22 month old son not talking and doesn't always respond to name

[FirstTimeMummy82]

Hi everyone,
This is the first time I have posted something on here. I usually just read everyone elses posts and I don't come on that often.
I am really worried about my son's development. He is 22 months old, he is my first baby, but he isn't talking. He says the odd word like mama, step, train, up. He doesn?t say the same words over and over again though and he doesn?t respond to everyone when they say his name. I think he is choosing not to respond as he does respond to me and my mum (sometimes!) He definitely isn?t deaf as he turns around when the tv or other noises happen. I?m panicking he has autism. My husband and mum both think he definitely doesn?t have it as he is really happy little boy. He?s very affectionate and loves cuddles and sitting on your knee. He plays with his cousins and he loves to be tickled and when you stop he actually takes your hand and puts it back on his tummy so you do it again. My mum who looks after him quite a lot as I go to work (she used to be a primary school teacher) says she doesn?t think he has autism because he?s so sociable and affectionate and he understands what she says. If he goes to do something he shouldn?t and you say ah ah no, then he stops. We?ve taught him to do high fives and he loves playing peek a boo. If you don?t know he is in the house and you call him, he?ll come out to show you where he is. He?s also has really good concentration levels, for instance, he will sit for ages reading books. Ha obviously he?s not actually reading them(!) but he looks at all the pictures and that and carefully turns the pages. My friend?s children who are around the same age just destroy them and get bored after a few minutes. But it?s embarrassing when my friends try and talk to him and say his name ?cause he just ignores them! He started nursery about 2 months ago, he only goes for half a day a week (there's no more availabilty at the mo) and he also goes to a playgroup once a week and since that he?s been babbling loads. The thing is, when I Googled it (which I know you shouldn?t do!) he should have 50 words in his vocabulary by now, he should be pointing at things, he should be bringing objects like toys over to me and he should definitely respond to his name. He has his 2 year evaluation coming up so I was just going to wait for that but now I?m thinking of taking him to our GP as I?m so worried he?s got autism. I know they?ll say he?s definitely displaying signs of autism though and I read it?s not so much the odd things they do (he loves wheels, he bounces loads, looks out of the sides of his eyes) as all kids do weird things, it?s more the things they AREN?T doing. He?s such a happy, affectionate, content child, could it really be autism? I play with him all the time and encourage him talk but I?m going to start doing this even more. I always know what he wants so I just give him things like milk when I know he wants it so I need to start making him ask for it (but he just kicks off!). And I sing to him a lot. He knows the actions to ?if you?re happy and you know it? and claps his hands and stamps his feet. Also he loves Baby TV but I?ve stopped putting the telly on because he LOVES it (too much) and doesn?t pay any attention to you when it?s on. The thing is he knows how to work it now and I?ll hear the telly go on and he?s put it on himself lol. I?ve done a list of the things he does and doesn?t do below which I?ll take to the doctors.

Things he does:

Peek a boo
High five
Jumps a lot
Walks on his toes
Pretends to be blind (screws up his eyes and walks around with his arms out)
Laughs a lot
Puts his arms out to be picked up
Says the odd words
Affectionate
Likes to be cuddled and likes to sit on your knee
Plays with his cousins and likes being around other kids
Claps
Sings
Babbles
LOVES the telly (too much)
Has a temper sometimes where he clenches his fists and shakes
Looks at the corner of his eyes
Gives you his hand when you ask for it
Loves being tickled

Things he doesn?t do:

He doesn?t talk
He doesn?t respond to his name to most people
He doesn?t look at everyone

I was wondering if anyone else is going through the same thing with their child?

A very worried mummy xx

[BoyMom776]

Oh sorry just realised this wasn’t even my post 🤣 just one I had commented on!

@FirstTimeMummy82 how is your boy doing? Have you had any more
luck with the local authority and getting him into an ABA school?

[FirstTimeMummy82]

@Aliza81

Hi saw your post about your son, I have the exactly same worries that you had. All the symptoms are perfectly same, it felt that I have written that post. I am curious to know does your son have autism ? I hope not. Please reply

Hi there, I'm sorry you are worrying. If you want to read this whole thread I have given detailed updates spanning over the last 10 years of how things have gone with my son. He is autistic, yes. He is 13 now. I hope the posts I have written, help.

[FirstTimeMummy82]

@BoyMom776

Oh sorry just realised this wasn’t even my post 🤣 just one I had commented on!

@FirstTimeMummy82 how is your boy doing? Have you had any more
luck with the local authority and getting him into an ABA school?

Hi we are up to our fourth tribunal now. We have just appealed to the Upper Tribunal as big mistakes were made, again, by the First Tier Tribunal. It's not only the Local Authority that is an issue, but the Tribunal panel have been incompetent too and have based their decisions on inaccurate information and basically misunderstanding. So we keep having to appeal, which costs more money and more time. My son is 13 now, we started the process of trying to get him in this school when he was 8. Anyway if we don't get him in this time I think we are going to move boroughs as there are better provisions in a neighbouring county/Local Authority than the one we are in. I need to start looking at colleges now with him being a teenager and we have nothing suitable in our area. My son, is happy enough in himself though. We are still living full lives, out all the time and going on holidays. He goes to horse riding lessons with his sister now. So all is good, I'll just keep on fighting to get him the education he deserves.