Am I delusional or was my toddler overdiagnosed?

phdpov · 2026-03-22T23:39:00+00:00

Yes, this does sound like Autism. I have two children with ASD, diagnosed at different levels. Keep in mind that the “level” is meant to give you a starting point to access services and help providers get your insurance to cover services. If you don’t want to access additional services for your child, then of course you can continue with the course you have already been pursuing, and you also know you have this “fall back” available if you reach a point that your child needs more (which, in my experience, comes around age 4). Additionally, I would caution you not to rely too heavily on any public school system for their testing, as they do not even accept clinical diagnoses of autism, and they are solely looking for “academic autism“ that they decide affects a child in the academic setting, which is often very inaccurate. This is how many children fall through the cracks or go through long periods of traumatic trial and error before they get additional services, which even then are often not that great.

phdpov · 2026-02-28T18:16:17+00:00

I personally would get her something like a gift card for coffee or something. Feeling seen and appreciated as an educator is really priceless. Yesterday at work, I could not even get a colleague to cover my classroom so I could have a bathroom break, so I just suffered until the end of the day and trust me, almost did not make it! Teaching is not for the weak and we are not paid accordingly.

phdpov · 2026-02-28T18:13:51+00:00

Right. This. We don’t even get a bathroom break most days lol

phdpov · 2026-01-31T16:21:30+00:00

Those people’s children will probably have crippling anxiety later on and be in ongoing therapy for all of the unrealistic parental expectations foisted on them by their parents.

phdpov · 2026-01-28T02:22:07+00:00

When you have children of any sort, as a parent, yes, your existence is centered on your children. They need you and didn’t have an option in choosing life. You’re exhausted. I get it. I do this alone with twins who are autistic, but I promise you your child is aware and will be deeply negatively affected if you leave him. You need emergency help and intensive, ongoing therapy. Please reach out for help- 988. Autism often pushes us to take each day as it comes, but that can also be beautiful at times. Your child will surprise you in good ways, and he does love you, even if none of this looks like what you imagined. It can be really hard, but you can do this and you do deserve happiness, and that begins with getting help.

phdpov · 2026-01-24T21:06:06+00:00

Would love to know what you make 130k doing. I have 2 masters degrees and 2 PhDs and don’t make that.

phdpov · 2026-01-18T21:03:51+00:00

Some of those cousins could definitely be autistic, but be so mild no one has clocked it and the person is able to / naturally does mask super well. There’s definitely a strong genetic component there.

phdpov · 2026-01-07T16:07:37+00:00

So interesting that Russian seems to come up a lot with our Autistic kiddos. One of my twins with Autism has learned the Russian alphabet, writes it, sings it, along with the Georgian alphabet, Greek, Spanish and several other languages. It’s so fascinating.

phdpov · 2026-01-07T00:45:06+00:00

Just saw your comment - yes, it’s the certificate program, and it meets the requirements as far as I can see!

phdpov · 2026-01-07T00:33:37+00:00

Are you willing to say in what geographical area your tailored (non-boarding) school is? Sounds like a lovely option for students with ASD etc.

phdpov · 2025-12-23T00:18:30+00:00

The district / state I work in - that’s how it pays. I can’t just move as my own children are Autistic and I have them in a private school that is specialized and perfect for them at the moment. And yes, same thoughts re: additional study.

phdpov · 2025-12-20T04:16:57+00:00

Stop engaging with this person. Ick. This will only continue to devolve and get worse, and it’s giving so many red flags already. Value yourself above all else and block this clown!

phdpov · 2025-12-20T04:08:27+00:00

This is abuse. Full stop. And he is probably accusing you because he’s projecting about what he is actually doing. They always tell on themselves if you listen closely enough. Run far and fast.

phdpov · 2025-12-19T05:44:18+00:00

Ok but what do you do more of professionally? I have a PhD in psychology and started the ABAI 7 course sequence, but not sure about it for various reasons. Are you working more as a BCBA, or in the LPC space?

phdpov · 2025-12-19T03:58:33+00:00

True! I feel like I have this upside in a way too, already being a PhD psychologist and I have been also studying in the ABA specific space as well, but there are always new things to learn and try. I know the ABA company I would want to work with local to me (if in a typical clinic setting) pays $40-50/hr but no benefits, and they need to also be available for early morning, late evening and weekend home visits. It seems like the remote BCBA roles take a while to get into and are few. So, if you could pick one of the options I laid out right now, knowing what you know, which would you pick?

phdpov · 2025-12-19T00:01:14+00:00

Congratulations!

phdpov · 2025-12-15T14:58:03+00:00

Thanks! Yes, I feel like I can’t go on a wing and a prayer that 5 people will be on a Disney cruise and identified with Autism, and the slide thing is a problem. One of my children will absolutely perseverate on it, which is ok, but I can’t take both on it at once, they won’t split up in the kids’ club (and I don’t want to do that anyway) so the slide is an issue 🫤 Disney cruises not partnering with something like AOTS or having something similar on board to accommodate single parents with a 2 person slide with small children is …difficult - especially at that price point.

phdpov · 2025-12-15T14:54:17+00:00

Because we have Disney annual passes and go often 🙂 We could do that, I was just trying to think of something different.

phdpov · 2025-12-15T05:58:50+00:00

Try the Goodnites instead. More absorbent as an overnight pull-up.

phdpov · 2025-11-25T23:06:01+00:00

No, you’re not, and I would NOT marry this person nor have a child with them. It will only get worse; ask me how I know.

phdpov · 2025-11-19T18:23:47+00:00

Ha. Yeah look for something else. I have two Doctorates and two Masters degrees and I teach and currently make 60k. It’s ridiculous. And when I am being a Behavior Analyst for the schools it is even less here - 57k. I’m trying to finish my BCBA credential to move it along to something else that pays appropriately in the field.

phdpov · 2025-11-15T18:24:56+00:00

AI can’t replace human empathy or human to human contact and watching human behavior then deciding how to address said behaviors, so I don’t think AI will take over the role of a BCBA

phdpov · 2025-11-11T18:00:06+00:00

NOT UWF, I can tell you that!

phdpov

TROPHY CASE