Autism

I've thought in the past that my daughter may be autistic but every doctor or therapist doesn't agree because she doesn't show a lot of the characteristics. We got a diagnosis of SPD about 6 months ago and she's been getting OT for that through her school. She attends a speech school and her teacher specializes in hearing and language disorders and she also gets to see a speech therapist there twice a week. Her progress report came home a few days ago and her teacher is concerned with her social skills and said she is going to watch her and try to work on getting her to interact with her peers. This is one of the reasons I thought she was autistic.

Okay to get to the point...I read a list of red flags that can be signs of autism and I am curious to know what all is included in the problems with social interaction? My daughter knows all the kids' names in her class and her teachers. She will smile at you if she sees you smiling. She hugs her parents and grandparents and sometimes her siblings but she doesn't want anything to do with that with other people or her classmates. She will acknowledge the other kids being in the room but doesn't want them to bother her. She gets upset if they leave the room. It's like she wants them to be by her but she doesn't want them to play with or bother her. She has always done this to her sister also. She gets stuck on one cartoon show at a time for months and that's all she wants to do. She loves to stack things or line up blocks and now she is taking interests in trains. There is a ton more things that she does that I just can't think of right now. One more is she likes to roll her head in circles while rolling her eyes up in her head. She just started doing that though. She doesn't have a hand flap but she does some kind of weird motion with her hands several times a day. Oh so much more I could list but I just want to know:

How did you find out your child had autism?

What were the odd behaviors or "red flags" you noticed?

How old was your child when you suspected it?

Thank you if you read all of that!

Has she always been this way? My neighbors son is autistic, and didn't ahoy signs until he was 4... well he showed some signs like had movement, etc, but he talked and stuff until he has 4. Now he just growns and grunts

This sounds more like Aspbergers, which is very similar. Autism can obviously vary in degrees of severity, but the symptoms you ate describing sound too mild to be autism.

http://members.baby-gaga.com/member475219

I'd message her. Her 3 year old daughter was just diagnosed with autism. She may have a good perspective for you.

Quoting P.S I'm pregnant ♥1:" Has she always been this way? My neighbors son is autistic, and didn't ahoy signs until he was 4... well ... [snip!] ... 4... well he showed some signs like had movement, etc, but he talked and stuff until he has 4. Now he just growns and grunts"

yes she has always been this way. The reason they didn't want to diagnose her with autism in the beginning is because they thought her characteristics were because of her unilateral hearing loss. She is deaf in one ear. But she has shown that she can hear quite well with her good ear.

My best friends son has autism, she found out when he was 18 months old, se suspected it since he was 6 months old because he wouldn't make eye contact, wouldn't play with anyone, he liked to line things up and sort things, and he didn't start talking until he was 2, and even now he is almost 3 and he only counts to 10 and says hi and bye, and a couple other little words.

Quoting Safka9973:" This sounds more like Aspbergers, which is very similar. Autism can obviously vary in degrees of severity, but the symptoms you ate describing sound too mild to be autism."

i thought aspergers was a form of autism.

Thanks y'all. I'm just stressed because it's like I've been saying something is off for a long time now and all have been saying she doesn't seem autistic to them. I haven't had her evaluated for autism though.

Quoting Silly Mily's Momma ♡:" My best friends son has autism, she found out when he was 18 months old, se suspected it since he was ... [snip!] ... until he was 2, and even now he is almost 3 and he only counts to 10 and says hi and bye, and a couple other little words."

my daughter also doesn't make eye contact.

Quoting SaraSaraBoBara:" i thought aspergers was a form of autism."

it is. It's the higher functioning form of autism

<blockquote><b>Quoting SaraSaraBoBara:</b>" i thought aspergers was a form of autism."</blockquote>




It is in the autism spectrum disorders- and is considered a very mild form of autism. But receiving a diagnosis of autism as opposed to Aspbergers indicates a more severe problem.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy of 2 + 1 angel:</b>" I've thought in the past that my daughter may be autistic but every doctor or therapist doesn't agree ... [snip!] ... odd behaviors or "red flags" you noticed? How old was your child when you suspected it? Thank you if you read all of that!"</blockquote>




My daughter did not talk or communicate at 3/3.5 just point and cry. She wudnt respond either. I thought she had a speech or hearing problem. Took her to school early childhood education screening. .. needless to say was devastated when they referred me to school psychologist for further testing bc she also had a little twitch of her hand that they noticed.. that was it... the only cues.. she was diagnosed PDD. Went into school program immediately at 3.5 yrs. Within 2 wks she had a vocabulary and was potty trained. By 2nd grade when she was reassessed.. no signs of autism so they pulled the label and extra help... she made all a/b thru mainstream courses in elementary. . She is now at 6th grader in pre ap classes


I want to reiterate I was devastated initially however the early intervention was successful. I was even told that her case was mild andmost kids in her diagnosis outgrow it. I am thankful that was the case.. I was scared to death of the other possibility.

I have a 2nd son later diagnosed. He is twin b.. but he b has same diagnosis bc when they gave me her signs and other possible I recognized he may have an issue... he is also doing well in school as 8thbgrader.. but still has the intervention

Not sure how to post pics from my phone but this is one example of the things she does. https://fbcdn-photos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/314531_576799452337115_1323439126_n.jpg?dl=1

My daughter's diagnosis is PDD.. which is a catch all for mild cases f autism. . Definitely no eye contact with her. . But my son who also has same exact diagnosis makes eye contact.. I would just take your daughter to screening. .. no matter what they say it is not the end of the world for her or you. .. After I thought about it it would be more devastating to never know what's wrong and having a teenager that never progressed because I never sought help. That was more scary than the thought of a diagnosis.

Go with your gut. . My family made lots of excuses but I knw something was off. If I would have listened to them no telling what condition my daughter would be in.

Sorry just had my baby and out of hospital so I can't really read out answer all the questions or comments. . Just tell u my experience. . Just highle PDD if you haven't

Quoting Mommy of 2 + 1 angel:" I've thought in the past that my daughter may be autistic but every doctor or therapist doesn't agree ... [snip!] ... odd behaviors or "red flags" you noticed? How old was your child when you suspected it? Thank you if you read all of that!"

My oldest is autistic. However its a bit complicated because she could have P10 and it would also explain for the autistic tendencies. The developement doc says that autism is a spectrum and a lot of children/adults are on it at different degrees. My daughter as of a year ago was on for moderate delay in every day life. She has a high pain tollerance (big red flag usually), speech delay (its a red flag but for many other problems as well), she likes to stack and line up items, but its more by color, shape, size, and now catagory. She doesn't have a problem playing with others, but she doesn't always interact with them. She used to be stuck in her own little world but has grown out of that. She says hi to family members and doesn't mind giving hugs usually. She used to bang her head on things when she was younger, but doesn't anymore. The doc are surpised by how much progress she has made which makes them think it is more P10 (autistic tendies that she will grow out of). I hope that the information helps.