New here :) Is this a sign of an Autistic symptom?

[reformer29]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here.

I have DS who is 4 and a half.

I suspect DS has autism, but the thing is, he has been assessed for autism 3 times and it all comes back that no he doesn't have it. He does have a diagnosis of speech and language disorder and dyspraxia.

DS does this thing that makes me wonder if he actually does have autism. Ok, when we are out and about, if someone is walking behind DS (which DS cannot see), DS does not move out of the way, he doesn't do this on purpose though, so I always have to move DS out of the way so that people can get pass.

But he does move out of the way if someone is in front of them (as he can see them of course).

Is this due to autism?

Also, concerning dyspraxia, I am very new to this diagnosis as DS just received this. His Dyspraxia ain't severe, but looking at a closer inspection of his walking, it's like his walking on air, his overall balance is off, I was wondering if this too was common with children in Dyspraxia and if any of you parents have suggestions on how I could help DS.

Not moving out of the way does sound like a dyspraxia related issue . People with dyspraxia do often have an unusual gait.
There is a cross over between dyspraxia and ASD so you will find there are some similarities.
I agree with the poster below about looking on the dyspraxia foundation website. I found this book useful www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/185503381X/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1439820614&sr=1-1

Some kids with dyspraxia don't know where the end of their bodies are in relationship to the rest of the universe, so it would make sense they wouldn't move out of the way. This is my DS1 to a tee.

My DS2 has dyspraxia and autism and SLI and various other things but due to his levels of anxiety is hyper-vigilant so is more likely to move, when he isn't in his own world.

Do you trust the people who assessed your DS for autism?

I'm interested in this too as it's something my DD does.

To be honest i think hed have a heck of a lot more symptoms if he were autistic. x

Tbh if someone walks behind me at a speed quicker than mine - they can round around me

There are lots of crossovers in symptoms of all the neurodevelopmental disabilities. Many of the symptoms of dyspraxia are found in autistic spectrum. They are also found in SPD which many on the spectrum have as a co morbid.
However it's the differences between all the different disorders/ conditions that lead to a diagnosis. For example if your DS has social communication difficulties due to SLI then he'll meet one triad of the autistic spectrum. However he may not have the repetitive movements - rather have usual movements due to spatial awareness etc. that's where he'll meet dyspraxia and not asd. And the SLI dx coves the social communication bit as well as children with dyspraxia also have some communication difficulties.

There are many children who are diagnosed with conditions/ disorders such as asd and dyspraxia. But that's because they meet all the criteria for both.

I always say parents should follow their instincts. My advice would be to follow a speech and language intervention and get some OT support for the dyspraxia. Use asd strategies if they work and see where DS is after these interventions. It may be as his peers develop the gap widens and asd become obvious or the intervention close the gaps.

Either way as a very knowledgable and wise Mner pointed out once - would having a diagnosis of asd make the interventions suddenly work? It's an awfully long journey, lonely at times but you do get there in the end. And as most interventions will be given by yourself anyway you may as well start now!