So can a child develop autism/something similar at age 9?

[BeeEm]

DD2 is being 'difficult' won't bore you with the details but since October is becoming more and more so. Has given up all activities. won't see friends. has been refusing to go to school. regressed to toddler type tantrums. bitten, hit, pinched. won't eat. won't get dressed, won't go out. claims to be ill all the time. feels sick all the time. i've been nice, cross, firm, understanding, patient, impatient. have been calm, have shouted.
We're waiting on paediatrician appointment and CAMHS referral. but she is relentless. constant. won't give in. won't shut up. is driving me up the wall.
I worked with autistic adults about a hundred years ago but no experience with children with SN. Theres quite obviously something wrong with her but have no idea what. am at the end of my very long teather. Any ideas?

AFAIK ASd requirees symptoms before 3 to get a dx (ds3 only just met cut off as regressive type) BUT there may have been some there you didn't recognise- have you looked at the triad of impairments? (just search, easy to find).

Could be depression perhaps with those symptoms?

oh dear

Why oh dear? Depression is temporary mostly, that would be a Good Thing compared to ASD I think.

I am sure you have ruled out any possible bullying at school? As mum to two step teenagers, could she just becoming a teenagers early? For autism, there have to be problems in all three areas - speech (delay or oddity); lack of imagination, or repetitive gestures/play; and lack of social awareness. It does not sound quite like autism to me, but I am just not sure what else to suggest. Poor you!

Daft question, but is she being bullied?

oh dear as in just been looking at NAS website and triad of impairments and descriptors of aspergers - oh dear.
although i do know that just like you can read a medical encyclopaedia and feel symptoms of every tropical disease in there. But depression, or something more 'long term' either way things not good here. but cheersanyway.

I've seen a lot of kids with Aspergers struggle as they get to the 9 / 10 bracket (scarily- DS1 hasn't stopped struggling at all yet!) so if it was there anyway it could manifest mroe now.

Aspergers and Depression- once you get an answer they both become a lot easier to deal with