Can i PLEASE get some HELP??

[MiSsy_89]

My Daughter is 2 years old. She Does not walk, talk or cry much. Since she was about 4 months old she would often slap her little hand against her head, and if she were to be playing with a toy she would hit her self on the head, mouth, and upper lip she doesnt play with the toy. She cant understand any commands and i often have to call her name several times before i could get her attention.She knows what "no no" means but quickly after she will bite her little arm (she has several scars). Also, she twists her wrist left and right with anything she picks up then switches from hand to hand. She Started crawling at about 1 year and a half.  Her height and weight are normal. She has trouble chewing her food. She often stares into the walls and will lock her sight on a certain spot, even if i turn her around she will turn around and stare deeply into the blank wall. I dont believe shes blind because she crawls all over the house.She had an hearing exam but it was a bit difficult to diagnose the result, i was told that she would have to get further testing done becase it seemed more like an attention problem not that she was deaf nor blind. im SO LOST!!! help!! i live in Southern California and have not been able to be seen!!! I recently took my daughter to The Los Angeles Childrens Hospital and had her seen by one of the pediatricians but i was not able to get any kind of lab work done because my Medi-Cal doesnt cover it unless i live in LA, But the doctors here in the Inland Empire have not been able to assist me as quickly as they did in LA. PLEASE if i could get a ballpark estimate on what she could be diagnosed with and what my options are with seening a doctor out of my county.  

[Rebecca MacDonald, Ph.D., BCBA]

Your daughter definitely needs to be evaluated. Hitting herself when she is frustrated is very serious. I would suggest that you go try to identify a hospital in LA where they specialize in diagnosis of children who present developmental delays including autism. A comprehensive evaluation by a team of specialists will result in diagnostic information as well as treatment recommendations. You can then take these recommendations to your local early intervention program. A diagnosis does not typically involve lab work so this should not be a priority. Hearing and vision screening should be high priority.

The most effective treatment for children with autism is early intensive behavioral intervention. This means that your daughter receives a diagnosis of autism, she should receive 20 hours of direct teaching in language, social skills and self-help skills. Services can be provided by early intervention in your area. You may want to look for behaviorally trained professionals to supervise a treatment program by checking www.bacb.com for a person in your area.

[Sally44]

You really need your child to be seen by a number of professionals including Speech and Lanaguage Therapist, Clinical Psychologist and Occupational Therapist.
She may have autism, which can range from mild to severe.  My son is on the autistic spectrum and some of the things you mention sound familiar.  But I am a parent, not a professional.
It sounds like she may have sensory issues which an OT should be able to help with.  Google DSM IV for autism and look at the criteria to see if it sounds like your child.  Also google Sensory Integration Disorder to see if that applies.  But appearing over and under sensitive through the senses is classic.  So she might appear deaf at one time and then appear to hear the smallest sound at another time.  She might have difficulties with how her clothes feel.  She might cover hear ears at noise, she might have balance and co-ordination problems, or her balance and co-ordination might be better than other children.  She might have problems with the taste, texture and smell of food.  
If she has problems chewing she might have dyspraxia, which might also affect her ability to speak.  
Being fascinated by certain visual stimuli is also classic of both autism and sensory integration disorder.  That may also indicate she may have Irlen Syndrome which is something you could test for later, but which is rectified by wearing glasses with tinted irlen lenses.  Google Irlen Syndrome to see about that.
The fact that she doesn't play with toys and gets frustrated and hits and bites herself is also classic to autism.  That is due to a lack of imagination and flexibility of thought that can make it hard for them to know how to play.
Regarding waiting for assessments.  Some universities specialise in diagnosising autism and you might be able to get an assessment sooner and for free.  In the USA you could try contacting the Autistic Society of America for advise with that.
I would also recommend you repeat this post in the autism forum as there may be other parents in your area/country that could give you some advice.