Autism or GDD?

[ZainesMum]

From the age of 3 months my son has had 'odd' behaviour. He wouldn't give eye contact or be interested in faces and had staring fits. As he got older the behaviour got more intense, he would line things up, be obsessed with wheels (still is) wouldn't answer to his name, the list is endless. I took my list to our GP who said it sounds like autism, since then he has had many professionals involved and started nursery, he has come on so much that sometimes i doubt myself for thinking there is anything wrong. he has had an assessment and there was no diagnosis given so will be having another assessment in the new year. He is behind with speech, communication and play by around a year- year and half. It's not the development I'm worried about its the behaviour and I don't feel like the professionals have seen him at his worst he still does not like eye contact, will have staring fits, lines things up, obsessed with wheels, hates strangers (to the point that if someone brushes past him he will go mental screaming 'wipe it, wipe it' the only person on my side is portage and she will be leaving soon as he has turned 3 now so I guess I'm just wondering if I should push for a diagnosis of autism or accept it may just be GDD? Sorry about the long post thank you for reading x

GDD is a mystery to me. I was dished that crap for 2 years. I am yet to meet someone in real life or online who is just 'delayed'. I mean I don't know a 15 yr old who is at a 10 yr old's level and on a delayed growth curve - socially and academically. So I personally think such a thing just doesn't exist. Also the word 'delay' is just a way of fobbing of parents. It's never a delay. It a disorder.

I would aggressively push for an asd diagnosis and start the intervention.

My thoughts exactly, thanks for your feedback

GDD is simply a term given to a child whose development is 'delayed' in two or more areas: Motor skills, Speech and Language, Social and Emotional, cognitive.

The difference between 'delay' and 'disorder' refers to whether the child is developing the skills in the way that most children do, but slower, or whether they are developing 'differently' to other children.

There are lots of children at DD1's school who had 'GDD' as a very young child and have never got a diagnosis at all. It tends to be replaced with 'moderate/severe/profound learning difficulties' as they get to school age.

Well, zzzzz, for ASD you'd be spot on. Lots of children with ASD are given a GDD label first, while the picture clears, especially if there are glue ear/S&L issues which may cloud it.

Would you say the behaviour I listed is common with GDD? I don't know much about it but I thought it was more about delays in development not unusual behaviour? I really don't know

He is behind with speech, communication and play by around a year- year and half. Yes very common. Speech and language issues impact communication in general and play skills often follow on from communication skills.

It's not the development I'm worried about its the behaviour and I don't feel like the professionals have seen him at his worst he still does not like:

eye contact - tricky. Obviously it's a 'red flag' for ASD, but if he's 18 months behind in other areas, it's possible that he just hasn't connected the dots with that yet?

will have staring fits - can you 'break in' when he's having these episodes, or is it as if he simply isn't there, vacant? Have the paeds investigated for epilepsy?

lines things up - some children do. Some children with ASD do. How does he react if you move something out of line?

obsessed with wheels - yes.

hates strangers (to the point that if someone brushes past him he will go mental screaming 'wipe it, wipe it' - is it fear or a sensory thing?

Obviously there are 'red flags' there but it's not uncommon for a lot of that to be present with children with GDD either. I suppose it's a matter of how professionals view it.

Oh and to be honest, it doesn't matter as much as you may think. As long as they are flagging his SN, and he's getting the support he needs, the diagnosis isn't too important.

DD1 has no real diagnosis but still got a special school place. As I said before, many of the children at DD1's special school don't have a diagnosis, even in years 4, 5 & 6.

The staring fits you can't break you can wave your hand infront of his face and he won't be 'back in the room' until he is out of the fit. He likes lining card up but they all have to be facing the right way, I have faced a single car the wrong way before and when he double checked his line he noticed it straight away and reacted angry messing up the line. People it's definitely a fear but he has a major heart condition too and has had open heart surgery so I would say the fear has come from that although I can't say for sure. He doesn't like to be touched though even by familar people so again I couldn't say for sure. I've thought because of hi heart condition and his heart not developing normally that maybe some part of his brain didn't develope normally too if you get that? I've put my point to professionals but nothing has come of it yet. I suppose just having a diagnosis is more for me so I can say its not all in my head and I can put a name to his problems, it's just a waiting game but at least there's reassurance that he will be giving support Ben without a diagnosis :)

Gosh sorry for all my spelling mistakes

His father has epilepsy too so I'm surprised they haven't investigated the fits. zzzzz thank god I'm not the only one lol

I will do, I've asked for an MRI twice now and they have just brushed it off :( I will demand one next time

Oh that's prob what I'm thinking of I get confused with all the different tests. He does it enough for every professional to have seen it, at least 3 times a day

I would get a 24 hr EEG ASAP.

Are they sedated for an EEG do you know? He hasn't been able to have an ECG reading for 2 years because he becomes that scared and angry with all the wires etc

Oh my.. Ok thanks :) shall go request/demand one this week