First step in get ASD / ADHD diagnosed.

[rsa001]

Hi
My son is 3 years old and I suspect he might have ASD (low end).

His social skills aren't great, he doesn't play with children in his nursery. He avoids things that other child love; he won't ride a scooter as he is scared he'll fall over, similarly he is scared of using slides, swings or climbing frames for fear that he'll hurt himself. At home he will run up and down the living room, laugh and playing, its impossible to get him to sit still for 10 minutes.

I've encouraged him to try and overcome these worries but it hasn't worked. I don't want him to go through life being in state of worry or fear.

I am looking for suggestions about how I can get some qualified to look at him to make sure there isn't an underlining issue. Would the first step be his GP or should the local council be the first point of contact

What do the nursery say?

I think if you have suspicions you're probably better speaking to health visitor/doctor. However, you will probably have a long wait, they may want to see if it's something he will move past.

I think you're best going to your GP and asking for a referral to paediatrics. Diagnosis process for ASD was led by paediatricians in our case.

Talk to your health visitor. Often they are able to refer on, or do a run through similar to M-CHAT (google it, it's a simple checklist to flag potential developmental need a referral to a developmental paediatrician.

The nursery say they don't have any major concerns. They noted that, when he first joined in Sept he was very shy and withdrawn but he has become less so over time. They still notice that he doesn't participate in play time like the other kids; he avoids anything that he thinks is dangerous or might cause him to hurt himself, but think that he will grow out of this.

My concern is that if he continues this type of behavior, and embeds it to his character, he'll won't grow out of it.

any update?