Doctor thinks 20 month old probably has ASD

[Kab13]

She had been displaying some things that concerned us as parents and we wanted to "rule out" asd. Apparently not!
She says the sudden poor eye contact, inability to use meaningful words, awkwardness around new children and her lets face it destructive behaviour could well be asd.
We have private health insurance so went up to the Portland Hospital to see a doctor there who on severed her briefly but said they will need to observe further for diagnoses and to get hold of health visitor through NHS as well for speech therapy etc.
Feeling overwhelmed.
My nephew has ASD and it's taken him 4 years to get diagnosed and wasn't expecting a doctor to tell me she probably does, not this young.
I know a lot of her behaviour points towards asd, but I just didn't expect to be listened to with her being so young!

Hi kab and welcome to the board.

This must be a really difficult time for you but iti s definitely better in the long run to get an early diagnosis if your Dd does have Asd. Early interventions can be very beneficial.

Be kind to yourself and stick around on this board, for great support and advice

Thanks. My dp was very upset. I said it's better we get told she probably has asd and get her help then be fobbed off and us worrying about her development etc and not being listened to.
I actually felt positive yesterday when we found out, I know so many parents struggle to get listened to and was just pleased we could get the ball rolling early.
Think it's sunk in over night and I'm aware she could display further asd symptoms as she gets older like my nephew did.
The doctor said she had lots of very good skills and lots of children she sees don't have any of these.
That's a positive at least.
She's a lovely girl, I just want to do best by her.
Main concern is managing her explosive anger! Just don't know where to start!x

Start doing ABA! It can really help and change the direction of the graph at this age

ABA? Sorry, I literally am clueless!

Hearing test is being done through the NHS. Nobody has mentioned eye tests...
She is very selective with her hearing. She can hear a packet rustle in another room but not her name being called when you are in the same room etc.
Although I understand that sometimes you can hear the sound but not clear enough to understand?

She also occasionally walks on tip toes. Something my dp pick up on, doctor asked us to take her shoes off and it was the first thing she did! I hadn't noticed it much at all!
She also is obsessive, clips, putting things next to each other etc.
Oh I don't know!

It's great that your concerns are being taken seriously, at this age. The wait and see game that so many like to play is utterly harmful to children and families.

DS2 was referred at 21 months, but even that was after some humming and harring by a few professionals. It was my insistence that he's not walking or talking, he's missing milestones consistently, his cousin has ASD and his brother has just been diagnosed with ASD, so let's not assume it's copied behaviour or he'll just catch up, eh that got us our referral, which it turned out that the paediatrician had been waiting for, because it was as clear to her, having met him a few times, as it was to us.

She doesn't have functional language no. She understands us... Most of the time but doesn't understand "why". This leads to a very angry toddler that just doesn't understand and can't express herself any way but screaming and throwing herself on the floor, throwing objects, hitting people etc.
I know a lot of toddler can't express how they feel completely, but she just says "mummy, daddy, bubble,pop, go, two, three, pull" most of which are learnt from songs and mummy and daddy could be either me or dp. She doesn't understand the concept of the words she uses.
We've booked apt with health visitor to hopefully get the ball rolling through NHS too.

Hi,
DD was 20 months when I started the ball rolling in much the same way. She had a hearing test, saw a SALT and then was seen by a paed at 3 monthly intervals to see progression. She then was booked into an ADOS (Autism assessment) and this resulted in her being diagnosed at 33 months.
She is now almost 5 and has actually just started reception in mainstream but with full time 1-1. She has really snowballed progress - wise just recently and although her speech is still quite badly pronounced she has come a very long way since she was 20 months and like your DD. I feel much more positive about her progress. Like you I have a nephew with ASD but she has developed slightly differently.
Things that helped
-Visual timetable
-PECS
-Earlybird course for parents

• Having a diagnosis

It may seem very bleak now, but a diagnosis is a good thing if it gains her access to the support she needs.

Thank you. I'm more positive now as like you say I can get the help she may need. I think regardless of diagnoses any extra help with any delays is a bonus.
My nephew is very different to my dd, but there certainty are some similar traits too.
Does anyone know of a good place/website to purchase resources for development? That may suit a child with asd?
Really appreciate everyone's help x

Have you tried the MChat questionnaire?
The Hanen book "More than Words" was expensive but really helpful. But actually getting her into the system at this stage is the best thing you can do.

Hope you don't mind me posting.
Kab13 would you mind telling me more about your dd my dd is 18 months old and she is a lot different to my other children. Would like to know what other little traits your dd has as concerned about my dd but don't know if I'm over reacting x

On the report she sent to my healthcare highlighted concerns with
-speech and language delay
-repetitive behaviour

• behavioural problems

But I haven't seen the report she sent to my doctor yet. There was so much to take in on the day we went to see her I may miss things out but I can remember some of our concerns she agreed with -walking on tip toes

• ignores other children, pretty much completely

-doesn't like noisy areas ( fingers in ears)

• repetitively clipping and I clipping clips (can go on for an hour)
• obsessively joining things together, she tried to make inanimate objects "kiss"
• she doesn't use "mummy" and "daddy" with any meaning, or any other words for that matter. Is able to copy certain words but usually from music and doesn't know the meaning.
• poor eye contact
• obsessively putting things in order/in their place
• doesn't point to things she wants
• doesn't come to me or her father just to show us something only when she wants something
• violently shaking her head about
• explosive temper
• no understanding in what we say ( apart from the word "bed" and "no")
• doesn't respond to her name

And I'm sure there were more . We were there for ages. Some of these behaviours are "normal" for a child her age, it's the fact she has all these behaviours that is concerning . The doctor said from what we have said and what she observed she suspects asd and sensory issues. Honestly, the best thing I did was mchat and go and see my doctor. It just takes a little of the worry away knowing that you have spoken to a professional about your concerns, if you have them just go and have a chat with your doctor, no harm can come from it

Thank you.
I have done the M chat questionnaire and it is coming back as score of 11. I need to make an appointment with gp.
Please keep posted and up to date with your dd and hope you get some answer to help her x x