Advice on receptive language possible ASD

[2boysandadog9]

Hi, I have lurked around on here for a few months and finally decided I should just post!
My 22 month old ds2 has just started the assessment process for possible ASD. He has a number of red flags - not answering to his name, not pointing, not much shared attention. He will wave goodbye when prompted and will give good eye contact when interested, although it isn't great generally
He doesn't yet have any major sensory issues or repetitive behaviours. He occasionally tiptoes and likes to sit behind the sofa cushions. His sleeping and eating are very good. He isn't interested much in other people/children but he will interact, like chasing and hugging.
My major worry is his receptive language ability which is very low and his expressive language basically zero, aside from a few random words he says inconsistently.
He can understand some basic things like sit down, upstairs, hold my hand. I had an assessment with SALT and she said he had some strengths but his understanding is definitely very low.
I have seen some improvements in the last month and have read 'more than words' and Greenspans 'engaging autism' and have been using tips and floor time with him.
I have researched a lot and often it seems children with receptive issues have poorer outcomes which is worrying me a lot.
I am considering ABA and wanted to know what people think of it for a child with receptive issues as I am not sure he will understand enough to benefit?
Also any positive experiences of children who improved that were similar and what worked!!!
He is a beautiful happy little boy and I just want to do the best I can for him, I am feeling a little overwhelmed and confused about what to do!

My son was non-verbal and I was told he'd never speak.
I used pecs and makaton. I spoke constantly, so if he pointed to the milk i would say milk, sign and say milk, when giving him it say it again. Just the one word though as not not confuse him. The best thing you can do is not give up, keep trying the same thing for a few months and if progress isn't made try something else. 4 years later he was finally discharged from speech and language and speaks really well most of the time. Diagnosed autism.

Thank you for replying, I am repeating and modelling with single words at the moment and it is working, although very slowly....
I will have a look at that website zzzzz and the apps.
What age was your son diagnosed greenyogagirl? Did he have problems understanding language?
I know this is the beginning of what I imagine will be a very long hard road, I am finally over the initial panic and I just want to be doing something for him that may help

My Ds had very few words at that age. He appeared not to understand but it was much more he didn't want to engage!

I used simple language and always tried to use the same words to start with that would give clear instruction in a variety of situations.

So I wanted him to understand stop and no. (Safety) sleep, sit, eat, drink etc.
I would use those words repeatedly. So when getting him in chair to eat I'd say sit about 4/5 times to empathise what the instruction meant.

I never thought about the words my Ds used but reading zzzzz post has reminded me my Ds could sing abc and rainbow song long before he could ask for a drink in proper sentence form!

i was told autism at 2years old and by everyone who met him. Completely non verbal. No understanding, couldn't follow pointing or point himself. I spent 3 years working with him for hours every day. I started with sounds like a baby so 'ah ah ah' 'buh buh buh' and progressed to 'ah ah Apple' and giving him Apple. Showing picture card of an apple and him saying 'ah' resulted in lots of praise etc reward the smallest achievement. It was really hard but by 5years he could speak ok 50% of the time but would regress into baby talk, squeaking or making up words. He's 6 and a half now and was discharged from speech and language this year. Speaks well most of the time and only occasionally goes into baby talk or squeaks.
We moved a few times to different areas which delayed diagnosis but he got his official diagnosis this year.

I feel the same about my ds not wanting to engage youarenotkiddingme, I am finding it hard to find ways to engage him and often feel like I am talking AT him and he is not listening at all. His attention span is very short and with him not understanding much it's hard to create ways to practice with him.
Also having a nearly 6 year old home all day for the holidays is taking my attention away, I hope that once he is back at school I can start a more structure program for my little one.
Hearing that your hard work paid off greenyogagirl is reassuring. Although he now understands a few more things after a few months, I was hoping for faster progress and was starting to get disheartened. I can see it will take a long time and I have to be happy that he is progressing even a little bit.
I am going to try with PECS and see if the visual aids help.
Thanks again for listening and giving advice, I have felt pretty lonely and worried these last few months and it's great to have a place to come for advice from people who have gone through the same thing!