Help. I am currently working with a Mum who has a nearly three year old son with some worrying behaviour. I am wondering if he has autism. Mum says
He has been "different" from birth.
Never really liked being handled or cuddled.
Hates any change to his routine
Little speech (certainly not stringing any words together)
Has displayed odd behaviour like spinning around uncontrollably while looking at the ceiling (I know all children spin - you should see my DS but the way Mum and Dad described this was different.
At present has screaming tantrums which last around 45 mins after which he is "vague", vacant and exhausted (often falls asleep after them). The tantrums can be provoked by anything - a change in his routine, offering food when he doesn't want it etc. He often puts his hands over his ears during them. Dad says it's almost like he's had a fit with the vacantness afterwards.
He goes to a special nursery that he was referred to for assessment by the previous HV. They say he is a lovely little boy and have never seen the tantrums either, however, Mum gets them when he comes home from nursery. The nursery do say, however, that he is delayed in development.
On sight he can be happy, calm and placid and happily accepts me into his home environment(I'm a HV - was Amanda3266) so I've never witnessed a tantrum but I have heard them on the phone and they are beyond anything I've heard before. Also I may just have been fortunate not to witness a tantrum as he sometimes will accept no person into the house other than his Mum who is at present exhausted and at the end of her tether. He has been referred to a consultant paed but Mum was told this would take six weeks. By great good fortune I saw the consultant later that day at a meeting and approached her about him. I am so pleased I did as she was so nice and said straight away that she'd do a home visit to him with me next week (she hasn't even recieved the referral yet)so I am touched that she's making this effort.
Is this autism - I think it is and suspect that Mum does too - but I'm no expert. What do any of you think.