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Does my 5 yr old boy have autism
My son to me is a normal 5 yr old happy, smiling and loving boy. The only problem I notice in him is his language is not on par with other 5 yr old kids. When it comes to a social situation, he is not very good in making friends but is not very anxious or nervous when he sees a lot of kids or a big crowd. But when a kid comes and approaches him continously or say if he/she visits our home he is totally fine with the kid playing, sharing, taking turns and talking. He does take some time to play with same age kids, but he can play with only one kid and 3 is a crowd for him.
He is very comfortable with kids when they come over to his house. I have also noticed that he gets comfortable immediately in "same ethnicity" houses than in others' houses.
I have not noticed anything unusual abt his eye contact
He knows that he is being called but still doesn't respond. He does say that he heard me calling him many times.responds when i change the tone or i say "Are you listening?" I have already checked his ears and they seem to be working fine.
He knows when he is making a mistake and apologizes when asked to do so. he also knows the reason while he asks sorry.
he has very good fine and gross motor skills, not very aggressive, sensitive to parents' feelings. He particularly knows when me or his Dad are sad and behaves appropriately as if to please us. He does try to make some funny movements whenever I am not happy about something he did and says that he is doing so to make my laugh. He loves to be kissed, hugged, cuddled and tickled and he asks me the reason I am upset whenever I am sad and asks me if it was because of him.
He loves trains a lot, but plays with cars, airplanes and firetrucks as well. He is fascinated about trains and the gears in the clocks, but doesn't spend hours together trying to know about one particular topic alone. He asks me questions(not a lot) and my help when he needs it. But he has started doing that only now. The psychologist say that he should have started doing it long time back.
He talks in sentences nowadays with 7-8 words and is able to follow instructions/directions.
Loud noises/light, change in environment doesn't bother him.
Before giving the signs which might seem to be as autistic, I have to explain the exposure given to him so far.
We speak a different language at home. My son goes to school for only 3 half days. He started to go at the age of 3.5. We didn't have much social interactions or playdates when he was young and even now. So I feel he finds it a little bit difficult in playing with kids. But he still tries to understand and shares his toys when the need arises. He takes some time to play with the other kid but later he does play together and have lot of fun with kids after some time.
He goes to a Montessori school and lately i hear people saying that Montessori might not work for all kids (leave alone autistic) and he finds the teaching aids at the school very uninteresting and so doesn't know his letters or numbers as much. So I have started teaching him at home and he knows atleast 20 letters and numbers till 10, traces them well and has even started learning words. This has happened only in the past 2 weeks. He is able to sit and listen to me continously for 1 hr! ( I am a bit strict while I teach him) Somehow, the teachers at his school don't feel so. they see him as a totally different boy. He is usually standing alone or aloof during a group play. He loves circle time though and dances and sings during music time. he is not able to go to other kids and initiate a conversation or join 2-3 kids when they are playing. At home he is able to converse or speak atleast 3-4 sentences if it is a topic of his interest. He just stands there looking at the other kids as if he wants to join them but doesn't know how to.
He doesn't have any repetitive behaviour. He doesn't have any fixations or obsessive compulsive disorder.
He has good memory and reciting facts.
Doesn't talk very much.
As per the school's advice I went to the county public school system and they suspect him to be in the Autistic spectrum. A pediatric neurologist suspects that it might be a developmental delay and/or Autism. I agree about the Language delay and the development delay but after reading so many articles about Autism, I don't see any.
Now i don't know if I have to put him in a therapeutic preschool as per doctor's advice or in a public school with IEP or just a private school where they can give him more attention.
I NEED A VERY HONEST OPINION IF MY SON HAS AUTISM.
Thanks a lot,
Jodie
He is very comfortable with kids when they come over to his house. I have also noticed that he gets comfortable immediately in "same ethnicity" houses than in others' houses.
I have not noticed anything unusual abt his eye contact
He knows that he is being called but still doesn't respond. He does say that he heard me calling him many times.responds when i change the tone or i say "Are you listening?" I have already checked his ears and they seem to be working fine.
He knows when he is making a mistake and apologizes when asked to do so. he also knows the reason while he asks sorry.
he has very good fine and gross motor skills, not very aggressive, sensitive to parents' feelings. He particularly knows when me or his Dad are sad and behaves appropriately as if to please us. He does try to make some funny movements whenever I am not happy about something he did and says that he is doing so to make my laugh. He loves to be kissed, hugged, cuddled and tickled and he asks me the reason I am upset whenever I am sad and asks me if it was because of him.
He loves trains a lot, but plays with cars, airplanes and firetrucks as well. He is fascinated about trains and the gears in the clocks, but doesn't spend hours together trying to know about one particular topic alone. He asks me questions(not a lot) and my help when he needs it. But he has started doing that only now. The psychologist say that he should have started doing it long time back.
He talks in sentences nowadays with 7-8 words and is able to follow instructions/directions.
Loud noises/light, change in environment doesn't bother him.
Before giving the signs which might seem to be as autistic, I have to explain the exposure given to him so far.
We speak a different language at home. My son goes to school for only 3 half days. He started to go at the age of 3.5. We didn't have much social interactions or playdates when he was young and even now. So I feel he finds it a little bit difficult in playing with kids. But he still tries to understand and shares his toys when the need arises. He takes some time to play with the other kid but later he does play together and have lot of fun with kids after some time.
He goes to a Montessori school and lately i hear people saying that Montessori might not work for all kids (leave alone autistic) and he finds the teaching aids at the school very uninteresting and so doesn't know his letters or numbers as much. So I have started teaching him at home and he knows atleast 20 letters and numbers till 10, traces them well and has even started learning words. This has happened only in the past 2 weeks. He is able to sit and listen to me continously for 1 hr! ( I am a bit strict while I teach him) Somehow, the teachers at his school don't feel so. they see him as a totally different boy. He is usually standing alone or aloof during a group play. He loves circle time though and dances and sings during music time. he is not able to go to other kids and initiate a conversation or join 2-3 kids when they are playing. At home he is able to converse or speak atleast 3-4 sentences if it is a topic of his interest. He just stands there looking at the other kids as if he wants to join them but doesn't know how to.
He doesn't have any repetitive behaviour. He doesn't have any fixations or obsessive compulsive disorder.
He has good memory and reciting facts.
Doesn't talk very much.
As per the school's advice I went to the county public school system and they suspect him to be in the Autistic spectrum. A pediatric neurologist suspects that it might be a developmental delay and/or Autism. I agree about the Language delay and the development delay but after reading so many articles about Autism, I don't see any.
Now i don't know if I have to put him in a therapeutic preschool as per doctor's advice or in a public school with IEP or just a private school where they can give him more attention.
I NEED A VERY HONEST OPINION IF MY SON HAS AUTISM.
Thanks a lot,
Jodie
I just visited the developmental pediatrician and she says so far he doesn't have any behaviours that can put him in the spectrum. I would have to watch him closely and go back to the doctor again after 6 months.
Will keep updated
Will keep updated
ask you neurologist if he may have asperger's. the mildest of autism. e-mail me back ***@****
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