Question. *Autism/evaluation related*

So, LO had a speech/audio evaluation scheduled for 1/18, but we had to reschedule due to smurffy weather to some time in early February (I have it wrote down). (He's 2 years old as of Nov. 2012)
The man in charge of LO's developmental therapies (He's been in developmental therapies since 8 months old) said that he wants to switch LO to a speech therapist that deals exclusively with autistic children. Me and DH looked at him strangely, and he said "I'm not saying he has autism...I'm saying he acts like he does." or something along those lines, I don't remember word for word. So, we discussed getting LO evaluated and he believed it to be a good idea.
I called LO's pediatrician's office and the nurse indicated that she'd prefer to wait until after the speech/audio evaluation prior to scheduling an autism evaluation. So, tonight my friend who has a 12 year old with autism and who STRONGLY believes my son has autism as well told me to start keeping a journal of EVERYTHING LO does.

Well, I'm sitting here and just writing down the things LO did yesterday, and it's kind of worrying me. Yesterday, my son had three violent tantrums. The first tantrum was during a diaper change, and he began kicking me repeatedly, swinging his arms, and bashing his head into the floor. He seriously dislikes diaper changes. The second time was when I had to put him in the car seat and he began bashing his head against the car seat, screaming, arching his back and forcing his body to go rigid. The third time wasn't violent for his standards, but it's cause for concern. He all of a sudden started screaming, grunting, and stomping as well as collapsing repeatedly on the floor (Each time he collapses, he bangs his head a few times on the floor purposefully). We couldn't figure out WTF was wrong, and after 3 minutes or so finally realized he wanted to sit in a particular chair and needed help getting into it. He stopped once his butt hit the chair.

That's not all that he's done, but that's the violent parts...For one day...
I'm really thinking that maybe we should try to get this evaluation done ASAP so we can get him into the appropriate therapies and get access to the appropriate information or try to just figure out what's going on...
If you were in this situation, would you wait it out til late February (It'll probably take a week or so to get scheduled in) for an autism evaluation, or would you try to get one ASAP?

it took us 3 months to get DS evaluated. i would try to get him evaluated in a timely manner, but not run out and try to get one tomorrow or anything

Quoting HotMom21ERF:" it took us 3 months to get DS evaluated. i would try to get him evaluated in a timely manner, but not run out and try to get one tomorrow or anything"

Oh no definitely not tomorrow, we both have pretty strict schedules and the only days we can really take him to do any kind of therapies/appointments is on Fridays. Thankfully his speech therapists have always came to his daycare to work with him.
I could easily get him an appointment for Friday if I push it though. But I've noticed lately his tantrums are becoming more frequent and it's starting to worry me a bit.

My daughter is 3 and she is autistic. She was screened just after she turned one..She is making a lot of progress tho. It's best to get screened now and find the right therapist to help your child. My daughter doesn't throw tantrums, but she used to head butt a lot and she has a high pain tolerance, she would rather play by herself then interact with other children or adults..The evaluation is pretty simple..she doesn't use sentences yet or if she does its only at 3words still. Having patients is a big keep and having any kind of therapist will help until you can get him set up with the right one..what makes me wonder is that it took awhile for my daughter to get in for her evaluation. I don't see why the nurse wouldn't schedule it now unless you won't have a 3m..waiting period..we added fish oil and omega 3s to my daughters diet the developist says it helps with the brain developement. Just as a sugestion.

Quoting March 2013:" My daughter is 3 and she is autistic. She was screened just after she turned one..She is making a lot ... [snip!] ... added fish oil and omega 3s to my daughters diet the developist says it helps with the brain developement. Just as a sugestion."

I'd really like to get him in ASAP. I'm filling out the journal as much as I can remember from yesterday and today, and he just has odd habits that I've been told are signs/symptoms of Autism.
Like yesterday, he took several toy cars and just lined them up in a perfectly straight line across the kitchen table. He does this a lot.
He also found a round touch activated L.E.D. light and carried it around for probably 10 minutes just staring into the light or turning it on and off repeatedly. Then he ended up sitting the light down and spinning it. He loves lights, flash lights, light switches, but has a special interest in L.E.D. lights.
He FREQUENTLY appears like he does not hear people when they speak to him. He does not respond to his name most of the time.
He's HORRIBLE for head banging. Has no interest in other children or engaging in group activities, prefers to play alone. His speech is pretty bad delayed (He only knows maybe 5 words and babbles). He hates being touched, picked up, or held. He has unusual attachments to certain toys (Taking said toy away will lead to a violent tantrum to conquer all violent tantrums), Spends long periods of time focusing on the wheels on cars, but not the actual car (He just spins them and stares), He moves his fingers infront of his eyes a lot. Pulls his hair when frustrated or confused, etc.

I'd really like to get him evaluated just to find out what's going on. That's my biggest concern because I don't know why he does the things he does, or how to try and go about the situations.

Quoting Vodka Knockers:" I'd really like to get him in ASAP. I'm filling out the journal as much as I can remember from yesterday ... [snip!] ... on. That's my biggest concern because I don't know why he does the things he does, or how to try and go about the situations."

Dealing with an autistic child can be very difficult, but also, very rewarding. If you ever have and concerns/issues/questions, you can always pm me. Even if you just need to vent. I know how the tantrums can get .

Quoting HotMom21ERF:" Dealing with an autistic child can be very difficult, but also, very rewarding. If you ever have and ... [snip!] ... ever have and concerns/issues/questions, you can always pm me. Even if you just need to vent. I know how the tantrums can get ."

Thank you very much. My friend with the 12 year old who has autism has been a HUGE help thus far, it's been very confusing.
It just also seems really weird. Like, me and DH never, ever looked at LO and thought "I wonder if he has autism?", it just never crossed our mind. Then when Paul mentioned that he acted like he had autism and we started looking into it, it was just really shocking. I love him sooo much, but I worry. Like what if this isn't autism, what else could cause him to behave in these ways? Does it even sound like he has autism to you? My friend insists on it, says that her son acted so much like mine at that age, but I don't know. It's been a lot to process in a very short amount of time.

Quoting Vodka Knockers:" Thank you very much. My friend with the 12 year old who has autism has been a HUGE help thus far, it's ... [snip!] ... that her son acted so much like mine at that age, but I don't know. It's been a lot to process in a very short amount of time."

see, i had a feeling DS was autistic since he was 14 months. I know people say there is no way to tell that young, but i knew, just knew, something was different.
Yes, your son does have some of the autism red flags, but it could also be Aspergers Syndrome. Good luck, i hope you get answers soon

Quoting Vodka Knockers:" I'd really like to get him in ASAP. I'm filling out the journal as much as I can remember from yesterday ... [snip!] ... on. That's my biggest concern because I don't know why he does the things he does, or how to try and go about the situations."

Does he sort by size, shape color, catagories? I know it sounds a bit advanced, but most children with autism they specialize in some kind of catagory. My daugther loves to sort and its always by size, shape, color, and catagories..we had french fries at home tonight even and she arranged them from smallest to biggest before she would eat them. She used to go into her own little world and we would just have to sit down with her and do a puzzle or play a simple sorting thing with her so she would come out of her own world. It has been getting easier with years. my daughter also puts things back where she got them..however sometimes if she gets something from the wrong places she doesn't understand that it doesn't go back there. The therapist had a ball game and the balls match the right tunnel to hit the balls down, well the therapist wasn't paying attention to the colors and put them up after she hit them down the therapist put them back up in the right colors..my daughter then took them down and put them back the way they were originally..so sometimes sorting is out weighed by order. try to make a light game with the led light with him..that will get him to interact more. it sounds like he is on the spectrum tho. Does he sleep well at night. We used to have a big problem with that with her also..

Quoting March 2013:" Does he sort by size, shape color, catagories? I know it sounds a bit advanced, but most children with ... [snip!] ... it sounds like he is on the spectrum tho. Does he sleep well at night. We used to have a big problem with that with her also.."

Sorry for the late reply.
I haven't actually (Shamefully) paid enough attention to notice if he sorts it by size, shape, or color. I've always just been startled that he could line things so perfectly lol.
He does however excel with the boxes that has the shapes cut out that you have to put the shape in just the right hole or it won't go. DH saw him get 7 in a row, and that was months ago.
LO does not sleep, it feels like ever. They can't get him to nap at daycare and we can maybe get him to sleep 6 hours at night. Occasionally he'll take a power nap in the car if we're driving some where, but usually no more than 15 minutes and he's ready to go.

I actually took him to the pediatrician Friday and his doctor is doing a referral for him to see a specialist to be evaluated, thankfully. His tantrums got worse and I felt like we just couldn't wait like they were wanting us to.