Easter Seals Series: Roran's Diagnostic Clinic
By: Maria Chandler WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: December 20, 2012
BLOOMINGTON- It's a day the Stribling family has been waiting for, looking forward to, equally as much as dreading it.
The autism diagnostic clinic for their middle son, Roran.
The day that would decide how they go about the rest of their lives.
It's a Wednesday morning.
Roran Stribling is used to heading to Easter Seals in Bloomington for therapy during the week, but this day is different.
"In the past few months, he's started to display more signs suggestive of autism spectrum disorder," explains Dr. Ronald Lindsay, Medical Director of The Autism Center at Easter Seals.
That's why Roran and his mom are at the clinic.
They're getting re-evaluated.
Going through a check up, watching how Roran behaves and plays.
Last time, he didn't meet enough criteria to have an autism diagnosis.
But this day could give a different answer.
"When we first saw him, he was very behind in his language skills. Now, as his language has developed, what we noted was that he's become echolalic," explains Dr. Lindsay.
That means, Roran repeats words immediately after he hears them.
Repetitive language is common with kids within the autism spectrum.
It's something doctors and evaluators watch closely during the diagnostic clinic.
Meantime, the family waits...
"For some families, its sort of a relief," says Dr. Lindsay. We do have a box of Kleenex available because there's gonna be tears. But parents feel relief. They've finally had their worries confirmed."
Until they get confirmation.
Roran gets an autism diagnosis,
He has PDD-NOS, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, or atypical autism, meaning he shows signs of autism, but doesn't have the hallmarks of classic autism.
"It was one of those, we kind of knew it was coming. But it still smarts, it still stings a little bit. I mean, you go and hope everything turns out OK, but sometimes it doesn't," says mom, Amanda Stribling after learning of the diagnosis.
It was something they might have already known. It doesn't make it easier to take.
"That's even kind of hard to talk about honestly," explains Darrell Stribling. "Just because now, we've got two boys diagnosed with the same thing technically. But they're on two completely opposite sides."
This family, isn't letting the confirmation seal their fate.
"Never give, no absolutely not," says Darrell.
They're using it as a way to improve...
"It's a stepping stone that they need, especially on a school basis. Without that diagnosis, it's hard to get the services and get the assistance they need in the classrooms and anywhere else for that matter," adds Amanda.
A way to go in a new direction, and to make life the best it can be.
"I'm glad, because everyone at Easter Seals does a wonderful job, they're wonderful to our family," says Darrell. "They're great at taking care of us and I trust them when it comes to talking about things our kids are going to be dealing with. So, to know they believe he has PDD-NOS, that's good to know, because we, through Easter Seals, can start to deal with it."
Up next for Roran is updating his individualized education plan, or I.E.P.
It's a plan to help him function best and succeed in school, now that he has a diagnosis.
The autism diagnostic clinic for their middle son, Roran.
The day that would decide how they go about the rest of their lives.
It's a Wednesday morning.
Roran Stribling is used to heading to Easter Seals in Bloomington for therapy during the week, but this day is different.
"In the past few months, he's started to display more signs suggestive of autism spectrum disorder," explains Dr. Ronald Lindsay, Medical Director of The Autism Center at Easter Seals.
That's why Roran and his mom are at the clinic.
They're getting re-evaluated.
Going through a check up, watching how Roran behaves and plays.
Last time, he didn't meet enough criteria to have an autism diagnosis.
But this day could give a different answer.
"When we first saw him, he was very behind in his language skills. Now, as his language has developed, what we noted was that he's become echolalic," explains Dr. Lindsay.
That means, Roran repeats words immediately after he hears them.
Repetitive language is common with kids within the autism spectrum.
It's something doctors and evaluators watch closely during the diagnostic clinic.
Meantime, the family waits...
"For some families, its sort of a relief," says Dr. Lindsay. We do have a box of Kleenex available because there's gonna be tears. But parents feel relief. They've finally had their worries confirmed."
Until they get confirmation.
Roran gets an autism diagnosis,
He has PDD-NOS, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, or atypical autism, meaning he shows signs of autism, but doesn't have the hallmarks of classic autism.
"It was one of those, we kind of knew it was coming. But it still smarts, it still stings a little bit. I mean, you go and hope everything turns out OK, but sometimes it doesn't," says mom, Amanda Stribling after learning of the diagnosis.
It was something they might have already known. It doesn't make it easier to take.
"That's even kind of hard to talk about honestly," explains Darrell Stribling. "Just because now, we've got two boys diagnosed with the same thing technically. But they're on two completely opposite sides."
This family, isn't letting the confirmation seal their fate.
"Never give, no absolutely not," says Darrell.
They're using it as a way to improve...
"It's a stepping stone that they need, especially on a school basis. Without that diagnosis, it's hard to get the services and get the assistance they need in the classrooms and anywhere else for that matter," adds Amanda.
A way to go in a new direction, and to make life the best it can be.
"I'm glad, because everyone at Easter Seals does a wonderful job, they're wonderful to our family," says Darrell. "They're great at taking care of us and I trust them when it comes to talking about things our kids are going to be dealing with. So, to know they believe he has PDD-NOS, that's good to know, because we, through Easter Seals, can start to deal with it."
Up next for Roran is updating his individualized education plan, or I.E.P.
It's a plan to help him function best and succeed in school, now that he has a diagnosis.
