26 months no words be kind please

[Mumsboyy]

Hello all I’m looking for some advice / just want to speak.

My son was born early but since his first birthday he hasn’t made much eye contact with us. He will look at me more as I’m his mum but anyone else he won’t give them eye contact.
He has never spoke. Not babbled
for his one year check he was very behind but we put it down to him being born really early.

anyway a year fast forward he’s still never spoke nor waved pointed. He doesn’t follow any basic instructions as he dont understand what I mean. He always plays with cars just pushing them up and down.
he goes to nursery and they have said recently he needs support in all areas and I’m still left confused as what this actually means I’ve been googling. They did write a report and said he doesn’t notice other children can trip up on them or bump into them. Doesn’t let any one comfort him or play with anyone
he always bangs his head on the floor or off cupboards/ the sofa. He is a lovely little boy my baby and I am trying to figure out myself if he is showing signs of autism or he is just really behind :( either way I love him all the same he’s not my first baby so I assumed he was just different / behind / lazy and loved we do everything for him too
im still waiting to see a health visitor I rang over two weeks ago upset with my concerns and still not heard anything back.
we have an appointment at the drs in two weeks but I don’t want to be fobbed off.
feel like no one is listening to me :(

With your doctors appointment you d want to approach it by insisting on referrals to at least audiology, speech and language and the paediatrician. It could well be a hearing issue but it does sound like there's some social communication difficulties there so yes it could be autism.
Speech and language can take a while to see you, so as a good starting point intensive interaction is something you can learn easily to do yourself and you can ask nursery to use objects of reference and use them at home to help understand instructions.

When the Nursery suggested that he is behind on everything, have they suggested anything?

If the HV is responding to you, can you find out who their Boss is? You might be able to google it or your Doctor’s Receptionist may be able to tell you.

Alternatively, is there a HV clinic that you could get to?

I think you’ve already been let down by the HV. If he was behind at his 1 year check she should have followed up with you.

As well as the referrals to SaLT, a hearing test and to a Paediatrician to see why he’s behind I would also ask for a referral to Portage. As he’s falling regularly and over over DC at Nursery, I would also ask for a sight test and an appointment with Physio to check his core strength and if there is a physical reason for his lack of co-ordination.

I would also fill in both of these before you see the GP:

28 month Ages & Stages

and the 24 month Social & Emotional Ages & Stages.

On the first one, scoring in the grey in a couple of areas is perfectly normal as that hiw the assessment is designed, it’s not designed so that most will get all while.

On the second one, if he scores between 50 and 65 you’ll need a follow up appointment in a couple of months to monitor him. If he scores over 65 he should have an automatic referral to Paediatrics.

Unfortunately the services are so over stretched that it really is a case of those who push get seen so ring your HV every day, see if you can speak to the local HV team lead and insist on being seen and then when you are seen, insist on those referrals