Autism?

I just found out that pretty much my entire family thinks my son has autism and needs to be evaluated by a doctor that deals with children.  

For a while I was dead set on getting him into the doctor but then he started progressing. Tomorrow I'm going to call around.

The only thing I notice is outbursts if things change, anger, "caiden-isms", and he is creepy observant. I just wonder what people see that I don't.

What happens when we go to the doctor? Will he have numerous visits? Will they watch him play or just go off what they hear from his family and paperwork from his teachers and speech therapist? I'm nervous that they'll misdiagnose him  

<blockquote><b>Quoting H&Cai:</b>" I just found out that pretty much my entire family thinks my son has autism and needs to be evaluated ... [snip!] ... they hear from his family and paperwork from his teachers and speech therapist? I'm nervous that they'll misdiagnose him  "</blockquote>

How old is he?

Usually doctors like to observe children to get an idea of their behaviour. I'd say they'd take note of the notes from teachers and such but what matters would be their observations because they're trained to look for the signs  

Quoting lolajessup:" <blockquote><b>Quoting H&Cai:</b>" I just found out that pretty much my entire family ... [snip!] ... from his teachers and speech therapist? I'm nervous that they'll misdiagnose him  "</blockquote> How old is he?"

He turns 4 this month.

Quoting Bettinas:" Usually doctors like to observe children to get an idea of their behaviour. I'd say they'd take note ... [snip!] ... the notes from teachers and such but what matters would be their observations because they're trained to look for the signs  "

That's a big relief!!

How old is he? My daughters preschool wanted her checked but I said no because she was only three and I didn't want to pigeon hole her. She's grown out of the symptoms they were concerned about.

Well the doctor should send you to get him evaluated. My son had it done and he had 3-4 different doctors evaluate him in different areas. It took a couple of hours.

I was you - 2 years ago (in 17 days from today).

I knew something was different about Kieran, but I thought he was fine. He was my first, I had nothing else to go off of. He was hitting all the milestones (except speech) that the nurses gave me the sheets for.

But he wasn't talking - he was biting. He was 2 and had VERY limited language and bad outbursts. I thought he had good eye contact, turns out that was only with me, so I never noticed him not looking at others.

I had to fight to get his diagnosis, but at 3 he was dx with autism.

The evaluation is not hard, but it can be emotional. For us, it was a 2 day evaluation. First day, for a few hours, he was seen by a physcologist and a GP, and a speech therapist. Second day, they watched him play, then he was seen by an occupational therapist and the GP again. Then they all met, and when we came back, we were given the dx.

For your own piece of mind, do an MCHAT screening, it will give you an idea of if your child has signs or not.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/screen-your-child
https://www.m-chat.org/

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy of a giggler!:</b>" I was you - 2 years ago (in 17 days from today). I knew something was different about Kieran, but I ... [snip!] ... your child has signs or not. http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/screen-your-child https://www.m-chat.org/"</blockquote>




That must have been really hard

<blockquote><b>Quoting H&Cai:</b>" He turns 4 this month."</blockquote>


Does he get speech through an educational service agency? Here anyone under school age gets tested by a psychologist that is through the same place as speech therapists, OTs, and PTs, and special Ed prek programs. Then the teacher fills out an observation, the psychologist does an evaluation, the speech teacher does an eval, and there's some other people who do an eval. Then they gather and discuss their observations.

Quoting Mommy of a giggler!:" I was you - 2 years ago (in 17 days from today). I knew something was different about Kieran, but I ... [snip!] ... your child has signs or not. http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/screen-your-child https://www.m-chat.org/"

It came with as 5 score.

Quoting lolajessup:" <blockquote><b>Quoting H&Cai:</b>" He turns 4 this month."</blockquote> Does ... [snip!] ... the speech teacher does an eval, and there's some other people who do an eval. Then they gather and discuss their observations."

He goes to speech therapy at his school. He started and received an IEP around 18m

Quoting Onalee's Mummy:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy of a giggler!:</b>" I was you - 2 years ago (in 17 days ... [snip!] ... https://www.m-chat.org/"</blockquote> That must have been really hard"

The hardest part was fighting to get him help. At one point (just when he turned 2) he was biting me up to 100 times a day. The nurse doing my blood draw with my second pregnancy thought I was being abused - then I had to explain it was my son  

He was/is a really happy kid, and very social, so getting him the help was a fight.

<blockquote><b>Quoting H&Cai:</b>" He goes to speech therapy at his school. He started and received an IEP around 18m"</blockquote>


I would talk to his school then about testing. They can probably send u in te right direction. Has his school mentioned autism?

Quoting lolajessup:" <blockquote><b>Quoting H&Cai:</b>" He goes to speech therapy at his school. He started ... [snip!] ... I would talk to his school then about testing. They can probably send u in te right direction. Has his school mentioned autism?"

No. They haven't mentioned anything specific but they sent home a permission slip to have a psychologist take him on and stay with him and school twice a week and give him more services if needed. A week before school got out..he jumped on another child and repeatedly punched and swung at him