Autism and Regression

[runikka]

Good evening

A brief update, we are waiting for portage sessions to start and have numerous follow up assessments for Daniel in March. At present he is suspected to be on the autistic spectrum but awaiting diagnosis. Since his first assessment we have seen lots of positive behavioural changes but no progress whatsoever with speech.

My question is regarding regression. I think he experienced a regression at about 18 months as he had more speech then than he does now. Is it typical for a child with autism to regress repeatedly...what I mean is should we be prepared for him to regress again or is it a case of it "might" or "rarely" happens.

Best Wishes
Kirsty

My DS who is 10 now seemed to "loose" what very very limited vocab he had at around 2 and a half ish. Like Socci's DD, he also used to acquire "words" too, and these would often be replaced by new "words" (lots of which didn't mean anything, I think they were things he liked the sound of). This stopped happening at around 3 or 4 I think. Hope that helps a bit!!!

Thank you very much for your replies. I guess it is a waiting game as he is only 2.2 at the moment. It has made me think of another question though (sorry)

My concern is that we wont be able to communicate with Daniel. At the moment he is interactive and limited communication is us saying and him understanding or him gesturing/bringing something to us. I worry that he will regress again and we will lose the interaction he has recently gained (we appeared to lose it once). I know it is too early to tell but as a rule would mums say that over time you do learn a way of communicating even if it isn't speech?

Best Wishes
Kirsty

I agree with Socci that you should look at PECs. If he has ASD then, like many other things, you will have to TEACH him to communicate, it won't just happen naturally or will be very limited. Sounds like you need more support/advice than you've had so far.

Its really hard isn't it? The not knowing I mean. I used to worry about being able to communicate with my son too, I never thought that we would manage it in a mean ingful way, but we're definitely getting there!! His speech, though severely delayed has improved, and he can make himself understood. At school they use PECS and Makaton to help the children communicate and develop their communication too. HTH

Hiya

We're in a smiliar place, we have been told ds3 (3.5) is has ASD and he has severe language problems (but cannot see a SALt unless we pay as there are none willing to work in this area).

He also regressed at 18 months- it seemed gradual but recently I was talking to his nursery teacher about when we looked after their rabbit (when ds2 was there) and I rememberd SDS3 geting very excited and saying rabbit in garden and harry go out- he's not quite at the point where he could say that now.

He ahs minor regressions- I say minor they're quite upsetting. He always goes back on his potty training (a dodgy area for him), loses language and skills such as coming down stairs upright.

He also does the words bit- they'll often say at nursery he ahs a new word, and I always say wait and see if we hear it again before you get excited. I am mostly right

I am sorry youa re having to deal with this, its horrible. I'm finding it ewasier to naviagte everything this time as ds1 was dx'd with Aspergers in July and I know the tricks, at least to an extent. Its still horrid though.

Hi,
this happened with DS1 as well, his speech was coming on slowly but surely until 2 1/2 (september) but he seems to have lost a lot of his vocab since then. I think we started seeing a gradual regression from about 2 1/2, coinciding with the arrival of ds2 - although we had a period in December when we thought things have finally clicked as he was just 'talking' all the time, started doing sentences like 'it's a big lorry' or 'no more juice', but now that's gone and he's now mainly making noises and/or using single words to get what he wants. Like peachyclair's DS my DS also has recently lost the ability to walk down stairs. And potty training was going ok but now that's gone horribly wrong. I've heard that it's quite typical to regress and then have 'good periods' iykwim.
xxx

Hi
My son is 2yrs 9months and has severe language delay - however he says a few words each day, they seem to be different ones. I wonder if the new ones are replacing the old ones, rather than adding up to a vocabulary. The Speech Therapist has indicated that he may be on the 'autistic spectrum'. It is really difficult to tell - some days are good and we see progress and some days he seems subdued. He is a quiet gentle boy and I wonder if this may be just his personality and being a 'late developer'. Has anyone had similar experiences and is there hope for him talking eventually?

Albi- you are describing my 3.5 year old! As Socci says, only a PAediatrician can really give you any answers, although if you read all the amterial on the national autistic society pages (well maybe not all) you will get a very good sense of whther it is autism.

I have also been looking at the afasic website today, and that has good information.

Good luck- always here to chat if you need it (my eldest has AS so ds3 having ASd and speech delay is a familiar, if somewhat scarier, road)

Albi - DS2 was like this at 2.5 too. Since starting PECs last June (at 3.8) and an ABA based programme since September his speech has come on gradually. (He's now 4.5) PECs helped him to request, then he moved on to repeating words and phrases he hears around him (not always in context). He can now label quite a number of objects and pictures when asked (but it's quite hard work and he'll do it more for me than other people). In the last few weeks he's started talking to us spontaneously and not just if he wants something - still only one or two words at a time and it's often hard to make out meaning but such a change from before. He used to lose words at the same rate as gaining them, but the words he has now seem to stick. It's slow progress but it is progress!

Hi Sphil, Peachclair and Socci

Many thanks for sharing your info - its helps me realise what is going on and how the future might be. He has just started signing and seems to enjoy it, after about a month - I was actually quite sceptical as he was'nt saying/vocalising much so did'nt think we would get much response.

Has anyone any information about where I can find out more about the ABA - reading stuff from parents about their children on the autistic spectrum it really seems to help? Are there any local teachers or is it so specialised its only at the schools and stuff?

any comments welcome

my son was talking loads and then regressed after being unwell after his mmr,he was DX at 2.4 months, we have noticed a pattern with him whenever he is ill once he gets better he has a spurt of progress.

Hi Socci and anyone in on this
In just one month it looks like my son has improved quite a bit - phew some words now - its really 'heavenly!!' but realise they may be like butterflies - also often it like 'echoeing' so wonder if they are here to stay. Would like to find out about ABA - and the PEACH info gives really good advice.
Does anyone know about the Hannen programme - a colleqgue did this with her littel girl with delayed speech - she said it was great as they videoed you every month for six months and showed you how to improve communication etc - and it worked. However is this a postcode lottery - they aer not providing this in our county, but do this 'next door' in Milton Keynes!
Socci - would like to contact you - am completely naieve - how do I CAT you?!

Albi we have just started an ABA programme, DS1 has just turned 3 and sounds very much like yours! DS1 is responding really well to the ABA teaching. If you want to know more e-mail me
[email protected]

Albi - do you have any Surestart centres or Children's Centres near you, sometimes they often some Hanen Courses, even if it's only the one that is for children at risk of speech delay, rather than the ones directly for those with ASD. I am trying to get on a Hanen course, a Children's Centre near me is hoping to put one on soon, must chase it up. In the meantime I have bought the book "It takes two to talk" from ebay, and have found it pretty worthwhile.

Albi my DS was not saying much at all at 2.9 - we knew he knew lots of single words but he couldn't seem to put it all together into phrases let alone sentences, or understand us when we talked in sentences. Now at 3.5 he talks in sentences. It still is a bit weird sounding and behind but such a huge improvement and I can have a conversation (of sorts) with him now. Do get on a Hanen course if you can (we're on one at the moment) and if not, buy the books.

Echoing is not necessarily a bad sign, it can be a step on the way to talking properly. DS just used to repeat what we had just said to him with appparently no understanding. But then he started to repeat things he had heard at another time and in a relevant context, and eventually started to modify the repeated phrases to make up his own sentences.

DS has recently seen a paediatrician who thinks he is borderline for ASD rather than a clearcut case.

susie - do you think there is anything that you did with your DS that helped him make the transition from odd words to sentences, out of interest?

mummytosteven, I think you read the thread here right after posting

Also I used the techniques for following the child's lead and got into a situation where DS and I were making a cake together, at his request!

thanks Susie!