Advice Please!!!!

[chel86]

Oh god, how do I do this now??

Mindee is back today and getting on a lot better. He's sleeping now but we went to mums & tots this morning and the health visitor was there. I introduced mindee and, after the session, she told me she's concerned he has signs of autism. Now I did wonder about this yesterday when I thought about him and I did get concerned when I looked in to it. but I do not think parents are aware of any potential problem. I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I didn't pick up on any problems and I didn't make the parents aware of them, but how do I tell them?? And in the gentlest way possible??

I did wonder this myself after your last post. I would recommend to the parents that they see their HV or GP for a developmental check. Just tell them that a HV at M&T saw their child and raised concerns WITHOUT you asking her.

Autism can be very hard to diagnose, the spectrum is large. As a childminder you can't diagnose it... so all you can do is advise that x doesn't to this, x doesn't do that etc, and ask them to contact their HV for advice.
Don't mention the A word! Don't offer any information about what the problem may be. Instead just concentrate on identifying things that he doesn't do, which children of the same age would usually do - for example, pointing.