PDD-NOS Symptoms Now

Apr 28, 2011
Hah! I found it! A list of symptoms for PDD-NOS. After searching for a while, I found it by looking up characteristics instead of symptoms. Oh well, time was not wasted, just more input for me (Short Circuit anyone? lol)

List of Possible Characteristics of a Person with
Asperger's Syndrome (AS), High Functioning Autism (HFA) or
Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

NO ONE WILL HAVE ALL THESE CHARACTERISTICS! These are POSSIBLE characteristics! Some of the characteristics may also be seen in conjunction with other diagnoses such as Noonan Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, OCD, etc.


  1. Cognitive Learning
    1. Excellent rote memory in certain areas
    2. Unregulated fears; difficulty judging situations that create fear - may be overly fearful in safe situations, yet fearless in dangerous situations
    3. Very detail-oriented
      1. difficulty seeing overall picture or situation
      2. applies same level of detail to every situation whether appropriate or not
    4. May have exceptionally high skills in some areas, but very low skills in others, i.e., splinter skills, savant skills, or special talents
    5. Prefers concrete, rather than abstract, concepts
  2. Language
    1. Pronoun reversal
    2. Excellent vocabulary; may sound like “The Little Professor”
    3. Conversational language may appear stilted
    4. Speaks with stock phrases or phrases borrowed from other situations or people
    5. Makes honest, but often inappropriate observations
    6. Has difficulties adjusting volume and speed in speech
    7. Problems with prosody; irregular accenting and inflection used in conversation
    8. Literal language: difficulty understanding figures of speech, similes, parodies, allegories, etc.
    9. Speech may have started very early in development or may have started then stopped for a period of time
    10. Repeats last word or phrases several times (echolalia)
    11. Difficulty understanding some language, i.e., directional terms easily confused
  3. Emotions
    1. Rage/anger/hurt may all be expressed in unexpected ways
    2. Perfectionism
    3. Easily overstimulated by sound, crowds, lights, smells
    4. Inside feeling not matching outside behavior
  4. Motor Skills
    1. Difficulty with some skills requiring motor skill development
      1. Gross motor skills - riding bike, swimming, crawling
      2. Fine motor skills - handwriting, tying shoes
    2. May have some advanced, age-appropriate skills while other age-appropriate skills are delayed, i.e., tying shoes before climbing stairs
    3. Unusual walking gait or clumsiness
    4. Difficulty with motor skills that require visual perception accuracy, i.e., walking through a parking lot, revolving door or turnstiles, participating in sports, guiding a shopping cart
  5. Perseveration - “The tendency of an idea, experience, or response to persist in an individual.” Webster’s New World Dictionary
    "per sev er a tion ( ... ) n. Psychology. Continued or repetitive activity or actions: 1. the uncontrollable repetition of a word, phrase, or gesture. 2. The spontaneous recurrence of a thought, image, phrase, or tune in the mind”
    American Heritage Dictionary
    1. Obsession - the fact or state of being obsessed with an idea, desire, emotion, etc.
    2. Compulsions - an irresistible, repeated, irrational impulse to perform some act
    3. Fascination with rotation
    4. Many and varied collections
    5. Redirection very difficult (changing focus or thinking from one activity or idea to another)
    6. One emotional incident can determine the mood for the rest of the day; can’t let emotions pass quickly
  6. Social Cues
    1. Difficulty reading facial expression and emotion in another person
    2. Difficulty understanding body language
    3. Difficulty understanding the rules of conversation
    4. Difficulty understanding group interactions
    5. Too much or too little eye contact
    6. Difficulty understanding others’ humor
    7. Problems recognizing faces out of the usual setting or known context (face-blindness or prosopagnosia)
    8. Stand-offish or overly friendly
    9. May adopt others’ behaviors, speech or dress habits to aid in more fluid communication and social adaptation
  7. Senses 
    1. Very sensitive or undersensitive to light, pain, taste, touch, sound, smell
      1. May have injuries of which they are not aware
      2. May experience physical pain from oversensitivity to light, sound, touch
      3. Very picky eater, both in selections of foods and in the way they are presented on the plate
      4. May crave specific touch, taste, smell, sight, sound, lights
    2. Over-sensitive to change in surroundings, people, places
    3. Over stimulation may result from too many verbal directions or instructions
  8. Comfort Skills 
    1. Desires comfort items to produce calming effect - blankets, stuffed animals
    2. May need external (outside) stimulation for calming - brushing, soothing sound, rotating object
    3. Comforted by minor motor stimulations - rocking, humming, tapping fingers, toes, sucking, rubbing fingertips in circles or on seams of clothing
    4. May need separate space or area to decompress
    5. Unusual attachment to object
    6. Self-stimulation i.e., rocking, tapping, humming, etc.,to increase concentration and attention or to calm down and relax
  9. Neurological Function
    1. Erratic neurological function
      1. Attention difficulties
      2. Irregular sleep patterns
    2. Understanding and working with time concepts difficult
    3. Sensory processing disorders (how the brain processes information it receives from the sensory organs)
      1. Visual processing disorders
      2. Auditory processing disorders
      3. Sensory integration disorders
New Situations, Patterns, People 
  1. Rule-oriented
  2. Prefers known patterns with little unexpected surprises
  3. Prefers familiar places, clothing, people
  4. Difficulty with transitions when changing activities
  5. Difficulty making and maintaining friendships (especially peer friendships); more successful with adults than other children or young people
NO ONE WILL HAVE ALL THESE CHARACTERISTICS! These are POSSIBLE characteristics! It is suggested that this document be used as a check list to mark the past and present characteristics.
The “List of Possible Characteristics of a Person with Asperger’s Syndrome” is included in the book, Tap Dancing in the night. Copyright 2001 by Martha Kate Downey, published by Phat Art 4 Publishing.
The “List of Possible Characteristics of a Person with Asperger’s Syndrome” may be photocopied as desired; however, it must remain in its original form with credits included.

From: http://www.mkdowney.com/characteristics.html

There may be more here that I can highlight, still. I'm going to wait and see what the psychologist has to say as well.

More Symptoms

Okay, so when a child is sexually abused, there are many symptoms that may come up. I am going to mark the ones that she has displayed and still displays in bold.
There are various lists of possible physical and behavioral indicators of child sexual abuse, some of which are:
  • Waking up during the night sweating, screaming or shaking with nightmares.
  • Masturbating excessively.
  • Showing unusually aggressive behavior toward family members, friends, toys, and pets.
  • Complaining of pain while urinating or having a bowel movement, or exhibiting symptoms of genital infections such as offensive odors, or symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease.
  • Having symptoms indicating evidence of physical traumas to the genital or anal area.
  • Beginning wetting the bed.
  • Experiencing a loss of appetite or other eating problems, including unexplained gagging.
  • Showing unusual fear of a certain place or location.
  • Developing frequent unexplained health problems.
  • Engaging in persistent sexual play with friends, toys or pets. She has done this as well, but it would not be considered persistent at all.
  • Having unexplained periods of panic, which may be flashbacks from the abuse.
  • Regressing to behaviors too young for the stage of development they already achieved.
  • Initiating sophisticated sexual behaviors.
  • Indicating a sudden reluctance to be alone with a certain person.
  • Engaging in self-mutilations, such as sticking themselves with pins or cutting themselves.
  • Withdrawing from previously enjoyable activities, like school or school performance change.
  • Asking an unusual amount of questions about human sexuality.
(By Kathy Smedley, Licensed Professional Counselor, a Licensed Marriage, Family Therapist, and Program Director for the Northeast Texas Children's Advocacy Center.)
Found on this site: http://www.protectkids.com/abuse/abusesigns.htm

The person that did this to her, acted like they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and I think that is why she hasn't shown a lot of "symptoms." She felt like she "loved" him and sometimes she still does. She is in counseling, and will be for a while, I'm sure.

If you notice any of these signs with your child, please ask them bluntly if someone has touched them where they shouldn't. Make sure to talk to your kids about good touches and bad touches, and that it is okay to come to Mommy and Daddy if they are touched by someone who isn't supposed to. We did discuss good touches/bad touches with dd, but I don't think we mentioned it enough times. My regret in life, is that I didn't ask her questions when I found her masturbating on a pole (rubbing up and down on it). She was only 8, and shouldn't have been interested in doing that at all, but I didn't know.

Now on to a post about PDD-NOS. Gotta find the right info first (the fun part).

Symptoms, Symptoms

I figured I would post the symptoms of ADHD, PDD-NOS and sexual abuse. I was curious as to what dd fit, and what she didn't. Also I've been wondering if there are similar symptoms for each. I am going to bold all the ones that dd fits on this.

Here we go: ADHD

Predominantly inattentive type symptoms may include:[30]
  • Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another
  • Have difficulty maintaining focus on one task
  • Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless doing something enjoyable
  • Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new or trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities
  • Not seem to listen when spoken to
  • Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
  • Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
  • Struggle to follow instructions.
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type symptoms may include:[30]
  • Fidget and squirm in their seats
  • Talk nonstop
  • Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight
  • Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time
  • Be constantly in motion
  • Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities. - She doesn't seem to fit any of these, except this one on occasion.
and also these manifestations primarily of impulsivity:[30]
  • Be very impatient
  • Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences
  • Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games

I think I will do a new post for PDD-NOS. Have to search for it though, as there aren't a lot of sites that have a list like the one above.

Can We Start The Day Over?

Apr 27, 2011
Well, dd was at it again this morning. Didn't want to get out of bed, and when she finally did she got angry with me for throwing out the wrappings of her snacks from yesterday. Why does she need to keep them??? I think she was worried about school again, so I tried to talk to her, but to no avail. She even dropped the f bomb three times in the midst of trying to get her to eat, and get the wrappings in the garbage. I'll admit, I spanked her bum. I got so frustrated. Oh and that leads me to share that Children's Aid is involved in our lives again. We just can't spank our kids (God forbid...). Thankfully though I explained all that we have been going through and that we are getting her tested, etc, and the worker is going to help us get more assistance once we get the assessment done. Oh the joys of CAS...not! I'm sorry, but I am trying my best to do everything possibly for my kids (sacrificing a ton of stuff, including me), and I get the short end of the stick for it. Many kids out there that need help, are not getting it, cause they are focusing on parents that are doing their best and make the odd mistake.

Anyway, that's my rant for the day. I better go get the kids from school. Walking over today in the glorious weather!

Next post, I am going to post symptoms for ADHD and PDD-NOS, and also sexual assault. It will be interesting to see them all together and just see how many things that dd fits.

I Hate School Projects!

Apr 25, 2011
Especially the kinds where some of the other parents help out (and do most of the project for their child). My dd has to make a eco-friendly house. Turns out we had to get an extension (for more than one reason), so I was very proud of her, when she got working on it Wednesday night and again on Thursday night. We have Rokenbok building sets here, so I suggested she use them. I showed her the basic idea of building her house, and when I came back down to check on her, she had changed the design and built a three story house.

So I shouldn't really hate the project, since I haven't done much. Well, then comes yesterday and we find out that she needs to do a paragraph detailing the eco-friendly items that would be used in her house. Oh and also she needs to draw a blueprint of the house (this is grade 5 right???). So I had a trip to make today and she went to visit a friend. She brought some of her toys with her as well. We got home, and I told her that she needed to do the blueprint and I would go over her paragraph and correct it for her, so she could write it out neatly.

Can you guess what happened next?? Taking the toys with her was not a great idea, because she left a small bunny at her friend's house, and that is "crucial" to this project all of a sudden. She tells me that we have to go back and get her bunny and then she will do the work. I told her no, we could get it later, or the friend could bring it to school in the morning. Well no this was not good enough. She kept telling me that she needed it. I stood my ground and told her we would get it after her work was completed. Well, she got the blueprint done, and then told me that we had to get the bunny. I told her no, she would have to deal with the paragraph first. Well, she brought it to me, and I went to start correcting it, and some of the points she had with it. Well she got angry about me correcting the points and she proceeded to rip up the paper! Oh the joys! So now she is crying, and I have told her we are not going to get the bunny till the work is done. She has been slamming stuff around too.

All this in under an hour, and I'm done! Hubby is probably on his way home, and he can then deal with this. I am going to lose it on her, and that wouldn't be good either.

May 4th seems so far away....

New Beginnings

Apr 23, 2011
I'm a mom to two great kids (and I'm not biased at all..lol). How to begin this is going to be the hard part. hmmm

Well, let's see might as well talk about my daughter, as she is the subject of this blog. She is 10 years old and will be 11 later this year. We are in the midst of having her tested. The psychologist is leaning towards PDD-NOS and also ADHD. We will have the report on May 4th (I'm so looking forward to finding out what the diagnosis is, so that we can get her the help that she needs). There is one problem with all this though, is that I don't know if the "symptoms" she is displaying has to do with these disorders, or that fact that she was sexually assaulted by a friend's son (something that is hard to write still).

My mom said the other day, that maybe the assault was (in a sense) a good thing, because it helped us get some counseling which led to us getting her tested. She is not autistic and not aspergers, so PDD-NOS is the possibility, but then again it could be stemming from the assault. She doesn't interact well with her peers at all, and is not "mature" like they are, so she doesn't really have any friends.

Okay, so I am all over the place. Let's get going on what has been happening over the last year an a half, and maybe that will help.

Oct. 2009 - My daughter went to school quite normally that morning. She had her good days and bad, like most kids. I got a phone call from her teacher to come in and talk with her at the end of the day. I went in, and was able to send my son home with our neighbour (good thing). My dd and I sat down with the teacher and she told me that my dd had told a friend and two teachers (cause the friend was caring enough to tell the yard teacher) that she had been assaulted by a friend's son. WOW what a thing to find out! Tears, anger, frustration, shock, dismay are just a few emotions that I went through. CAS had to come out that evening, and that started the long process of talking to the police and going to court. Court was crazy, as we had to go twice (another long story). That part is now in the past and it is time to get on with all the other things.

During the past year and a bit we have been taking dd to counseling and trying to continue on with life. Things began to become more apparent that we needed her tested, just to see what was going on inside. Outbursts of anger, not listening (more so than a normal kid her age), acting like an animal when it's not appropriate to do so, baby talk at inappropriate times, and other things too. Her peer relationships were not good, and she loves to hug kids, when they don't want to be hugged (getting into someone's space is not a good way to make/keep friends). Now I understand that some of these things are also related to having being abused, but it is sometimes way over the top. When you look at what the teachers have to say on the questionnaires about how she acts in class and interacts too, it's apparent that there is something else that we need to look at, so testing began about two months ago.


I don't know if this will be a good thing to do, but I figured I am going to try this out. I need a place to talk about what is going on, and I'm hoping this may serve to help other parents out there!

I hope to post more about our daily life, and the issues that we deal with. Maybe this will help someone else out there!