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Possible autism? 2.5 year old boy


Hello

My son Charlie is 2 1/2 years old. He had an assesment by a consultant pedeatrician at our local hospial today, referred there by our GP. Then assesment results show that he is around 15 to 17 months behind in the language, emotional and social development areas. We have to go back in a couple of months for a second assessment with the 'muliti-professioonal assessment team' - a team of 6 consultants each who speciailse in different areas of infant development.

We have many concerns with Charlie, the main ones are ais follows is:

His speech is very limited - maybe 2 words he can say clearly and a few he can 'babble'. He can count to 9 but seems to have an obsession with number counting on my fingers.

Charlie shows now sense of emotion,  for example if we are playing a game and I say 'no' he takes this in the sense that he is in trouble when he is not and stands still where ever he is with his eyes closed and will move for up to 10 minutes. He will hurt himself by banging his head on the wall or floor if he gets frustrated or will nip and scratch me. He does not seem to feel pain or understand is he causing pain for others. He is not affectionate and will not cuddle or kiss spontaneously. He will not sit for a period of more than a couple of minutes with either myself or his mother.
6 Responses
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1744779 tn?1311329776
Dear Carlos
Autism is unique – so far – in being called in common parlance and among professionals  a “spectrum” disease or condition. That means that the divisions that Dr. Kennedy refers to as “conditions along this spectrum” are not really very clear cut, and, in fact, the spectrum goes in many directions, like a color wheel. Or maybe a color sphere!  
Knowing what to call your child’s problems may be somewhat helpful but knowing what to do is even more to the point of the choices you will have to make in answering two questions:

“What’s the next step?” and
“Have we done everything we can for this child?”

The second question is the hard one. The first question can be handled by starting to ask two simple questions that can be repeated in steps:
1. Is there something for which this child has a special unmet need to get which, if met, would favor Nature’s strong impulse toward healing?
2. Is there something for which this child has a special unmet need to avoid or be rid of which, if taken care of, would favor Nature’s strong impulse toward healing?

The other question that will start to come up as you move forward with the realization that whatever label your child may be given he is one of a kind – unique. So then the question moves toward asking whether you can find other kids who are pretty much like him – not by label – but including a lot of details that describe him but may not be part of giving him a diagnosis. Then, if you could know which among your many options have benefited those other kids, you’d have some guidance as to actionable options for treatments based on the experience of other kids very similar to yours.

The website Autism360.org provides you with such options based on an anonymous record that you create at no charge. It is funded by the Moody’s Foundation and other supporters.
All the best. Sidney M. Baker, MD.
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242606 tn?1243782648
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
PDD is simply the diagnostic category that includes autistic disorder as one of its types. There are a numer of conditions, including autism, along the PDD spectrum of conditions Other conditions along this spectrum include Asperger Disorder's, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett's Disorder. Think of PDD as the umbrella - there are a number of conditions (including autism) under the umbrella. And remember, even in the category of autism there is a wide range of severity.
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Avatar universal
Thank you Kevin, I will research PDD. In a couple of months I will also update with his diagnosis which I'm hoping he will get from the next assessment.

Thank you
Helpful - 0
242606 tn?1243782648
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It is clear that your son is displaying general developmental delays and these do point in the direction of Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Only the detailed, discipline-by-discipline assessment will clarify his status in the various spheres of development, but a diagnosis along the PDD spectrum is likely. It is good that you are having him undergo the evaluation process now, because early treatment/intervention enhances the prospects of his making gains.
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Avatar universal
Finally, sorry for the spelling/grammatical errors, this was written on my phone

Thanks
Carl
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Avatar universal
He does not interact with children. He does not make eye contact often, when he does it it for a few moments. If he notices you watching him and makes eye contact he will immediately stop what he is doing and look shaw, putting his hands over his eyes. He remains like for a couple of at east and very rarely goes back to what he was doing. He likes to be alone and play alone.

He has an obsession with spinning wheels, lining objects up and building towers. He also flaps his hands very often, his does this more when he is happy or exicited.. Whenhe has a chocolate biscuit for example. He also runs on his toes when flapping his hands. He has recently started an obsession where he will spin a spoon on the floor and lie his head on the floor whilst watching the spoon spin. Once it has stopped spinning he will do this over and over again. If we take the spoon away he will become uncontrollable and smash his toys.

He started walking about 6 months ago, can walk up stairs unaided and crawls down backwards. He if very fussy with food. Recently he has started using a towel or blanket to comfort himself when tired.

He does not like being away from his mother - he will not be left with either myself or a relative if his mother is not there, he will cry, hurt himself or smash things if taken away from his mother, although he does not show any spontaneous affection towards her.
If I point something out to Charlie he will not look where I am pointing. If he is watching TV often goes into a trace like phase where he will not respond to us calling his name or waving our hands infront of his face.

With all of this we are very woried about Charlie. The hospital have not given us any indication of diagnosis so we will have to wait another couple of months for another assessment and possible diagnosis.

We recently had a visit from our health visitor, she said to us that Charlie is a normal child and hinted that we were not doing a good job with him as parents. She forced Charlie to sit on the 'naughty step' when he started smashing his toys in front of her, when she did this he went crazy and we had to restrain him to stop him from seriously hurting himself. She also told us that the reason Charlie does not play with children is because he is not in play school, that we are depriving him. We explained that he will not leave his mothers presence and the problems we are having, her response was that maybe we should go to parenting classes!! The consultant we saw today has said the health visitor should not have done or said this and is filing a complaint against her.

Also, Charlies hearing test came back as normal.

Do his symptoms point to autism? I want to have an understanding of what his problem may be before his next assessment.

Apologies if i have given too much information,

Thank you

Carl
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