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help, i think my 22 month old baby boy has ASD

29 replies

joooly · 01/08/2009 14:38

Hi, i'm very new here and need some advice. I dont even know the abreviations to use. I have one son aged 22 months whom i suspect has autism. I did the m-chat and failed on 2 critical and another 3 questions. After a long struggle with my HV and GP (who think i am just anxious) i finally got the referral to have him assessed. It may take a very long time i am told and so wondered if anyone knew how i could go about having this done privately. My time on the internet is very limited as i have a 10 week old daughter too. I do have a few concerns about her as she took quite a while to make eye contact and smile (my son was 12 weeks old before he would look at me) she wont coo or gurgle like other babies i know....anyway to cut a long story short, i am terrified and very stressed. I tried for 12 years to have my babies with lots of heartache and miscarriges along the way. Now i've entered a world which feels very isolated and full of tears. My children haven't been vaccinated as i was sure there was a connection with autism so i know this is not to blame in my case. I think this is the reason the GP thinks me neurotic. I also dont want to come accross ungrateful for having my children, my little boy is a joy and lovely but with me being an older parent (44yrs)i am concerned about his future and who'll care for him. Am i jumping the gun as i haven't has a dx yet? I know there are parents on here with a lot more worry and heart ache than me so please forgive me if i sound selfish. Someone to talk to would be great. Thankyou to anyone who responds.

OP posts:
kettlechip · 02/08/2009 20:22

Hi there, I'm kettlechip and have ds1 - about to turn 4 and ds2 who is about to turn 2. I really could have written a very similar post to you a couple of years ago. The instant someone mentioned ASD in relation to ds1 it was like a trigger had been pushed and I was googling obsessively. The anxiety of watching his every move and analysing everything was unbearable, with the added stress of dealing with a demanding newborn.

I got some great SALT help for him, got him referred to a developmental paediatrician and had his hearing checked. These things took what seemed like forever to get in motion though, and although we referred him at 2.0, it was about 6 months later that the appointments all really started. You are so wise to get on to it now, hopefully someone will be able to reassure you but at least you'll be in the system if you do need the help.

2 years later ds is transformed, and though his language is still delayed or disordered, he is making great progress and the professionals aren't mentioning ASD any more, they're thinking more language disorder which can have lots of overlaps at a young age. I would have sworn blind he had ASD at 2.0 though. ds2 also seems absolutely fine so far, and passed the CHAT at just over 12 months, needless to say I had been practically holding my breath until he started pointing, waving etc.

Looking back I think I was on the edge of depression but somehow kept going. My DH also worked away during the week so there was little support there. He never quite shared the worry either, and that's still a bit of a sticking point between us. Communicate as much as you can with your DH is my advice, don't try to handle it all alone as it's an exhausting burden. We're all here to help, good luck and hope you've had a lovely dinner out tonight!

joooly · 02/08/2009 21:37

tears again for me reading your post but thanks kettlechip, you have really given me some hope and i know i'll be doing the same with dd all the way to the pointing stage, be brilliant if she did at 12 months and put me out of my misery. dinner was very good and relaxing even though i had to breast feed my dd in the middle of it!

OP posts:
mum2fredandpudding · 02/08/2009 21:57

hi joooly, its so concerning isn't it. I cant even count hte amount of tears i have shed in deep worry over my DS1. He was dx'd at 2.6 ASD about 2 months ago after 6 months of deep worry. I cant add anything that anyone else hasnt said other than follow your gut. As it might take some time to get some answers to your fears, I think hte best thing you can do is lavish wonderful attention nad priase on your DS and engage in those activities (which i htink we will all agree can be mind-numbingly boring) which he adores so that he becomes accostamed nad even desires your input. THen you cna try to work them out from there into more elaborate play. Any sort of interventionnad therapy down the track will be pushing you to do this and it is so simple to put in ten minutes here nad there if you can. The talking on hte phone sounds like wonderful imaginitive play BTW!

But try not to worry too much. These things will develop nad you will have answers down the track. It must be so so so hard with a new baby but you sound like you are doing really well. Its all about keeping your head above water, taking one day at a time. And if you EVER feel lost or unable to cope, then there are lots of people here waiting to say those words you need to hear.

It will all be ok.

eternalmother · 02/08/2009 21:59

Hi hon, I know just where you are coming from. I have a five year old who has been diagnosed with AS (only recently) I too had my worries about him when he was twoish upwards. I also have a 10 month old baby and am also 44!!! I too worry constantly about the baby, she is very hard work and has some odd ways...It is very very hard to function on a day to day level when you are anxious so try to relax, what will be will be despite you worrying yourself to death. What I would say is just enjoy your children, think one day at a time and try to find some time for yourself. XXbig hugs

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