3 year old with autism has no interests

[hol92]

i have a little boy who has just turned 3 and is autistic, he has no interests he used to like the alphabet but he’s recently dropped that now he just flicks through books or does laps around the garden if we go out he used to get out and walk and enjoy that but now he just wants to sit in the buggy if he does get out he will walk up and down a fence or somthing, he used to also love nursery and now hates it :( we take him to zoos etc but again he just looks bored, I just feel guilty all of the time, I just wondered if anyone would law experienced this and if they went on to enjoy things as they got older?

having a bad anxiety day!

When my boy was that age his main interest was lobbing things and kicking things.

I wouldn’t worry

@Liznug how old is your boy now? X

My autistic DS loved bubbles and loved the rain especially if he could play in the mud at that age, now nearly a adult

15

My DS is autistic - but we didn’t know. He did go through phases of not being interested in anything particular and that’s ok.
You know he is autistic so will probably recognize strong preferences. I just thought my DC really liked Fireman Sam, the color yellow, rocks and then water.
He will find something new. In the mean time encourage the walking and exploring outside or go to the library. A love of reading is a fab special interest to have.

Try sand, bubbles and tactile play

My dd wasn't interested in much other than that - at 7 now she still likes hugs and tickles and being thrown about! ❤️

My ds loved his bins and bird book. Something he could do from a window or out and about.

Has he recently had a room move at Nursery? I’m wondering if he’s no longer happy there and now prefers the comfort of his buggy that he’s feeling a bit overwhelmed?

Does he have an ECHP for Nursery and does he have sunglasses, a hat and ear defenders when he’s outside?

@mumofoneAloneandwellhe also loves tickles, hugs and being thrown about 🥰 I guess because his sister now loves going places etc it really highlighting to me how little he likes, our speech and language therapist asked me what he’s interested in and I couldn’t answer it, did your DD change a lot from the age of 3?

@Meadowfinchthat’s lovely :) my little boy likes looking around in nature he used to love getting out of the pram and touching things etc so it’s just thrown me why he suddenly doesn’t

he hasn’t had a room change but they now have a dedicated SEN room that he sometimes goes in, I don’t know if he now prefers that room as when we went in one week he ran straight to it rather than he’s usual room, he won’t wear glasses, hat or ear defenders :( I don’t think he needs ear defenders though as weirdly he doesn’t mind sound at all, it actually quite exites him! there must be a reason he now wants the comfort of his pram though as that’s why we think he doesn’t get out anymore too, unless he’s now becoming more aware and that’s why @TinyMouseTheatre

My autistic son did the walk up and down fence thing at 3. Observing him closely I realised he was using peripheral vision to get a sensory buzz. I wouldn’t worry too much, it’s likely just his current phase and will change in a few weeks. This latter is the only constant with developing autistic toddlers - they develop but it’s often unexpected, to put it mildly.

always remember, comparison is the thief of joy.
My son is now an independant chap of 30 ish with a job and and a partner.

Toddlers are often strange creatures, autistic toddlers are strange often.
My son can still be delightfully weird but he saves it for when he’s around people he trusts (yes, he has to mask at work, yes, he shouldn’t in an ideal world, but it isn’t an ideal world for most people).
enjoy him and his development. I couldn’t picture how my son would be as an adult, I was too rooted in the day to day. It’s probably the best way to cope I suspect ( plus I am also ND although DX at 30).