Autism? Is a speech therapist the right person???

[lilimama]

The speech therapist has said she can't see any reason why DS isn't talking yet (aged 36 months)
Would she be able to spot autism signs?
Very worried and wondering who I should take him to next...

thanks

[pagwatch]

What has she said?
Have you asked her if she has any views about DS's lack of speech.

My DS was diagnosed with ASD at 2 years.

Go and see your GP. Say you want to see a consultant and get the investiagtions started. the process to diagnosis is very slow anyway so I would be very pushy if I was concerned.And I think no speech at all at 3 years old is cause to press for speedy investiagtions.

FWIW ds2's speech therapist was very quick to tell me she suspected ASD.

[pagwatch]

Flipping hell.

No disrespect SWC but have to say...
Go to gp not hv and insist upon consultant not community paed.

My community paed said that my non-talking, violent, OCD child with dodgy bowels and food/behavioural/sleep compulsions as well as ritual behaviours and nil eye contact....... just needed to go to a mother and baby class


I hope you are having a better experience than that cat . I am sure some are better than others.

[lilimama]

thanks for your messages.

DS is asocial, can but won't talk, e.g some words but likes to either avoid talking altogether or mix/jumble letters up to create his own words but there are few and far between. He then has regular major tantrums, banging his head against walls really hard, becomes totally hysterical about specific things, won't hug or make much eye contact.

Don't know much about any special needs...

The speech therapist says we should just watch but are we running out of time if it's autism or...whatt else could it be?

thanks

[pagwatch]

SWC. Glad you have some good quality help.

You are quite right of course about quality being good or bad. I am sure we were just unlucky. And it was a while ago now. I do think things are improving

[cory]

Get GP to make referral to consultant.

[mabanana]

lilimama, ask your gp for a referral to a developmental paediatrician. Your son sounds unusual enough to warrant a proper diagnosis. If he is on the spectrum, then you can start an early intervention programme and get funding for someone to help him at nursery and then at school. It is really worthwhile. A speech therapist may be fantastic, but she isn't able to diagnose an austistic spectrum disorder.

[mabanana]

Yes, it is a DEVELOPMENTAL PAEDIATRICIAN you want. They are the experts in this field.

[lilimama]

this is what i was wondering re speech therapist. thanks for your input. I will seek a referral and hope for some good tests etc. thanks again. very worried.x

[lingle]

Lilimama,

To start with a positive note, it's wonderful that your DS can talk (though at present he doesn't want to). Even if he does turn out to have a social communication disorder, you can help him develop the skills he needs so that hopefully one day he feels relaxed using language

As others have said, you need to see a developmental pediatrician. But as also said, diagnosis could take a long time. Diagnosis is not an aim in itself - just sometimes a necessary tool to make sure he gets the right help. Don't wait for diagnosis before reviewing the support he's getting and trying to increase/enhance it.

I would suggest you move this conversation to the special needs board where you will find many more experienced and sympathetic parents. You can also "meet" some autistic people there(amber is one, she is very nice)who post on mumsnet regularly.

Meanwhile, you might want to review the communication techniques you are using at home. It could be that if you use the very best techniques you can, you might find he is able and willing to communicate more than at present.

You might also want to tell us whether your DS is going to nursery/pre-school and if he's getting support there.

Others have more expertise than me, but I wondered if you are aware of the Hanen Foundation, a Canadian charity? They publish very high quality books both for "late talkers" and for children on the autistic spectrum aimed at helping parents use the best techniques for their particular child. I found that the quality of my communication with my DS2 (now 3.2, then 2.8, late talker and late understander too) improved within a few weeks of using their techniques - he hadn't changed, but I had.

good luck.

[bubblagirl]

it was SALT who noticed my ds behaviour in the way he performed tasks that kicked off diagnosing him for autism and this being the cause for his atypical speech and lack of it at the time

[jellitot]

Hi I've just joined mumsnet. I have a child age three this month who still isn't talking. He has possible social communication problems and attention sharing problems eg he won't look out of the window with you if something is going by.
He also tends to play with the toys happily at playgroup but moves away if a large group come near. He does enjoy one to one play though with a carer and makes good eye contact. His only possible compulsion seems to be repetively playing with the same toys.(trains)
He has been assessed by SEN and the I-can centre and has been seen by the speech therapist for the past 9 months with some slight improvement. He has two mornings support and this is being increased to three. He has had about 5 hearing tests, all inconclusive as he wont co operate but he defintely can hear. Does anyone have any ideas of what to do next?

[moondog]

I'm a speech and language therapist with a particular interest in Autism.

While SALTs are pretty good at spotting Autistic traits, I don't think they are adequately equipped to organise and administer the highly structured and rigorous intervention that a lot of children with ASD need.

Frustration aT MY own inability to offer effective input led me to PECS and then to an MSc in ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) which has changed my life both professionaly and personally.

The ideal mix is an ABA therapist and a SALT who understands the principles of ABA.

No other intervention has such a strong evidence base as ABA. I have seem too many children with ASD faffed about with by well meaning but essentially ineffectual SALTs.

Jelli, welcome to Mumsnet.

It's best to start your own thread if you have specific enquiries but these observations may be useful to yuo too.

[lingle]

Moondog, what do you think about using the Hanen books in the OP's situation? I wouldn't want the OP to follow my suggestion if this was - as you put it - faffing. I recall reading that the Hanen techniques may work best if it is a case of pure language delay....which I hope it is for my DS2 who responds very well to them....

[moondog]

I couldn't really say without meeting her tbh Lingle.
Hanen is lovely and appropriate for many children but sadly i think many people have (albeit well-meaningly) faffed and delayed when using it with kids with ASD.

On the other hand,it's fair to say that more structured ABA style stuff has been used inappropriately with children who would benefit from a looser more Hanenn style approach.

Highlights once agani the need for salts and professionals who really know their field.

[TotalChaos]

agree with others about pushing for a specialist referral. a good SALT should have an inkling, but wouldn't make an official diagnosis.

[lingle]

Yes, I see what you mean Moondog . It's so easy to get over-eager to recommend things that your own child responds to.....

[moondog]

Oh Lingle, please don't think I was criticising yuo. I wasn't.
It's brilliant that you have found Hanen so useful.

[jimjamshaslefttheyurt]

The autism specialist SALT we saw told us that ds1 'definitely isn't' autistic. (He's severely autistic). He seemed to fool her because he's affectionate and smiley and can communicate fairly well without speech (he was 2 then, the lack of speech at 9 is more of a problem!)

As others have said, developmental paed and preferably a multi-disciplinary assessment.

[lingle]

Oh no it didn't come across as criticism Moondog. .

[nikos]

I've found the Hanen stuff really useful as well. And also found a change is ds in weeks. How would we know, Moondog, if we were just faffing. This is the reason us ASD mums can be sold almost anything - its the fear we have this window of opportunity and we can never do enough.
Feel a bit exposed talking about this outside the SN board

[moondog]

I know Nikos, I know.
It's what bothers me.
An education authority can bullshit you with all the spiel but when it comes to quality teaching, without being in the classroom, you have no idea.

A salt could be brilliant or useless, with exactly the same set of qualifications

And so it goes on.....

Ask questions all the time.
Trust noone (even those you like)
Trust your own judgement
Ask about the evidence base for any approach
Insist on baseline aseesments before anything serious is attempted and post baseline assessment ot measure change
If you use ABA make sure the person in charge is BCBA or at least BCABA accredited.