To not know if there's something wrong with my DD

[Banana0pancakes]

DD is 20mo and has a communication delay. Speech therapist said her receptive language seems ok, which I agree with and said her expressive language is delayed. Not in the sense of words, she doesnt have any, but she has very few gestures also.

I've been concerned since around 10mo when her eye contact seemed quite poor and she didnt try to share anything with me, no holding toys up or looking to me to see if I see what shes seen. Hv is on the fence as to whether it's a delay or disorder and so is the paed. We go back in 6 months.

At 20mo now she will make eye contact but often has to be promoted by holding something between eyes.
She points, using whole hand/back of hand. Struggles to follow a point though this is improving and has never followed a gaze.
She babbles alot, has good variation of tone and will strop if I say time for nappy change.
She has never waved, I would be interested to know if anyone else had a LO who didn't wave by this age.

Aibu to not know either way? People always say oh I knew when she was a baby she had asd. I just don't. Some days I think shes just delayed and then sometimes when shes not answering her name or hasn't looked me in the face I think she is on the spectrum.

Thank you if you've read this far, I just don't have anyone to discuss this with that isn't biased. Has anyone else little ones been like this and gone on to be NT or do you think we're on the road to a label?

I think.20 months is still a little young to say one way or the other and I'm the parent of a severely autistic nine year old child , have they referred her to anyone ? My son has portage from about 2 and a half , have you had her hearing tested and sight etc ?Has the Health visitor referred her to the community paediatrician?.

A child can have a language delay or disorder, without having ASD! DD did not make eye contact until I was told to hold her chin to make her eye contact with me, when she was around 3. We could barely understand a word she said until 5. Children can have features of autism because they understand so little of what is going on - as the language, attention, etc improves (through speech therapy), the autistic features may disappear. As in her case, eye contact was fine after she was shown the importance of it! She only ever had a language disorder; not autism!

Likewise, communication delay or disorder can be just that - it’s not necessarily the triad of difficulties for a diagnosis of ASD.

Only time will tell, but don’t tie yourself up in knots yet about what might be! Tackle the problems DC has now, with the advice of professionals and see what happens. Take life one day at a time!

There more than likely has to be a watch and wait here