Pat and I had the “Is Lucas autistic” conversation the other day.

It was immediately following the conversation over Lucas not just using the word “vehicular” correctly, but in a way most adults wouldn’t think to.  His imaginary friend was in a “vehicular accident” instead of a “car accident”.  Seriously, who says that?  My 5-year-old.

Same kid can do multiplication, division, and fractions, as well as basic addition and subtraction, but can’t actually count past 12 no matter how hard we work.  We’ll get there, of course, I just have to clue in on what trick will work.

Anyway, the autism conversation was rather brief.  Pat and I do agree Luke is probably on the spectrum, though he is fairly high functioning, so far, it seems.  His Psychiatrist hasn’t brought it up, and we’ll hold off for now, just ride things out.  In grade school I’ll probably request proper testing.  But as of now, whereas with many kids with autism where diagnosis is more urgent, Luke’s case isn’t the worst on his plate.  We still need to finish tweaking his ADHD treatment.

I still maintain that there is also something mood based in addition, though what is unknown.  That particular diagnosis will most likely come in his teenage years.  It is still possible it’s just a side effect of the ADHD and/or autism, and not something separate.

So yes, we’re riding things out.

My main focus at the moment, ADHD treatment aside, is to figure out the trick to get him to know his basic letters and numbers past 12.  Once he masters that the doors of his future will fly open.  I don’t hesitate to wager he’ll be reading at an accelerated rate.  That comes way to stacked in his genes.  And he’s already on advanced math so knowing the trick to numbers will allow that to progress.

Really, I think my main reason for noting the possible autism and not acting is because I’m all too aware that this kid’s future is bright.  He may end up with social skill disadvantages, but that might just mean he won’t be sitting at a bar with his best friend discussing the latest airplane, or such, he’s engineered at work, in 30 years.

But the kid is 5.  Who knows what’s really in store.

So maybe I’m not worried because I know he’s already in proper care, and he isn’t suffering (aside from the effects of gravity) so there isn’t anything more worry will accomplish.

It does reaffirm the decision to home school.