Our son just turned 3, he started showing symptoms of autism or ADHD from around 2nd birthday. Milestone when other children would start speaking, he spoke some single words, but didn't show desire to verbally interact. We are waiting for our evaluation in December (ADOS), but for the last 6 months as a worried mum I was trying to figure out what it was exactly that our son has... It is so confusing! Is it autism or ADHD..?? Any experience..?
At 37 months (just turned 3 years) :
- loves to be around people, he is quite social, but not verbally. He keeps following where we are and wants us to be where he is - takes us by the hand.
- he adopts new people very easily. Immediately blended in at kindergarten, as soon as he met new nannies - best friends from day 1 with both of previous nannies. Very easy going.
- he never pointed, always hand lead ( but we never encouraged hand pointing specifically...)
- loves cuddles and kisses, when he is sad he comes and asks "hug"
- has significant speech delay, communicates with single word or at most 2 word combinations (let's go/ brush teeth), but knows his abc perfectly, recognises all letters, can count 1-30 and recognises numbers, knows a lot of words when presented word cards, knows all colours etc m. Often sings songs from tv (echolalia..?), sometimes blurts our random words without context
- he understands what we say to him, but seems that he chooses to ignore us. When I ask questions- never responds. Have to ask same question 20 times to maybe get a response.
- sometimes has great eye contact, other times totally avoids looking at my eyes. Sometimes responds to his name immediately, other times - totally ignores and is busy with something else.
- does not stay playing with the same thing for long, gets bored easily / distracted easily
- climbs on everything, doesn't listen ever and keeps doing naughtily and dangerous stuff
- very giggly and happy kid overall. Always greets with a smile and a hug and "mummy!" Or "daddy"
- always fidgety , impossible sometimes to read a book for him, he is always on a move like he has ants in his pants
- loves running, walking and all the physical stuff, lives to play rough (when dad throws his around etc)
- fussy eater
- gets very angry is doesn't get his way or there is a change to what he expected that will happen (change of plan)
- not observed any repetitive behaviours other than occasional he looks from the corner of the eye, sometimes when he is playing, sometimes when he is just sitting and eating and "messing about" ( he is not running in same patters, he is not lining-up toys etc..)