Global development delay and autistic traits

[strawberryswirl]

Hi

My 23 month old dd saw the peadiatrician today...she said she has global development delay and autistic traits...she has serious speech and communication and social delay plus some fine moto delay. Alot of her behaviour concerns point to autism.

She said she wouldnt diagnose her for ASD yet as shes only 23 months. but we will go back and see her in four months and in the mean time we are due to see the Early intervention team (salt,ot,etc) at the end of this month.

Has anyone got any experience with this, i would appricaite any advice ,feedback etc.

Thanks
xx

[Chugnuts]

I have no experience of GDD but have 2 boys with autism. I think that the main thing to be aware of is that while with GDD the development is delayed, with autism it is disordered. There are several things that my 2 can't do that they should be able to do, but at the same time there are things that they shouldn't be able to do yet but can - if that makes any sense?

Either way it's good that the Early Intervention team are involved. Sorry that you're being left in limbo in the meantime. xx

[staryeyed]

Hi strawberryswirl. How are you feeling? I am at the same stage. Have done a lot of research but have no advice really. I'm here if you want to talk.

[Joggeroo]

GDD in this house but no autistic traits. The best thing our paediatrician did was refer us to the service co-ordinator who helped support us through diagnosis, chase people as and when, organise meetings for all involved with DS, suggest we might be entitled to benefits etc. If there is the equivalent where you live, hope you can find her.
It was a bit like entering a strange new world, I lost friends and I gained some lovely new ones who also have children with special needs. though not a fan of 'groups' we go to a group for children with physical disability and developmental delay and it was great to be able to take the children somewhere where DS could play without being judged or compared.
My advice would be to make the most of people (health/eduacation professioanals) who treat your DD positively and focus on her strengths and limit your contact with people who are negative. Whilst you might not (yet?!) be an expert on gDD, you are an expert on your DD so be confident in your decisions. Be gentle with yourself as diagnosis can be a bit like a bomb going off in your life so you need time to work through that.
Remember all the things you loved about your daughter before you walked into the paediatricians office, they are still the same.

[mymatemax]

Hi, strawberry
ds2 was dx with gdd, has some autistic traits & mild CP.
When he was first assessed he was delayed in
all areas but his speech & communication has improved so much that autism was not thought to be an appropriate dx at his a multi disciplinary assessment.
He does still have many of the autistic behaviours, repetitiveness & routines , OCD, social anxiety & sensory sensitivity.
Does the early intervention team or local CDC have a parent co-ordinator ours has been very useful in helping to arrange appnts & ensuring we always get copies of all reports etc.

[strawberryswirl]

Hi

thanks for your replies.

We havent been to the Early Intervention Teams assessment yet...its at the end of this month, so im not sure whats going to happen yet.

We are also seeing a private consultant who specialises in autism in july so hoping we will have some more answers before the nhs meeting in 4 months.

xx

[MazzieJ]

Hello

My daughter is 2 years 7 months & i have just been to see a peadiatrician last week they have diagnosed her as having GDD with autistic traits.
She has always been hard work & quite a crying child. She can't talk very much & is going to now be put on the list for speech theraphy. The not understanding is hard enough. But when i take her out the cying loudly is worse. I can't console her, she doesn't understand. She can be sensitive to lould noises but is get better with this. However it's hard for me to even go on a bus sometimes!
I am lucky that my older daughter who is 9 in november, isn't special needs at all can help me look after her in the school holidays.
I thought she has full autism. But somethings are not quite strongly routined as i spose full autism would be. Authough she does like going the back way round to the school & can get distressed & head bang the front way. & prefers familiar places.

Does this sound simular to other peps children ?! I'm going to try to find some books to help my sainity !!!!

[ManxMum]

My son (7.2) has GDD, ASD and verbal dyspraxia.

I did the Hanen programme some years back and learnt bits about 'over' and 'under' stimulation and my DS is over sensitive to touch, but undersensitive to noise. He has difficulty with new social situations and is often sick to calm himself!!

PECS are also a great help and we now have some signs from him, which is a good way forward in communication, your SALT will help on this.

My son may have a developmental age of 2, but he understands everything we say to him!!

Good Luck

[2mum]

Hi my ds2 has gdd and low functioning autusm. I know a good bit about Autism but not a lot about gdd as nobody really talks about gdd when theyre referring to ds. It was only after he got assessed by a Ed pysch that i saw on paper that he had gdd.

[pingu1997]

Hi, a lot of these stories sound like my son. He was 18 months when first seen, diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay (particularly gross motor, social and communication) and observed for a further 18 months before being diagnosed on the Autistic Spectrum

Any early intervention is the best way forward. We didn't get much support until after diagnosis, could have done with it earlier really. Grab what you can, any help or advice you can get is invaluable. Particularly anything which helps with communication, having a child in the terrible 2s with no speech was not fun, I wish someone had told us about PECS before he could talk.

Also do you have an Earlybird programme in your area - it is definitely worth going on - I think it is run by the NAS.

Good luck!

[Tottengirl0613]

Hi Everyone,
I have a 24 month old daughter who has been diagnosed with global developmental delay. She has been diagnosed with that since she was about 18 months old. We have been to physical therapy because she has had difficulty walking and now has been walking about 3 months now. We go at the end of this month to get her test results from the developmental and behavioral pediatrics. I am scared and worried all at the same time. Can anyone give me some advice please as to what is next and what to do? Please and thank you