autism

[joelkian]

My 18 month son can only say one word. He does'nt wave, does'nt seem 2 understand simple intructions. He rolled over, sat up x walked b4 his milestones. H.V has also expressed concerns he has been referred to audiology and dr 4 developmental tests. i'm worried it could b autism. any thoughts? xxxx

Hi joelkian
The only advice i can give is to follow you gut instincts with your ds. I noticed things were not quite right with my ds when he was a baby but became more apparent by 18 months, its been a long battle since then he didnt get his dx until age 9 hes now 10.
If your not happy with what they tell you keep pushing.
good luck

Has your HV carried out the CHAT test if she is concerned? This test is carried out at 18 months and give an indication but not a definite cause for concerns.

Oracle

Hi there this is my first time on this board. My DS is 7 and has autism. I had figured this out when he was about 15 months but he was eventually diagnosed at 3.5 years. The things you mention are not uncommon in typical children so I wouldn't go worrying too much yet. The first step with my son was a hearing test which he passed with flying colours. Glue ear is extremely common in children of this age and can affect childrens speech dramatically. The Chat test already mentioned is a good indicator although again Autism is so complicated and every child presents totally differently. They had trouble diagnosing my DS because he just didn't meet the criteria. He has yet to throw a tantrum!! I never want to worry people unncessarily by asking questions about things so if you want to ask other early symptoms of autism, go ahead. Hope this helps.