Stacy Said:

does this sound like autism?

We Answered:

I am so sorry that you feel like your concerns are being pushed aside.

Here are some sites/ides to hopefully help you help him.

First, if you live in the States, call your local school district and ask for the phone number for Early Intervention so you can call them and request that he be evaluated by them. This is a free service. If he qualifies, then they will provide him with the therapy he needs. While they may not say he has autism at this age (whether or not he has it, I can only guess at, though I would lean towards his having it, but can't say), they will still provide him the help they feel he needs. Usually around 3 is when they feel more inclined to actually "diagnose" autism at EI.

Next, for your own peace of mind--either to validate your concerns or ease them--please visit the University of Oregon's website below which will let you do an at home assessment of how he's doing developmentally. It will have you do activities with him and have you answer questions about his abilities. It will ask for his birthday so it can give you the right activities, etc., and for your email so it can quickly send you the results on if he's ahead, behind, or on-schedule in many areas of development. This can help you if you find he's really behind by having it to bring in to your doctor to back up your concerns. EI will use a similar assessment, but more in depth.

No matter what, just hang in there! And if he does have autism, don't be surprised that while you'll feel relief at knowing what's "wrong" you all feel sorrow and find yourself crying. It's always okay to mourn; just don't do it for too long. :-)

My son, now a teen, has high-functioning autism, and so I, along with lots of other parents, know how you feel, the pain of wanting to hear him say "I love you," etc. Just hang in there.

Also, here are two more sites that may help.

http://www.do2learn.com/ This site will let you print out picture card that you can use to create communication posters/books (4 x 6 photo books work nicely), as well as using photos of your own, and pictures you cut out from magazines/ads that he can point to/hand to you to let you know what he wants, needs, feels, etc. His slp may already be using this for him, but if not , you can start this for him.

http://www.apraxia-kids.org/ This explains apraxia of speech and while I don't know that he has it, you can read about it and see if you think he might have it. It also has a link to let you join their email list which has parents and professionals who ask and answer questions re: speech (mainly relating to apraxia, but to other speech, etc., issues, as well), besides being a place to vent and rejoice. :-) Basically, apraxia is like having the wires from the brain to the mouth muscles crossed so that the message has a hard time getting there.

I hope these will help. He may simply be taking his time, but I hope these ideas/sites will help you help him!

Best wishes!!!