DD is 4 and under a paediatrician as she has an array of sensory processing difficulties and what I'm 100% sure is autism. I have taught children on the spectrum - I know what I see. She didn't speak until a year ago so is under SALT, too. I received a letter today saying reports from nursery and SALT sound positive so no further steps are required other than a routine review in six months time. This means DD will start school in September with no support in place and will struggle immensely.
I disagree with the nursery's opinion that she's fine. She plays alone and doesn't join in with activities 90% of the time, as her teacher told me. She won't eat, drink or toilet there or even enter the toilets to wash her hands - they let her do it in the classroom. On days where routine has changed (I.e. Christmas party, guests in nursery) she has been hysterical when I've collected her. She carries a bag of favoured items which she doesn't put down all day and checks obsessively. Those things alone, as a teacher, would have me concerned for her. However, her teacher said the first year of nursery is about survival rather than blossoming and reported no concerns to the paediatrician.
Similarly with the SALT; I agreed that DDs speech had improved massively and the SALT could understand 80% of the words dd said in relation to the pictures she pointed to but admitted she was absolutely clueless when listening to dd speak in sentences to me yet she's reported fantastic progress to the paediatrician.
DD eats six foods only. She's getting fed up of these and losing weight. She can only be cared for by me. She flaps and stims so bloody obviously and completely ignored the paediatrician at every appointment. She has no friends and has never played with another child. She increasingly doesn't want to leave the house and isolates herself. I've never had a hug or a kiss from her. Ever. She can't bear smells, loud noises, bright lights. She wakes twice each night for an hour in complete meltdown.
Aibu to think she is struggling and needs support and to write to the paediatrician to ask that the review be bought forward? There was talk of her organising an ADOS last time but it seems like this has been ruled out now.