Hi everyone,
I've been really worried about DS1 for the last year and would really appreciate hearing from any other parents of a child with HFA. We've just had a pediatric report which summarises DS1's difficulties as being "significant delay in language and social interaction." Informally the pediatrician has suggested that a diagnosis of HFA or "atypical" autism is on the cards later in the year as he's still only 2.10. My gut feeling has been HFA since last year when I first read about it and progress over the last year has only confirmed my suspicions unfortunately.
DS1 has limited language although has gone from 50 words to a 250 word vocab in the last few months. It's mainly nouns, the odd verb, he can say things like drink please when prompted. He usually calls me daddy or occasionally bubby as he just can't seem to get mummy even though he knows that's who I am. Any phrases more than 2 words long seem learned - ie "off we go" when we stop at traffic lights!
His receptive and expressive language has been put at about 10 months behind age appropriate. He is recently able to identify colours, shapes, animals and read numbers and simple words, and we feel he is intelligent. He hit all physical milestones on time but pointing, waving etc has always been limited compared with most children.
What concerns me most at the moment are his social skills, he is happy to play with toys completely according to his own agenda. He likes to be around people but to play on his own in a crowd. It particularly bothers me that he virtually ignores his baby brother. He can only play with other children in a chasing or hiding game, has very limited sharing skills and cannot negotiate at all.
Generally though he's a happy little boy and we have no sensory or behavioural issues beyond his lack of awareness of danger, especially where roads are concerned. He has no need to be in a fixed routine but will try to order his world, (he likes to shut cupboards, clean up spills, put his shoes on the rack etc) and feeds himself normally with cutlery and will try new foods. He very occasionally lines up toy cars but will generally play functionally with toys. He does seem to go for toys with irritating sound effects and will play them until I'm ready to hurl them out of the window. There is limited symbolic play ie pretending a bowl is a hat, but this is nowhere near the level of his peers.
I could go on and on but I won't, because I'm hoping someone will have read this far - what I really want to know is - when did your HFA child begin talking properly and how did the speech come? Did their interaction fluctuate - ie did you have weeks where they seemed to interact more or seem more withdrawn? Did any skills come and go - sometimes DS1 seems to be able to follow instructions easily, other times he'll look at me blankly..
Any advice or support gratefully received, it really helps to read posts from others in the same position. DS2 is 9 months and I'm panicking like mad about him too.. In some ways I just want to get DS1 diagnosed so we know what we're dealing with, it's still the tiny ray of hope that it's just a language delay and will all work out that's making me so anxious and prolonging the agony.
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mum of 2.10 ds with suspected HFA - can any other mums advise please?
28 replies
KT14 · 06/06/2008 14:38
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