D A wrote: Mr. Baughman: Have you had any dealings with Asperger Disorder for kids. Thanks D A.
[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
When a psychiatrist makes this or any diagnosis, they do so having done no examinations or diagnostic studies and having demonstrated no abnormalities. For this reason, they never, no never, diagnose actual physical abnormalities (abnormality = disease).
It is doubtful, regardless of who makes the Asperger syndrome/disorder diagnosis that it ever denotes an actual brain disease. For this reason the diagnosis/label should not be appended to/accepted for any child.
]
D A wrote: I have been divorced for about three years. My son is just finishing his first year of school, he will be in first grade next year. His mother, last year before school started actually started began taking my son to see a psychologist because she [mother] felt he had ADHD. She did this without me being aware of my son seeing a psychologist. She was learning coaching techniques on how to raise my son. I refused to attend the psychologist meetings because I don't have problems raising my son. Now it is tied up in the courts because she violated my parental rights. He is doing well in school, but is labeled [diagnoses] because of his mother's actions. Making a short story out of this, after about a year of seeing this psychologist, she now feels my son has asbergers disorder
[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
mother thought son, now in kindergarten, has ADHD].
So my question is do you know anything about asbergers disorder. It appears to me the psychologist sees the a dollar signs and is taking advantage of this.
[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
In this you are right. There are over 300 psychological/psychiatric disorders/diseases in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) of the APA (American Psychiatric Association. You, your wife and the rest of the parents and citizens of the US are invariably told the bald-faced lie of psychiatry and all of mental health, that each of them, and every new one they invent, are actual brain diseases, due to chemical imbalances of the brain. Psychologists and psychiatrists using interviews and pencil-paper tests of all sorts, never diagnose actual disease--not of the brain, not of any part of the body. Asperger's syndrome/disorder/disease has become popular with psychiatrists within recent years. I never diagnosed a case--could not, because it is not an actual brain disease; it is nothing more or less than a hoax by which to label/diagnose, treat and bill--the hoax being; as throughout mental health today, that there is no disease; no abnormality; the child/person is normal. The question to put to the psychologist: Show me the physical or chemical abnormality that makes of this a disease?
The criteria by which Asperger's disorder is diagnosed, Impairment in
social interaction in eye-to-eye contact, facial expressions, postures,
gestures, peer relationships, failure to share enjoyment, interests,
achievement; lack of social reciprocity; sterotyped, restricted patterns
of interest; inflexible, nonfunctional routines; repetitive motor
mannerisms; preoccupation with parts of objects. Finally, no significant
delay in language, no delay in cognitive development or adaptation.]
The people that I associate with, mom/dad neighbors see my son as a person who is adventurous and smart. Compared with other kids in his class/age he is behind in something's and way ahead in others. That is my situation.
[Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD:
from what you say about your son, he sounds nothing at all like
Asperger's disorder. What's more meeting the criteria of Asperger's and
nothing more, no delay in developmental landmarks, in adaptation,
education, it cannot be said that a brain disease/abnormality has been
diagnosed or even if Asperger's criteria are met, that it is a disease.]
D, if you are in a legal action, I will gladly consult with you or
your attorney. FB
Thanks D A