Non Verbal Toddler

[Sportbilly]

Hi,

My little boy is coming up to 3.5 years old and has been diagnosed with autism, and at this point has not said even one word.

He's got many challenging behaviours such as repetitive routines, poor sleeping, biting and scratching (sensory driven we suspect), and I just don't know how or when this will get better.

It's awful when we see him around other children his age and it's like night and day, and it hammers home how far behind he is developmentally.

Don't know what I'm asking here but just incredibly worried about the future, whether he will speak, will he be able to go to a mainstream school etc.

I'm trying not to read too much, but when I do read about some low functioning children or adults, in some instances it paints a pretty bleak picture of what the future may hold.

Should I have hope it might not be so bad?

Hi OP,
I empathise with you 100%. I go from days of being hopeful that my DD will be ok to moments of sheer despair (sounds very similar to your boy). I can’t say what the future holds (she’s only a bit older than your boy) and things are still challenging on a day to day basis.

do you have any real life mums you can talk to or support groups for parents of SEN children? I feel less alone knowing she’s not the only one with this condition even when I’m surrounded by NT children

@Sportbilly similar situation here little boy will be 3 in 2 weeks no words at all. We are told he’s unlikely autistic but I’m sure it probably is. He’s like a baby not a 3year old and the difference from his peers is blaringly obvious and hard to look at. I’m constantly looking for answers. It’s so hard. Xx

@Aswad same here some days I’m hopeful other days I just can’t see how he will ever catch up to his peers xx

This is me two years ago:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4005974-If-this-is-Autism

since then, I try to celebrate the small wins as I don’t think much progress has been made. I’m also trying to save my energy for fighting her EHCP which is pretty much granted. I’m also seeking counselling to help me make sense of what’s happening.

this is advice I’d written elsewhere which t be useful:

I would recommend the Hanen books; it takes two is good. Lots and lots of activities for you to try. If doable, you can try weekly/fortnightly private SALT sessions and the therapist gives you homework in between sessions. I’m not sure what your situation is like re work but it really feels like a FT job trying to just research everything. It’s exhausting and I feel like I’m often failing my DD as I’m not doing enough.

I’ve also deferred her starting school as she’s just not ready.

Try Eventbrite and search EHCP, they often have lots of free workshops. Also search for ‘autism’ ASD and see if anything comes up. Many are online and hopefully where you live.

my daughter’s continuing with her nursery and just applied for EHCP So can be used in nursery; hopefully for some 121.

in the meantime, you can try things like attention bucket, encouraging turn taking, intensive interaction (what SALT recommended to my non verbal 4yr old)

i listen to podcasts and have found Dr Mary Barbera helpful.

on YouTube-speech scoop and walkie talkie speech therapy.

id also recommended taking therapy through my GP as I was finding it all overwhelming. That was quite helpful