Can anyone comment on the speech therapists report?

[nikos]

Ds (3.5) is currently being assessed for ASD. We have thought he might have language delay which is showing as autistic traits as he doesn't have the core traits.
Speech therapist spent 2 hours with him at nursery (her second visit. She has found him to be nearly a year delayed in speech.

She concluded 'X is experiencing considerable difficulties with expressive and receptive language skills and with social interaction and understanding, especially with peers.'
But their is no mention of ASD and now we are left confused. We are going to speak to her on Monday for clarity. She is an expert in ASD so she must have a gut instinct.

But what can we be looking for to differentiate between language delay and ASD? Anone have any comments about what she wrote?
I just wish we could get to the bottom of what is wrong. This has been going on since last SEptember .

think I need a double espresso before clicking on these

I think overlaps are unavoidable as a diagnosis of an ASD disorder is not a true diagnosis - you can't see it under a microscope and few of the genetic components are known. All it can be is a judgement based on how symptoms present at the time of the 'diagnosis'. A book I read recently 'Unstrange Minds' by Roy Richard Grinker has a lot of detailed information about how and why the diagnostic criteria for such a 'diganosis' have changed over time, and how ASD is understood in non western cultures which don't use these criteria.

When he was around 2 years old, DS1 would only make eye contact if he wanted something. Now at 4 years old, he will respond to most attempts to make eye contact to engage him. By comparison,, DS2 has always used eye contact to initiate and to drop attention in a fluid and easy way and does not need any direction. DS1 pointed for shared attention from 10 months, in retrospect more to obsessions more than to everyday objects. By contrast, DS2 pointed for shared attention from about 8 months, but was and is much more spontaneous and fully engaged. DS1 would point, make eye contact, demand to know the word, have the word confirmed etc then would drop attention immediately. DS1 was never avoidant of social eye contact and has always smiled when meeting new people - with full eye contact. Now at 4, he can come across as over enthusiastic and immature in his social greetings;

From 2 years old, DS1 played interactive games - though in retrospect, the games were scripted to some extent. He had a huge receptive vocabulary (more than DS2 ). His behaviour was and is placid and tends to be overly compliant to any understood social situation.

That's what I'm finding so hard at the moment-the is he, isn't he dilemma. It's a rollercoaster of emotions. Hate it. Just want to know one way or the other.

nikos, I've had the "is he, isn't he" thing for over a year now. It's been the hardest thing ever and I used to spend hours scouring any posts containing ASD and comparing the children to ds1. Sometimes a lot fits, sometimes absolutely none of it.
I've pretty much decided, for my own sanity, to assume that he does have ASD, until I'm told otherwise. This has actually helped me get off the rollercoaster a bit, strange though it may sound. Ironically, he has improved greatly since I convinced myself he definitely does have ASD.
Just going into same cycle with DS2 though, and he is only 11 months! i would love more children but really don't think I can stand any more of this worry.

Got an appointment through today for ds to do an ADOS assessment in early August. So hopefully we will have a more definitive answer soon. Now that the school holidays are on, ds appears completely normal and is interacting well with his siblings. That's what I find difficult.

The irony is that we have has a tremendous amount of support. Ds has one to one for September of three sessions a week and the school said they will top it up if he needs it. We've also had to wait any time for referrals (although this is possibly because ds is/was aggressive). When I see what others have to go thru with much more severe cases and a lack of support .