If your child has Autism..

DS hasn't been evaluted for Autism, but I'm more than positive that he has it, or is on the spectrum at least. He is currently in speech therapy and also has an OT, he goes to that once a week.
Anyways, my main concern right now is that he's afraid of children, mainly babies. He gets nervous at the site of a baby and has a complete meltdown when they cry or get excited and make noises. I think he may have Hypersensitive hearing. He's scared of the sound of vaccuums, blenders, lawmowers, loud vehicles, etc.. But babies is what REALLY gets him going.
I was just wondering has any of you guys dealt w/ this? I feel so alone and not sure what to do.. He was seeing a Therapist about 8 mos. ago, a couple of them actually, and they were pretty much useless. They told me that the only way DS was going to get over being afraid of kids is more exposure. Well, we have done that and all he does is scream and close his eyes, wherever we are at.. birthday parties, family get togethers.. It has gotten to the point that we really don't leave the house bc it's just that bad. He can't even handle seeing a baby on TV, even a cartoon baby.. He takes off screaming or scrambles to find the remote, repeatedly saying "turn it off!"
I'm sorry, I just want to know if anyone else has experienced this and what I can do.. My due date is almost here and I'm not sure what to do, it has pretty much consumed me!
TIA!

My brother is autistic. While some loud noises excite him, like explosions or gun shot noises on his games...babies and children as well as anything with a high pitched whine like a drill, blender, mixer or a vacuum on too long will make him extremely angry or upset. If you are concerned, you should look into getting him diagnosed so he can work with a team of doctors and/or aides to make him more comfortable and help to handle the symptoms of whatever his diagnosis may be. My brother has been within a special education learning system since preschool and he developed beautifully. S

How old is he? DS has PDD and I was very worried about him while I was pregnant. He also has very sensitive hearing. I got him some noise canceling headphones that work wonders. Much to my surprise he does amazing with his baby brother and has no aggression towards him what so ever. He will get upset when LO cries but nothing too bad. I wish you luck!

Quoting *Mary Moon*:" My brother is autistic. While some loud noises excite him, like explosions or gun shot noises on his ... [snip!] ... may be. My brother has been within a special education learning system since preschool and he developed beautifully. S"

Thanks! I'm hoping the new baby will make him better. Maybe he'll make a liar out of me, and it won't affect him at all, that is my hope anyway. Hopefully it'll be different, knowing that it's his brother, KWIM?
But yes, if things do get worse, he'll def. need to be evaluated for Autism.
He has been evaluted to see if he's behind on things through an Early Intervention program, the only thing that they said he was behind in was speech and they didn't "think" he has Autism.. But something def. is off w/ him.

Quoting bananapancakes:" How old is he? DS has PDD and I was very worried about him while I was pregnant. He also has very sensitive ... [snip!] ... brother and has no aggression towards him what so ever. He will get upset when LO cries but nothing too bad. I wish you luck!"

He just turned 3. I'm not worried if he's going to be aggressive, my main concern is that when baby cries, I don't want him sitting in a corner w/ his hands over his ears and him also crying.
Was your LO afraid at the sight of kids? How do you comfort him?
I've told DS that he was going to have a little brother and he just screams "NO!" and has a meltdown.

Quoting Peyton's~Mom:" He just turned 3. I'm not worried if he's going to be aggressive, my main concern is that when baby ... [snip!] ... How do you comfort him? I've told DS that he was going to have a little brother and he just screams "NO!" and has a meltdown."

DS has changed a lot since I had LO, he's a lot more relaxed and has fewer and fewer meltdowns. Honestly he has grown out of a lot of the things that he used to do. When DS was your sons age it was very bad, when he was upset he didn't want anyone talking touching or looking at him so I just had to stay close and wait for him to calm down. Then he would come to me.

Quoting bananapancakes:" DS has changed a lot since I had LO, he's a lot more relaxed and has fewer and fewer meltdowns. Honestly ... [snip!] ... anyone talking touching or looking at him so I just had to stay close and wait for him to calm down. Then he would come to me."

Was he in some kind of therapy?
My DS does this thing to where you can't praise him (get excited about something he's done) or try to show him something new, or even sing songs.. He freaks out and screams at us, especially at SO. It's just such odd behavior.
Did you acknowledge him when he would freak out about new baby crying? or reassure him? One of his thearpist once told me to ignore him and go about my business w/ vaccuuming (or whatever I was doing, involving a loud noise) and not to comfort him or say a word to him.. I was like, whaa?

Quoting Peyton's~Mom:" Was he in some kind of therapy? My DS does this thing to where you can't praise him (get excited about ... [snip!] ... w/ vaccuuming (or whatever I was doing, involving a loud noise) and not to comfort him or say a word to him.. I was like, whaa?"

With DS he's just worse if you pay attention to him. If I leave him be it goes a lot quicker, but he wants me to be there, not leave the room or anything KWIM? He was in speech, pt, ot, councler, therapist and psych. Last year I got sick of him feeling like there was something wrong with him b/c he was always at the doctors so we go to speech and his psych. He no longer need's pt or ot any way.

I had my second baby a couple months before my son's 4th birthday, he's autistic and was diagnosed a year ago this month, I was worried about how he would react, not that I thought he would be violent with him but it had been two years since he was close to a baby and at that time he was okay with it, but we had to take a trip so my mom could see the new baby and it was 5 hours in the car I sat in the back with the kids while SO drove, and the first time my oldest heard the baby cry he got really upset and covered his ears and tried his hardest to turn the other way in the carseat, it really broke my heart because I was torn and trying to help him and calm him WHILE trying to calm the baby at the same time, this happened a few times and as months went on everytime the baby cried my oldest got really upset and would turn the other way and cry and cover his ears, Thankfully 6 months later he doesn't mind anymore, he does things to try to help calm him, like if we are in the car he'll turn the toy on that plays music thats attached to the babies car seat, he really loves doing that, and every time I make sure I tell him what a good big brother he is and he just smiles so big, it makes him feel really important! I know you said your son didn't get used to being around other kids with more exposure but like you said maybe when it's his brother, it'll be different, it'll probably take a little time but just reassure him he didn't do anything wrong and baby is okay, just hungry or tired, and give him a job to do if you think that will work for him, like grabbing the pacifier if you use one..my son also loves holding the baby's bottle for me now, anything that means he's helping makes him feel really good. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Quoting .::Kayla::.:" I had my second baby a couple months before my son's 4th birthday, he's autistic and was diagnosed a ... [snip!] ... holding the baby's bottle for me now, anything that means he's helping makes him feel really good. Hope this helps! Good luck!"

Thank you so much!!  

You're very welcome! I know how it feels I was in the same boat! Just wanted to throw it out there and hope it helps you out some! =]