Any opinions would be really appreciate 🙂

[Milomiles123]

Hi I made a post a while ago regarding my son and concerns about possible autism he was around a year old at the time, he’s now nearly 18months. I got some great advice and wondered if anyone could give me some now with how he’s presenting currently as he’s behaviour is still confusing.
so my concerns:
-very limited response to name

• no understand of simple instructions
• mostly non verbal - says ta but when he wants you to do something occasionally
• hand leading without eye contact to what he wants
• constant flapping arms but this mainly happens at home which I find odd. In certain settings outside he does it a lot but places like the park it/soft play doesn’t happen as much (maybe he’s unhappy there I’m not sure)
• head shaking
• finger flicking
• tiptoeing but not all the time
• vocal ‘stims’
• standing on head
• zoning out a lot
• eloping all the time
• no awareness of danger
• fixations when out everywhere we go he gets fixated on something, mainly water he will run into deep lakes/down steep river embankments obviously I stop him though. But once he’s fixated I cannot distract him and we have to leave, hardly anywhere safe to go anymore.
• spinning wheels and anything that spins and doesn’t play with toys really
• bad temper, always end in a meltdown when we go out
• bad sleeper
• barley eats
• no pointing
• eye tracking whilst spinning and more recently whilst walking up and down like a fence
• pacing
• can sometimes wave but has to be prompted (started at 17 months)
• when we go out he never wants to do like ‘the norm’ so if we’re at a park he’ll have no interest in the park and rather run up and down a fence. If we go a soft play he’d rather run round the tables and chairs and play in the toilet.
• eats/mouths everything including dirt, sand, stones even had a go at dog poo once 😩

postives:

• eye contact is usually okay but he doesn’t use it to communicate it’s usually on his terms
• can clap but almost like a stim sometimes he does it a lot randomly but he can do it on command too
• loves nursery rhymes will do some of the actions but only holding my hands not on his own
• he has become quite social with adults will go up to them, smile, watch them. This happens a lot where it never used to. But he doesn’t have much interest in other kids pretty much ignores them.
• babbling has become frequent and he enjoys back and forth almost like he’s telling a story and wanting an answer
• very tactile and always loves to he on me climbing or tickling him. He’ll hand lead to tell me he wants more tickles. But if it’s not on his terms he hates to be restricted.

I guess he still doesn’t neatly fit into either neurotypical or neurodiverse and I have a gut feeling he’s autistic but because of his strengths it throws me off and I feel like he won’t be taken seriously even though we have very hard struggles daily.

Although I should add that occasion he will watch a child and sometimes get really close to their face and sometimes babble at them but not often

Much of what you describe as concerns are normal for 18 month old DC.

@StrivingForSleep hmm some of them might be I do agree. Just the constant stimming all day, complete lack of understanding, only spinning toys to play, no speech, complete refusal of food and few hours of sleep a night and not being able to gesture/follow a point are all big concerns and I wouldn't say typical for his age. And also not responding to his name. He stands out a mile when around other kids for example at the soft play all the children are playing on the equipment but he's absolutely fixated on playing in the toilet trying to splash in the water. I dunno something just isn't sitting right with me 🥲

Many 18 month old DC show a lack of understanding of simple instructions, have no or little speech, tiptoe walk, zone out, show no awareness of danger, elope, eat non-food items…

Is DS really refusing to eat anything? That is more of a concern and needs medical attention.

@StrivingForSleep I know but he has 0 he can't follow a single instruction. He doesn't even know who I am by name or anyone for that matter. I do understand the speech side, could just be a delay and also the tiptoes. But honestly he flaps his arms like every 5 minutes sometime like ever 30 seconds and the danger side he's extreme he fully tried to throw himself down an embankment the other day to get into a deep river. And then the fixation nothing I can do or say will make him forget and we literally have to leave it happens every single place we go it's hard work.
Yeah the food side of it he used to have an NG tube which was removed at 10 months. Since then he's been under OT and his weight fluctuates up and down. He does eat chocolate and crisps and chips. but that's About all.

I have just read your other thread, which I commented on under another name. I think how you describe the issues in the previous thread explains the issues better. As I said, much (not all!) of how you describe the concerns in your OP can be typical. But when you go into further detail, I can see why further assessment is a good idea, which is what I said on your previous thread.

For the food issues, is DS under a feeding/eating service? If not, I would request a referral.

@StrivingForSleep ahh yeah sorry I do see what you're saying I just tried to summarise to the main points so I didn't get carried away with myself haha. I've wrote it all down in detail in a book to keep track and it's 6 pages long 🤣

Yeah i do see your point about some things also being present in typical children it's just when you add it all together alarm bells are ringing for me just feel like I'm going insane with worrying and researching.

He has been seen by occupational therapy twice but because his food is not sensory related (he is a sensory seeker) she said she couldn't do much as they normally do food therapy for like fears of touching food. He's not scared of it he's just not interested in it and will cry and throw it on the floor/push the spoon away. We're waiting for the dietician to get back in touch

I would push for a referral to a specialist feeding/eating clinic.