If your child is on the ASD spectrum

[crispyporkbelly]

When did you suspect it and why?

Thank you

Age 2 mostly because of lack of speech, looking back there were other signs but the speech was the main concern

Hi itis what other signs?

I always new something was different about my ds. At age of 2 I spoke to my gp saying I thought ds had ocd. I didn't know anything about Autism, only what people said about no eye contact and wanting to play alone. My ds seemed ok with eye contact and quite sociable. When he was 4 I read alot about autism and realised that my ds had autism. He was diagnosed 8 months later. Having the diagnosis has changed our life for the better. Gp had offered to refer ds at age 2 and I said no because i really didn't think he needed a dx of anything. I regret not finding out sooner.

For me, the main sign was ds always seemed different to others his age. Communication wasn't right, playing was not the same, major tantrums over strange things, food and eating was a huge issue. He was very clingy to me. He had rituals he had to perform every day. He seemed very anxious especially in busy places.

I always new something was different about my ds. At age of 2 I spoke to my gp saying I thought ds had ocd. I didn't know anything about Autism, only what people said about no eye contact and wanting to play alone. My ds seemed ok with eye contact and quite sociable. When he was 4 I read alot about autism and realised that my ds had autism. He was diagnosed 8 months later. Having the diagnosis has changed our life for the better. Gp had offered to refer ds at age 2 and I said no because i really didn't think he needed a dx of anything. I regret not finding out sooner.

For me, the main sign was ds always seemed different to others his age. Communication wasn't right, playing was not the same, major tantrums over strange things, food and eating was a huge issue. He was very clingy to me. He had rituals he had to perform every day. He seemed very anxious especially in busy places.

Oops sorry posted twice!

Thanks tacal for replying. When you say 'no eye contact' is there never any? Even if you were to play peek a boo or something?

I'm worried about my ds

sorry, I was not very clear in my last post.

My ds has good eye contact a lot of the time. But will not look at people when he is anxious.

Because my ds has good eye contact and appears to be very sociable no one believed me when I thought he had autism.

I came to mumsnet and posted on the special needs - children board and the lovely people on there helped me figure everything out.

You should post on the special needs board. I would also recommend reading about ASD and taking a list of your concerns to your GP or HV if you are worried. what things are you worried about?

Ds1 always seemed a bit 'different' but the things that really struck me were that he didn't respond to his name, didn't speak, and had no interest in anyone. I originally thought he might have problems with his hearing but suspected ASD by the age of 2yrs. He was diagnosed at 3.5yrs old.

With ds2 I had real suspicions at 10mths when he stopped speaking (he had a few words but lost them). He was also extremely active and could run within days of taking his first real steps. Again he didn't really respond to his name either. He was diagnosed at 2yrs old.

I first raised it stressing when he started to crawl.. aside from the fact he screamed from the off and didnt stop for a few years.. I used to watch him when he started to crawl. He would find a spot and tap his head against it for a long time. If I didn't stop him he would eventually stop and find another spot to do it.

I knew then... it was a gut feeling. When he was born I had a friend who had hers around the same time and they matched exactly up to a point in development. Her bairn bounded ahead and mine just stagnated. I know now that my son 'leaps' in development about twice a year, rather than little leaps or steady progress. Then I have to catch up to him.. it's quite unnerving when he can do all this stuff one day that he couldn't do the week before.

I first asked for a referral due to behaviour issues when DS was 4, but I suspected ADHD rather than ASD (he has both). He wasn't officially diagnosed until age 9. He's quite high functioning, and although he's quirky, he didn't show a lot of the early signs of ASD - normal speech, affectionate, sociable, good eye contact, no food issues or rituals, no clinginess, tantrums within normal boundaries. Even now he can 'pass for normal' if he's not in a stressful situation.

I started to realise at 18 months when he lost words he once new, his eye contact wasn't good with strangers but good with me and dp, he couldn't point or clap but was fascinated with his hands, he wouldn't walk out side and would line things up over and over and stand on the spot spinning.
He was dx with autism in January at the age of 2 years 8 months.
He now has good eye contact with everyone can communicate by taking our hands to what he wants, he has became the most cuddly little boy on the planet, he still lines thing up all over the house but we have became more aware to watch where we walk lol, he has started to use a spoon just recently and is starting to learn to eat with a fork. He can clap his hands which he thinks is amazing, he can walk short distances outside but only to places he know like his nursery or my mums. He doesn't have any words yet but can copy us just not keep the words he's repeating.
There is a lot more good and not so good things but the above is what came to mind when typing.

My nephew, who I care for was first under suspicion by me at the age of 2 when he had no words and never asked for anything or sought attention. He would not for instance bring me a toy like most toddlers do...but wander about on his own.
He looked at things from strange angles...laying his head on the floor for instance and staring at his Thomas Trains from sideways on.

He had problems with certain textures....would not eat many foods and though he has eye contact with those he loves and trusts, won't look at people in the eye and won't play with other children unless again, he knows them well and the game is a simple one such as chase...or bouncing together on the trampoline.

He is 4 now and about to get a diagnoses. He doesn't talk a lot but will say "yes please" or "no thank you". He is very echolalic...meaning that he recites books or films line for line at innapropriate times.

He can however count to more than 100 and recognise many complex shapes, he can read and will do so when he is very comfortable. He is also begining to write. We have high hopes for him.

Thanks for all the replies.

It's just little things niggling but it might be nothing.

Ds is 16 months, no words but babbles, doesn't point, not very good eye contact at all, sometimes has a glazed look (but maybe he's tired at the time?). Used to wave but doesn't now.
However he can communicate when he wants something without speech - brings me stuff he wants opening for example, lets me know when he wants out of his high chair.

I did the CHAT test and he scored a high risk which was a bit worrying.

Oh and doesn't respond to name or me calling at all

I think that you need some help with this. Losing skills is often a symptom. I'm no expert but have a close friend whose DS was diagnosed at 2.

with DN it became very very obvious around his 2nd birthday - no social smile, no reaction to human voices, no language developement, no eye contact (very cuddly though) - diagnosed at age 3

with DC it became obvious at almost the same age - very advanced language skills incl. grammatically correct use of the conjunctive mode and different tense forms (not appropriate in spoken language and certainly not at that age), very set in his ways, sensory problems, eye contact slightly off - diagnosed at age 6. Things fell apart in his first year of formal schooling.

Op - That is pretty much as DD was at 16m. And reading tacal 's post pretty much describes her now! She is partway through her diagnosis, but the paediatrician is pretty sure she has ASD.

The tantrums. He has HFA and ADHD.

Oh my goodness his tantrums are incredible for his age! They've eased up this week but usually leave me in tears. :(

Part of me thinks its too early to tell and he's very active and non stop exploring so maybe that why he's too busy to talk

Age 3yo because my 1yo could do things 3yo couldn't and also in general, having had another, I could see their development was very different (not speed, just how they developed). Confirmed when started nursery and was very different to the other kids there.

As a baby DS2 didn't enjoy being cuddled - he was a feed me at arms length and put me down kind of baby. I was fairly sure there was something different about him by 18 months but kept getting fobbed off one HV said "Oh he's just like his dad don't worry" Uuum, yes, and since then DH has been diagnosed with aspergers as has DS2 who was diagnosed around 8yo.

Okay - just to add. My DD loved/still loves cuddles. Seemed to give normal eye contact. Pointed, pretend played, and was definitely the easiest of my 3 children. Her language skills were very good, she picked things up quickly.

But first sign was probably that I said to her first teacher "I'm not worried about her academically but she needs to work on her social skills". Years later she is diagnosed.

But if you are concerned it is probably worth going to your GP - I would want a hearing test as a start (a proper one).

You are concerned, your mchat came back as high risk.

print out the mchat and make a list with your concerns and go to GP. Ask/push for an appointment with a developmental paed.

might be good to get the hearing tested as well just to make sure there is no underlying hearing issue.

I approached GP with similar concerns when Dd was 15 month. I was fobbed of until she turned 3. She now has a dx of autism. With hindsight, i should have persevered much more.