Those with knowledge of ASD....

[Poshpaws]

Any advice would be welcome, as I am concerned about DS2 (2.2).

I contacted my HV when DS was 2.1 as he seemed to not have the language level of a two year old. After her assesement she agreed with me and said she felt he has some speech delay and referred him for SALT. He is also having a hearing test tomorrow. She did not seem to think it could be ASD as he had good eye-contact and played with her. However, I still have some concerns that I did not mention to her, so was hoping the MN experts would be able to advise me.

He does point out things when we are out and about and points out things in books and around the house he wants me to name(first pointed at 18 and a half months)

He does have good eye contact with family, some friends and other children.

Greets and plays well with family, friends and other children. Also, plays with his toys correctly and has good imaginative play.

Loves to sing songs and does hum a lot of them to himself. He also initiates games with me such as peek-a-boo.

Understands some simple instructions, such as 'Sit down', Go upstairs, time for night-night', go and get your shoes.

However, he does not: EVER point to something he wants. He mainly tries to get it himself or on very rare occassions, takes my hand to lead me to it.

Walks quite a bit on tip-toes and is quite unsteady on his feet(walked at 17 months). In fact one of the mothers in DS1's school playground commented that DS2 walks 'like a drunk'

Does not attempt to say words that he hears all the time, such as drink and if you mention animal names, he usually does the sound of the animal or vehicle, so Thomas is 'toot-toot'

Rarely refers to me as mummy, ie does not call for me. But he does come to find me if he needs me.

Sorry for waffling on and possibly wasting your time, but I really wanted some advice from those in the know.

Thanks

[Leilel]

hummmmm, theres a lot of similarity in your description of your DS to my 2 sons who have ADHD(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)...They maintained a 'twin language' til they started using more english when they started school. Eye contact and imagination sounds ADHDish too. (they can make friends easily, but can also lose them easily).

Theres a variant called ADD (attention deficit disorder)where they arent so much hyperactive but maintain most of the other 'symptoms', this sounds something like your brief description).

I still use the simple commands 'stop' 'cross' etc because its just easier for them to process, (sometimes when they have impulsively yanked out of my hands and run into the road its more like "STOPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!").

I could talk on this subject in great depth, and recommend useful books and contacts. Other forum contributors may have other advice or suggestions for you, and your description is very brief so i wouldnt want to even attempt to pin a label on your DS.

Theres just quite a few bells ringing for me thats all.

[Poshpaws]

Thanks for your reply Leilel.

When you say eye contact and imaginative play, did you mean that with ADHD it was good? As my son is very good at both. And I am also intersted in examples of the dual language your sons had.

[gess]

I;m not sure eye contact is all that relevant, severely autistic ds1 has very good eye contact. Your post isn't particularly ringing ASD though, more 'something' iykwim, but not necessarily ASD.

Worth checking out dyspraxia to see what you think & good that he's been referred on.

[gess]

check out verbal dyspraxia as well (called apraxia in the States, so google both).

[Poshpaws]

I was hoping you would reply, gess, as I have read some of your previous threads and obviously you are very knowledgeble on this subject

I agree with you. There is 'something'but not sure what yet. Hopefully we'll get answers soon as my DH can't cope with my 'Is he or isn't he?' questions anymore

Will check out info on dyspraxia.

[Leilel]

eye contact has always been good, and as for imaginative play, the whole life is a playground for my 2,(unfortunately ofc this includes dangerous situations) their imagination is amazing, and its one of the things that attracts other people to them, (everyone loves a rebel right?)unfortunately due to impulsivity and hyperactivity they can quickly overwhelm other people, and exhaust people. Im sure that other people can seem like dull unimaginative oafs from their point of view. They ahve short fuses, but cant concentrate long enough on holding grudges, so they move onto something else and whatever triggered the outburst is pushed aside.

Sometimes they appear to be lost in their own (sometimes joint/sometimes seperate) world/s. Their imagination is running overtime. Now that english has improved a bit at school all the wonderful and novel imaginative stuff thats in their heads can be expressed, i've found them to be full of interesting solutions to problems.

The twin language was a kind of 'bastardised' English, they both have additional speech and language difficulties (a lot of ADHD & ADD kids do)and their language was based on using just 12 (of the 44 phonims) in English. Mine didnt bother to say the names of things they knew well (i think that from their point of view, talking took up too much time!). They have turned out to have a rare empathy and can read body language exceptionally well, their twin language included a vast amount of body language.

they are fearless and happy, win every race at school, on the go, never stopping all day every day, cant sit still at all. and have never suffered 'seperation anxiety' they are quite happy to run off to explore without thought to danger to themselves or others. Being 'lost' has never bothered them. Its because of the impulsivity. They only realise the cyclone like effect they have on the world around them...after the fact. When they have sent old ladies flying by barging onto the bus at full speed without thought for dull convention like queueing, (not just once or twice but every time!). They know the technicalities of what is dangerous, but their 'stopping mechanism' doesnt kick in til they are already doing it.

This is a generalisation but the following seems to be pretty accurate most of the time:.......ADHD kid: see>act. Quite a lot of ADD kids: see>dont act. (most kids = see>process(danger/consequences)>choose act/dont act.)

All kids are different, and as i said, your brief description rang lots of bells, but it sounds like your DS has less of the hyperactivity aspect. Every kid is so different that there is no difinitive list of ADHD/ADD 'behaviours'.

Lots of the literature on the subject is very negative and doom laiden, but i found a interesting and positive book that id recommend: 'The ADHD book of lists, a practical guide to helping children and teens with Attention Deficit Disorders'. by Sandra F.Rief. (theres a paperback ed.). Read the list of positive traits of ADD/ADHD kids.

Another widely read book is Dr G. D. Kewley's 'ADHD: recognigion, Reality and Resolution' which has examples and brief biographies of kids/teens/adults with various forms of ADHD/ADD.

[gess]

Is he/isn't he is an awful time.....

apraxia kids is THE place for ino on verbal dyspraxia. Although do be warned they diagnose it much more readily in the States (parly because of slightly different definitions).