Could my DD have ASD/Aspergers - Signs and symptoms? Long post!

[TomHardysUnderpants]

Hi
I have several concerns regarding DD1s behaviour. She has just turned 4 and I have felt there is something 'not quite right' with her for over a year now. However many members of my family, DH included, believe I am just being over anxious and that is a normal, albeit slightly quirky, child. Hence I have not pursued the matter with professionals. She has been at nursery/preschool for just over a year, and they have mostly expressed concern regarding her listening and concentration. I have voiced my worries and they have hinted that they understand and have enlisted the help of an outreach team from a special needs school. They did an assessment a few weeks ago and have agreed to work with DD1 and hep with the transition to school. When I asked whether this service believes DD1 has difficulties of some sort, they basically said "its like peeling an onion" to find out.

This has been preying on my mind more and more and I am getting desperate for a proper assessment, because I believe early intervention will be better for her. So tonight I have tried to write a few behaviors she has that concern me and will put it to everyone to see if your children do this (ASD or not!).

1. I cannot remember her pointing much when she younger (she does now). Not like DD2 who points at everything.
   
2. As soon as she could move she would roll/crawl/walk off and did not seem bothered by me or DH not being nearby.
   
3. Up until 2 years old she referred too herself as baby rather than her name
   
4. She is reluctant to use the names of others ( ie. if i ask the names of her friends at preschool she gets upset and won't say).
   
5. She has a speech delay - this is most notable in her pronunciation and her phonics are poor.
   
6. She uses echolia frequently (it is like having a parrot in the room) and often gives the same answer to the same question every time it is asked (ie. what did you do at preschool today?)
   
7. She constantly has her hands down the back of her pants/knickers. She also twirls her hair a lot (one side of her hair is ruined from this).
   
8. She has poor social skills with others. With adults when they talk to her she puts her head down, frowns and makes this whiney noise. Or says something inappropriate like "gaga".
   
9. She doesn't play with other children and often ignores them if they talk to her. If she does play with others it always just running around and laughing manically. Sometimes she will put her face right in theirs and laugh (often putting the other child off playing!).
   

10. She eats sand and always picks stones up as "pets"
11. She will give eye contact when talking to an extent, but when asked to look at me (ie. for a photo or when doing her hair etc) she struggles and will often look out the side of her eyes
12.She is obsessed with animals and gets upset if I wont be mummy cat/dog/spider/bird/snail etc. She can be an animal for hours even days.
13. She will give kisses and cuddles but cuddles are quick and kisses get wiped off!
14. She has difficulties with emotion. She cried for hours tonight because she lost a toy and even when it was found, continued crying even though when asked she said she was crying at nothing.

Wow. I didnt realise that was going to be so long so thanks if your still here... I'm sure theres probably things I've missed but I think thats the bulk of it.

Another concern I have is that I heard they will not diagnose until a child is 7, has anybody had else had this problem?

[Pomegranatemolasses]

Hi there. Sorry to hear of your worries with your Dd. To answer your last point first, it is absolutely untrue that she would not be diagnosed until the age of 7. Children as young as 2 can receive a diagnosis of asd. In fact the younger the better, as early intervention is critical.

While no one can diagnose your dd over the internet, I would say you have enough concerns there to ask your GP for a referral to a developmental paediatrition. I would do this immediately as waiting times are long.

Hope you can get the answers you want. The Sn boards here are also really helpful.

[TomHardysUnderpants]

Thank you for the reply. She has been seen by a community paediatrician who has been a waste of time. In fact she just rolls her eyes at me and sighs whenever I say anything. I was going to ring the heslth visitor today and request a referal to CAMHS but I think i am worried about coming across as silly and anxious. Probably due to my family and the paediatrician! So I changed my mind.... I will definitely ring tomorrow. I thought the HV would be better rather than GP but I may ring the docs instead.

[Hadron21]

I don't have any advice but just wanted to say you sound like a lovely mum. It could be a phase, a quirk, a diagnosis but she's got you and because of that she will be fine.

[adrianna22]

Hi Tom.. post on the special needs: children thread.

[MakeItACider]

At this point in time - don't.

Not because I think you're being overanxious, I don't. But because you're stuck with a set of medical professionals who are refusing to listen to you, and at the moment it's not going to get you anywhere.

Talk with the head of the nursery. Tell her what your concerns are. NAME them. The nursery might well be beating around the bush because quite often a parent does NOT want to hear that there might be issues with their child.

Nursery staff see lots of children - so if THEY are concerned, they will be listened to (it sucks, but that's just how it is). They also have access to experts within the education sector. If an outreach team is working with your DD, then brilliant, the school will understand that there is something that might need monitoring.

It can be a long road to diagnosis. But, AT THE MOMENT, you are getting somewhere. It might not feel as though you are, but you are.

[mummytime]

Is your GP sympathetic? Can you ask them to refer you to another paediatrician or CAMHS? If so then I would do so.
If you are in Scotland - from stories I've heard I might be more of MakeItACider's view point.

However getting nursery and the outreach worker involved could strengthen things.

Is she having speech therapy? SALT can often help and push towards diagnosis. So if you can't get a referrel for other things, try to get one for this.

[Miggsie]

If you have the money to go private, self refer to a private developmental pediatrician.

[Fugghetaboutit]

My son is under observation with a developmental paediatrician. I went to the Gp and they referred him to the local multidisciplinary team who deal with sn. He had a hearing test done there etc. could you google around your local area and see if your council has something like this? I would ask your Gp for a referral.

[TomHardysUnderpants]

Thank you so much for the replies. It always good to get a second opinion, especially a ditherer like me! I also posted this on the SN boards as suggested.

mummytime she is seeing SALT but the sessions are few and far between. There is no intervention from them as yet, just assessments. Which sometimes she participates with, and at other times doesn't (in one session all she did was count random things).

I have rang the GP today for an appointment next week. Am quite nervous and I don't know why. I think maybe I am worried they may tell me there is a problem, but on the other hand if there is I want her to receive the help she needs early. I definitely need to see someone else rather than that awful paediatrician again.