  • Unmotivated
  • Controlling and/or defiant

Sensory-Motor Problems

  • Overly sensitive to noise, lights, smells, textures, touch, and/or movement
  • Under responsive to sensory stimulation
  • Poor balance
  • Afraid of trying new physical activities
  • Overactive / hyper
  • Underactive / slow moving
  • Poor body awareness – crashes into things, bumps into people, etc.
  • Delayed communication, motor skills, or academic learning
  • Feeding problems
  • Behavior is poorly organized
  • Limited attention span
  • Poor self-care skills
  • Uncoordinated / clumsy
  • Poor fine motor skills – writing, dressing (fasteners), self-feeding, cutting, etc.
  • Poor gross motor skills – running, jumping, climbing, etc.
  • Poor oral motor skills – chewing, sucking, blowing, making sounds, etc.
  • Poor motor planning (knowing how to move body to accomplish things)
  • Poor self-care skills

Learning Problems

  • Academic difficulties – reading, writing, math, etc.
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Difficulties with higher level / abstract thinking and problem solving
  • Child can read words, but doesn’t understand (comprehension problems)
  • Low frustration tolerance with learning new / challenging things
  • Difficulty retaining information
  • Unmotivated to learn

Family Needs

  • Desire to learn more about how to help child
  • Difficulty balancing needs of all family members
  • Constant feeling of being in crisis
  • Difficulty prioritizing needs of child
  • Overwhelmed and/or frustrated
  • Sibling issues – feeling left out, resentment, etc.
  • Lack of structure at home (disorganization within schedule, home environment, etc.)
  • Unsure how to deal with behaviors
  • Stress from child’s disability is straining family relationships
  • Don’t really understand child’s disability
  • Feel inadequate as a parent
  • Feeling hopeless about future for child and family