Advice for support for a kid with no ADHD but many traits? Other ASD supports?
My six-year-old son was just diagnosed with autism after we had him assessed for ADHD and he tested negative for that. Frankly, we were/are pretty surprised by the results (that he does NOT have ADHD and does have autism). He also tested for giftedness, so 2E.
Everyone, including his teacher, is "baffled" by the diagnosis because it's not as traditionally apparent as those, like me, assume. I'm still trying to make sense of the report. His primary issues are with picking up on social cues, not being able to keep his hands to himself, struggling with multi-step directions and staying on track. In the ADOS test he apparently had limited imaginative play (he told me the tester only had superheroes and he prefers dragons, ha).
He has good/average eye contact, is flexible and adaptable with transitions and switch-ups to routine, other than the hands to self he doesn't seem to "crave" touch, he's outgoing, has a great sense of humor, has an understanding of affect and others' emotions - in fact is exceptionally empathetic, he doesn't have repetitive behaviors, I think every so often he stims by chewing but it comes and goes. He can be anxious about "what if" situations. He's a bit immature, but doesn't really stand out. He wants to connect with other kids but seems to lack an understanding of how. ETA: whoops, the big one I omitted - he's disruptive in group settings including class, recess, lunch and sports (which he loves but can't behave), and is frequently getting physical with kids or not listening and being rambunctious.
We've started with OT and are meeting with his school to establish a 504, but other than a behavior chart and check-ins, we're pretty lost on what he might need. His teacher is wonderful and involved in helping figure it out. Any sensory things we've tried haven't really stuck or helped anything. His report seems to include every possible accommodation that could ever be made.
Whenever I search for relatable situations, I land on kids with ADHD and can't seem to find anything similar to his profile. Does this sound familiar to anyone, and if so, was there any specific type of therapy or routine that helped? Thanks for helping me understand all of this a bit beter.