ASD in 2y 3m old?

[thatsnotmyginglass]

Apologies in advance as I appreciate there are lots of these posts on here but I have concerns about my 2y 3m old which has stemmed from his lack of speech.

We are seeing a private SALT who, in her initial assessment of him, said she doesn’t have any ASD concerns. But something is nagging in the back of my mind and I don’t know if it’s my anxiety talking or if there is any credibility to my concerns. We have his 2 year review in a couple of weeks so I will raise it with his HV then but if anyone has any input now it would be gratefully received.

Red flags:
Speech delay (has about 20 words but uses them very sparingly)
Doesn’t pretend play - occasionally might put a phone to his ear or pat a doll on the back but that’s the extent of it.
Diagnosed with glue ear which I know can go hand in hand with ASD
Fussy with food - only likes breakfast items/snacks and a handful of dinners
Does a lot of repetitive play - lines up his cars but it is as part of the wider play (ie driving them round a track or crashing them into each other)
Gets very frustrated if something doesn’t go his way when playing - ie if the train track falls apart he will get angry and throw it across the room.

Green flags:
Good eye contact when playing and getting dressed etc
Good understanding of what you say to him - will follow instructions like ‘get your coat, cup, bowl, shoes etc’
Points at things to show me what he wants, and will also point to an aeroplane in the sky, or bird in the garden etc to share my attention.
Will answer to his name being called more often than not
No real evidence of stimming, might flap his hands on occasion when excited but nothing compulsive or repetitive
Interested in other children - will parallel play next to them and likes to be chased/run around with them.
Looks at me for praise when he completes a puzzle etc
Looks at my face to see my reaction to something, particularly something he’s doing (ie if he knows he shouldn’t be doing it!)
Sleeps very well, doesn’t often wake in the night.
Likes nursery rhymes/songs and doing/copying the actions to them.

Sorry for the long post but the uncertainty is really starting to affect me and looking for a hand hold/reassurance.

Could be, you've listed out the signs. Some of those are also 2 yr old things. From what you're saying I think it's very difficult to say either way at this age. Definitely raise these things with the HV, if you have the questionnaire they send, take a look through it in advance. Many of the 'green flag' things neither of my kids do and some of the things you've listed as 'green flags' can also be signs. But I don't think it's easy to tell based off what you're saying at this stage.

My eldest is ASD and the signs were stronger at that age, my youngest is just 3 and we're not 100% and has more or what you call 'red flags'.

I would say though, adjust your mindset. Keep all these thnigs in mind and keep investigating but think of it more as just a plan to make sure he gets the right support rather than worrying if he is ASD or not. The label is just a label, it just helps a bit for others to understand.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I have done the ASQ questionnaire, and he falls into the ‘grey’ category for communication and problem solving. I’ve also done the ASQ-SE questionnaire which he passes. I appreciate this doesn’t mean ASD is off the table.

I’m also pushing for his glue ear to be treated as know that glue ear can mimic the signs of ASD. Of course it’s perfectly possible that he has both!

I’m finding it hard not to worry and analyse his every move, I just want to make sure he has the best possible support in place for him.

Absolutely, it's definitely alot to come to terms with. I went through all that as well, lots of worrying about the future, how my kids will cope, will they be ok. And I do still worry, I'm just very much in practical mode at the moment and making sure things are in place.

You're making a great start, keep picking up the signs, get it all down. Even do a diary if it helps. Sounds like you've already got things that should raise concern with the HV, if they're still not sure and you still have concerns, keep trying. If they're in a childcare setting, keep in contact with them to help build evidence.