So... through our journey we discovered something called Apraxia. There are different forms of it, just like Autism, but it has came to our attention because it is believed that Adrian might have Apraxia. Though he does show signs of Autism, he shows more signs of Apraxia and his behaviors aren't that of a "typical" Autistic child.
It isn't for sure that Adrian is Apraxic and not Autistic, but needless to say either way the journey has and will be a long one. Roughly about 75% of children are misdiagnosed with Autism, when in reality, they have some form of Apraxia.
Autism and Apraxia have many, many similar symptoms. The biggest difference with Apraxia and Autism is that Apraxic children tend to not be as shut off as Autistic children are, but Apraxic children typically have more speech development problems.
I have compiled a list under the tap "Autism vs. Apraxia" on the top of my blog. It doesn't have all the signs listed, but it is a good start for comparing. Depending on the age, it will be incrediably difficult to determine whether or not it is Apraxia or Autism, sometimes a child can even have both! But being aware of the possibilty can help you to get services you need and therapies that you can do at home or go to.
For myself, having the knowledge of Apraxia and seeing my son's difficulty with speech and how it relates to a child with Apraxia rather than Autism has been a huge help in his therapy.
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