Hello fellow mummys!
Quick warning - it’ll be a long read!
I am looking for some advice/experience re my little boy - I’m worried he’s showing signs of being on the spectrum and it gives me so much anxiety, I feel physically sick most days.
I know nobody can diagnose here and that’s not what I’m expecting, I’m just after some advice if anyone experienced anything similar and everything turned out to be ok (or not) or if anyone here happens to be a professional in the area their views whether we should be pushing harder or even try and fork out for private assessments - I already spoke to HV and speech and language but they are not willing to do anything just yet.
What my little boy does:
- He listens to his name (not always but I would say more often than not)
- He understand what we tell him and can follow instructions, such as put it in the bin, put your shoes away, socks off, etc. (although he does chose when he wants to listen to them haha..)
- He points at everything pretty much
- He can wave but again, more on his terms not necessarily in the appropriate social context, although it feels like he’s getting it now and started doing it more when we say hi/bye (BUT! he only started doing this after he turned 18 months, no waving before)
- He can clap
- He likes to play peekaboo, he can do some basic pretend play such as feeding his teddy, pretending to talk on the phone
- He’s an amazing sleeper, we just put him down, leave his room and he’s out in 2 minutes, sleeping all night 7-7
- He often copies what we do
- He knows some actions to nursery rhymes but it’s limited, and he only really engages with them if he’s in his high chair/bath/getting changed, otherwise he’s pretty much constantly on the move
- He can walk - he has been walking for a long time holding on to our hands but only started walking completely independently on the day he turned 18 months
- I would say he has good eye contact most of the time
- He mostly plays with toys appropriately. He does like switching lights and spinning things but not obsessively (occasionally and for short period of time)
- He is very social, loves other people (kids and adults). He is quite wary of them first if he doesn’t know them but warms up to new people quickly.
What he doesn’t do:
- He doesn’t talk. In the last couple of weeks he started saying car, ta-ta when waving bye and oh-oh when something falls down but that’s it, no animal sounds either.
- He doesn’t really bring toys up to us to share interest. He is perfectly happy playing with them on his own - does occasionally look at us but if feels like he’s perfectly content being on his own.
- I don’t think he looks at us when he hears an unusual sound or he doesn’t turn if I turn my head (he looks if I point at things)
Other things I’m concerned about:
- In the last few weeks he started rolling his eyes/glancing out from the corner of his eye occasionally
- He occasionally twirls his fingers - mostly when he’s reaching for something but I noticed on other occasions as well.
I spoke to nursery but they say they have no concerns about him whatsoever, even though he can’t talk he communicates well, he loves other kids, takes part in activities, etc.
He’s 18 months old.
If you managed to get this far thank you so much ❤️