2 year old concerns - is it autism?

[mummaworries21]

Hi there

I don’t really know where to start, I’m new here and have no idea if I’m posting correctly or in the right place but I’ll give it a go..

I’m looking for some advice regarding my son (25months), I have had a few concerns for a little while and have contacted the HV for a review but didn’t know if any of you lovely ladies cuz give advice or opinions.. please.

he’s a lovely little boy and I adore him but I have some concerns regarding some things..
I feel like sometimes he is in his own little world, he talks to himself quite a-bit when he’s playing alone, which he likes to do.. although he will come and find me and say come on mummy come in here, he says look mummy to show me things and he points to show me things.
he is always counting, anything or saying mummy 2 or no I want 2.. and he sings a lot! Like he will have a conversation and sometimes sing his words if that makes sense, I feel like his tone of voice is never the same. His eye contact doesn’t seem as great as it once was, but he’s very busy.. always on the go! He day dreams a lot, kind of like staring into space but I can still get his attention while he’s doing this. He loves to jump, he jumps when he’s excited and when he’s playing sometimes. He has so many positives too, he’s so happy and gets excited about seeing his little friends and loves animals and being outside.
I just feel like I’m always analysing him at the minute and I feel terrible! All this started from a comment from another mum about autism and now it’s all I can think about, not that I am worried about him having it.. mainly worried about not doing enough to help him if he needs it. Does this sound like normal behaviour or should I be concerned?!
thank you in advance and sorry for the long post

Totally normal for us to overexamine our kids!

Have you done this?

https://www.autismspeaks.org/screen-your-child

It’s so hard not to isn’t it!
Yes i did have a look at the mchat and it came up as 1 low risk purely because of me putting no to one of the eye contact questions. I just feel at a bit of a loss tbh

Have you had your two year HV check? Mine was running months behind but i emailed them that i had concerns and they saw me quite quickly!

If it makes you feel better, nothing is jumping out at me as a concern but theres also never any harm in asking for second opinions!

I don't think anything you've written is concerning. It's a positive sign that he talks to himself as he plays. You'd only be concerned if he was playing alone for hours without checking in. All two year olds like to jump (that's why trampolines are a thing). If he scores 1 on the MCHAT and would have scored 1 at 18 months, you've really no reason to worry.

On eye contact, it's how children use it as much as how much they make. Does he make eye contact when he shows you things or points? At least sometimes?

Really, though, I think you've got a bright and imaginative little boy who isn't showing any signs of ASD.

@redrighthand83 I called the health visitor yesterday and they are coming to do his 2 year review in a couple of weeks so hoping that may give more answers?!
If you don’t mind me asking what were your concerns that prompted you to chase the review?
thank you for replying

@BusMumsHoliday thank you for your reply.
He does make eye contact when he’s pointing to show me something although not every single time. He makes eye contact if I sing to him or call his name, doesn’t always do it when he’s talking to me. I’m glad you said about the trampoline he absolutely loves his.. to the point he bounce on the sofa and the beds like he would his trampoline!

Sorry me again.. another thing I was concerned about was the fact that when he wakes up in the morning he very rarely shouts for me or his dad.. sometimes he will but most other times he will quite happily just lay/move about in his cot until we go into him 🤷🏻‍♀️ any one else experienced this?

I noticed something different with our last baby. He could say more at 18 months than he could when he was 2. It was so strange, like he had gone backwards. He would scream incessantly when I left him with anybody else. He stopped speaking almost altogether and started to contort his hands and make contorted expressions with his face, almost like a non verbal stutter. Very little eye contact and preferred to play alone. It was the school who told me he was almost certainly autistic. The paediatrician confirmed that he was autistic but he's been on the ASD assessment waiting list for 73 weeks. He flaps his hands a lot now which started when he was 2 years old.......don't panic though, your HV will point you in the right direction (ie paediatrics) and there will be someone to talk to throughout the process. All you can do is your best to make little one happy and if you are this worried you're doing a great job already!