To think it isnt Aspergers

[Eggandhashbrownbutty]

my Sister seems to think my niece (2 year old) has Aspergers. She is going to check her checked by her gp or whatever the procedure is (sorry, I’m not familiar with how you get a diagnosis)

She can speak but says very few words, yes, no, shark, ball - and she knows what things are for instance if I say where’s the chair? She will point to the chair/baby/bed/cat so she is quite intelligent. It’s just her speaking she is struggling with.

She is due to start nursery next week and prior to this has been in full time care of my sister who is a great mum to her and has tried and tried relentlessly to get her to start talking. She uses word cards to help her learn words and my niece does follow her lead with this. My sister takes her out to socialise with other children and she doesn’t have a problem playing with them, she can be a bit shy at times but overall I would say she is just like any other child. Bit IMO I think she will come on leaps and bounds with speaking once she is around other children for longer periods.

My sister seems to think it is something more than just being a bit delayed and has googled and come to Aspergers. My sister says my niece has a funny walk (never noticed this myself) and trips over her feet quite a lot and is a bit unsteady which is meant to be a symptom of Aspergers tears or autism. I assume there are other things which makes her think Aspergers but she only mentioned tripping up and delayed speech.

Can anyone offer any advice? I think I have included everything as not to drip feed.

The problem with your post is it sounds as if you think your sister is looking for an ‘excuse’ for why her DD is not talking that much and has chosen Aspergers.

For me, a big difference between my DS (ASD) and my DD (NT) was their purpose for using language. DS used it to label things. DD used it to communicate with people and to get her wants/ideas across.

THIS!!! DC1 could label, label label. but no communication.

OP, how does DN use language?

@Venger

Team Venger

However children develop at such different rates and I really don't think you can diagnose asd at 2.

Shit, I better tell the separate consultants who independently diagnosed both of my twins with ASD shortly after turning 2.

One of the key diagnostic features of ASD is that issues were apparent before the age of 2. If you met my boys (who are three next month), even you would be able to tell they had ASD if you spent more than a couple of minutes with them. They have no speech at all. They would completely ignore you. They spin, mouth, jump, flap their hands. They can’t communicate.

Professionals can absolutely tell the difference between a neurological issue and “every child comes on at their own pace”.

However children develop at such different rates and I really don't think you can diagnose asd at 2.

are you a specialists/consultant in paediatrics?

However children develop at such different rates and I really don't think you can diagnose asd at 2

And yet some children are diagnosed at that age.

However children develop at such different rates and I really don't think you can diagnose asd at 2
I was told my son was autistic when he was 8 months old. The red flags need to be before 2-3 years for it to be considered asd

Technically Aspergers isn’t diagnosed anymore (not in my area anyway). It’s Autism spectrum disorder. My son has been diagnosed with autism and we weren’t given a level just ‘asd’.

If she’s worried, let her take her to the doctors. She’s obviously worried something is wrong. If there isn’t then her mind will be put to ease.

Autism or not. If there is a speech delay etc she could be referred to speech therapy etc.

Do they do two year checks in your area? Speaking to a health visitor might help reassure your sister!

My dd was doing well to me aside from speech and she was diagnosed with Autism at 2. It was only after I researched I realised it was obvious. Shes now almost 7 and doing really well but girls know how to mask it better than boys..Leave your sister be.. She knows her own child more than anyone

I think it's ok that you're confused. DD2 was diagnosed in December last year, after 2 schools, 2 speech and language therapists and a Paediatrician with a Special Interest in ASD and neurodevelopment had all said they didn't think she has ASD. It was her 3rd school that said "hmm, we have a problem here" and once we finally got to CAMHS referral, the CAMHS worker said that her screening assessment scored 'very highly' and he was sure she had ASD, but needed to wait for formal assessment. A year after that, now in her 4th school (she'd moved to Secondary), she was assessed as meeting the criteria for ASD diagnosis. Her scores were very high.

DD1 has been under a paed for 11 years. She was diagnosed with a brain malformation at 3, with me being told that I was neurotic until that point. She has LDs and goes to special school, because when she was young, the preschool staff couldn't manage her at all. It's only now, at almost 14, that her behaviour has calmed enough for ASD traits to become evident. We're just starting the information gathering and referral process for ASD assessment.