Does this sound like autism in my 2 year old?

[MissMalteser]

Ds turned 2 in March and I have had a gut feeling something wasn’t right from around 18 Months, he was slow to walk (18 Months) never made eye contact, had limited concentration and never babbled or showed any signs of understanding what was being said to him or being able to communicate, he can say one word which is nana (banana) and can recognise the word no, he responds to his name around 30% of the time and doesn’t point to anything he wants but will lead you in that general direction by the hand then I walk him around it until his body language tells me I’ve got it, so for example if he wants a drink he will take me by the hand into the kitchen sink then stand there and contort his body in a certain way until I say juice? Then he acts excited until he gets it.
When the health visitor came to see him for his 2 year check she noted that he didn’t acknowledge she was in the room at all, there was no curiosity that a stranger was in his house, and he was spinning and putting his hands over his ears a lot, he has seen a salt once who referred him on the first meeting for a developmental assessment with a paediatric consultant which is happening in June but in the meantime I am sending myself insane with worry, he is a mostly happy placid boy, but sometime I worry he is too placed, he cries to go to his room then would happily lie in his cot for an hour by himself and never cries in the night when he wakes even though he will usually wake around 3 times a night, I’m just so unsure about how the process of diagnosing autism works and if it’s not that could it be something else?
I have so any questions and worries about what the future might hold for him but if feels like nobody to talk to, does anyone else have any experience about being diagnosed with autism so young?
Thank you and apologies for lack of paragraphs I’m writing this from my phone

[Pomegranatemolasses]

@MissMalteser, ask to have this reposted in the SN section, where I'm sure you'll get some good advice.

(just click on Report at top of thread)

[TheApeOfDeath]

Hi there,
I just wanted to say that our (now 3 yr old) son is so similar. You could have written your post about him. We have had a diagnosis of autism now (Kanner’s syndrome). The waiting is enough to drive anybody completely mad with worry and frustration but my best advice is just focus on keeping him happy and placid and content, giving him the opportunity to grow and learn, talk to him even if he doesn’t respond at all or look at you, hug and kiss and hold him as much as possible even though you get no reciprocation. Be his voice in the world and make home the most loving and supportive place on Earth. Don’t have expectations of massive leaps forward at home, just be. Spin with him, cover your ears, mimic his noises, lie next to him and stare at what he is starring at. If he’s putting his face on something (my son loves to lie with his face glued to the window and then licks it and then sticks his face back to it for hours) then do the same. I hope that doesn’t sound patronising. I spent a long time thinking I had to have a magic wand. I had to make him better. But now I think my job is just to let him be him so he’s comfortable and happy and has a soft place to land where he isn’t expected to be a certain way. The medical/practical help will come from the experts. You’ve had the referral and that’s great. If you have any questions feel free to DM. Good luck for the future.