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Behaviour/development

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Spiraling about autism concerns - any experiences with being wrong about ASD?

3 replies

babydust23 · 02/10/2024 22:23

My son is 2 years and 3 months. He has recently started preschool (3 weeks ago) and they have commented that he's showing signs of delay. They said that he doesn't give a lot of eye contact (he does with me, my husband, and our family members most of the time but it's not constant), that he doesn't respond to his name (again he does at home but it's not constant), that he likes to climb (I thought all 2 year a olds do), and that his speech is delayed (this I knew).

He says a handful of words, flaps his hands every now and again, plays with toys (he doesn't line them up but he does some repetitive play), spins around to make himself dizzy every now and again, points at things but doesn't look back at me to make sure I'm looking at the same thing, he doesn't seem to have any sensory issues, sleeps well unless he's going through something (regression, illness, etc), eats well, smiles and laughs, can name a few things when we use flash cards, can sort colours into the correct piles, enjoys playing with us but is also happy to play alone.

Something that bothers me though is that he used to sing certain nursery rhymes with me but doesn't seem interested anymore. He also doesn't seem to wave or blow kisses much anymore unless prompted (and when he feels like it).

I know that no one can tell me whether he's autistic without getting an assessment done - I'm on the case, we just need to wait for the referral. I was just wondering if anyone else had experiences of suspecting autism/ASD and it turned out their child DID NOT have autism.

It's consuming me at the moment. If he is autistic then we will deal and will help him however we can. He's still my little boy and I love him with all my heart. I can't help being worried of what the future holds though.

OP posts:
Claire2361 · 06/10/2024 21:23

Not what you're asking for as my daughter is autistic, but going through all the stages I'd just like to say it really is very very difficult to say one way or another, time is the only thing. He's very young still and they change a lot during these stages.
I suspected my daughter to be autistic around 15months old, she got diagnosed at 5 years old. She could recite the alphabet forwards and backwards at 2. She could write 3 and 4 letter words and read simple stories at 3/4 years old. She would give eye contact, back and forth play, very happy girl with close family.
However she didnt walk unassisted until 2years 9 months. Would do things in patterns/sequences, had delayed echolalia, constsnt flapping of hands and banging of feet when happy, would need us to repeat words she said back to her, needed routine, would look from the corners of her eyes, cried ALOT, sensory issues like noises, anything on her hands, crowded places etc.

There's every chance your boy does not have autism but right now you will most probably fixate on it like I did, I'd be 14 pages deep on Google about child development every night. It sounds like you're a great mum so whatever happens you will both be fine x

babydust23 · 07/10/2024 20:56

@Claire2361 hi Claire, thanks for taking the time to respond. It's definitely anxiety on my part that's making this very difficult to process. I'm also 27 weeks pregnant and I stopped taking my anxiety medication when I found out I was pregnant so that along with the pregnancy hormones is not helping.

I know for a fact that if my son ends up having autism that we will do everything we can to help and support him. Of course it would not change a thing. I'm just scared of the unknown. I know there isn't much I can do apart from take it one day at a time, I'm just finding it so hard to not fixate on it and it's making me feel guilty as it's taking the fun out of our time together 😫

OP posts:
Claire2361 · 07/10/2024 21:19

I totally understand, infact I said those exact words myself that it was taking the fun out of our time together. I'm quite anxious by nature too and like to 'know everything' so I was admittedly obsessive about figuring out if she was autistic or anything else. Looking back now it was all pretty pointless but it's totally understandable. Hope you can get some piece of mind and enjoy your boy & pregnancy x

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