autism?

[nepters]

Here's some background, before I get to my question:

My girlfriend's son is now 4 years old. He's never been diagnosed with Autism, but I'm not sure she's taken him to the most competent professionals. When he was about 24 months I talked her into getting a speech pathologist to evaluate him, and they said he was normal. I was skeptical, and sure enough at 42 months he was evaluated by the school as having a severe speech delay. Still no autism, however. Anyway, the main reason I'm still skeptical is that his speech is not only delayed but it's also very repetitive and idiosyncratic. He talks A LOT, and he's quite loud. About half of what he says is unintelligible babbling, and the other half consists of short, repetitive phrases like "what's that?", followed by the same "that's a ___" over and over. He has yet to learn when to use articles (so if you ask him "who's that?" and point to his mother he'll say "that's a momma!"), nor has he learned to use pronouns (so if you point to him and say "who's that?" he'll say "that's a Gideon!").

I can't say his non-verbal communication skills are particularly bad. He makes eye contact and points at things he wants, but he also doesn't seem to understand how to play very well, in the sense that if you try to play a pretend game with him he's unable to. He's obsessed with his trains, and if you play trains with him he'll talk a lot but he doesn't really seem to understand how to take turns and share the playtime.

He also throws tantrums a lot. I haven't seen him as much lately so I can't say how many, but between 1 and 3 years old he probably threw upwards of 10 a day. That seems like an awful lot. And he's also only recently been toilet trained. He finally started going in the commode around his 4th birthday. He still wears a diaper at night.

At any rate, here are some questions I would like answered if possible:

1. Is that sort of repetitive speech typical of children with speech delays, or is that something more often seen only in children whose speech delay's are the result of an ASD?

2. Is that a red flag that he doesn't pretend play with me better? Given his speech problems, it's hard for me to understand how he could pretend, since he doesn't have the vocabulary to talk about what's going on in the game.

3. Are these things by themselves enough to warrant a further evaluation. My girlfriend tends to bristle at the suggestion, since the doctors have already said he was ok and we should just leave well enough alone. I don't think she likes to think it might be something worse than just a "speech delay".

Anyway, I'm concerned. I'd appreciate any info or advice you could give me.

[Charlie's girl]

Always go with your motherly gut.  Obviously you sense there is a problem.  Well, you are most likely right.  just relax...  Get him evaluated by the state or privately.  It's important to just be on top of it.  It may be nothing but it's better safe than sorry.  Early intervention is key....
Trust me, I know

Charlie

[nepters]

Thanks for your comments. I didn't mean to sound insensitive.

[tomel]

Would you want to think that of your child? Try and be sensitive to her. Even if it is autism...which it does sound like it could possibly be...he still would get speech therapy and they would probably pretty much still work on whatever they work on him with now. She is to late for any birth to 3 programs because of his age...she would have to contact the state and see if she could qualify for any other services...which is very hard to do and very hard to find people like OT's and Speech Therpaist..the waiting lists can be huge. The only other thing that can be worked on are play and social skills....he may qualify for a preschool in the area thru the public school system for kids with special needs...they woudl work on those skills..but first he would need to be evaluated. Do you think telling your friend that some starngers told you it sounds like her son has autism will get her to believe any different?