My son Reilly is 35 months old and approaching his 3rd birthday.  Reilly has been seeing a speech therapist for 4 months and the therapist has recently identified that he has echolalia which means he repeats words when said by the parent but does not comprehend the question.  Reillys comprehension of words and its meaning is impaired and he often hand leads to get what he wants or help himself.  Reilly said mummy when he was about 12 months and then would not say my name until recently after speech therapy intervention.  

I have concerns that Reilly may have PDD-NOS, he is seeing a peadiatrician who claims that he is too young to be diagnose with autism at this stage but he is also saying that Reilly gave him eye contact and played with a toy in his office which are not specific to autism.  Reilly may give a strager eye contact more readily upon meeting them, however his focus and general eye contact is limmited overall and will more times than not respond to his name when called.  Reilly will play with toys and has an excessive infacination with trains. Reilly does not present any signs of a stim and will interact with you in play or if he wants something.  

Now for the more conerning behaviours.  Reilly winges and cries a great deal and will mostly not seek my attention for help when he has hurt himself.  Reilly will back into a corner or squirm on the ground when distressed.  Reilly will regularly bang his head on the ground walls or other peoples heads.  Recently Reilly has developed a new behaviour where he will mouth his arm from the inside of his wrist to his elbow - up and down with saliva from tears etc.  When trying to calm him down, his behaviour escalates and he refuses a cuddle or being picked up.  I just sit on his bed and wait for him to come to me after pacing around on the floor or banging his head.  Reilly will throw a tantrum when: being corrected, when told NO or when interupting an activity or TV program.  When Reilly is not distressed he will give a hug upon request, however this was tought to him.  Reilly has sleep problems and will wake at all times through the night.  If we put him back into his bed he will head but the floor and sit on the ground.  After a great deal of trying to get him to sleep in his own bed after waking up we allow him to get in with us but he will not let us put our arms or hands around or on him.  His legs and body are all over us during the night and I often wake up very sore.

Reillys grand parents are afraid to baby sit him or take him out.  They have taken him out once where he head but his grandfather and sqirmed on the floor and would not allow him to pick him up or hold him.  They have not taken him anywhere since this event.  Reilly will give his grandparents a hug but he wont do this upon every request.  The child care centre has written a report advising that he tends to parallel play and not interact like other children do but he does tend to make attempts to play at times.  Reillys group leader advised that he wonders off when others are meant to sit on the mat and will not sit to eat his food at the table with others. Reilly loves puzzles and peg boards, knows all his colours and can count to ten.  Reilly can use a screw driver but he wont use a pencil like a screw driver.  Reilly will imitate the dog by barking at the fence when the neighbours come home, eat dog food and drink from the bowl.  

Reilly ate all his home made solids as a baby and then refused to eat at 20 months where he only wanted his bottle.  Reilly has an iron deficiency and after giving him a syrup from the chemist to motivate his motabolism he will only eat bread, biscuits, yoghurt or chicken nuggets.  Reilly is infactuated by his father and often pushes his mum away when he is home.  Reilly prefers his father do things for him over his mother. Reilly will cry when his father goes to work and say daddy when he comes home but not run up to him if he picks him up on the occaision from child care.  Reilly does not have an attachment problem when his mother leaves him at child care, I can generaly give him a kiss and go and upon return he will run up to his mother.  

My understading of PDD-NOS is that the symptoms are less severe in intensity and frequency and the child does not necissarily have all the characteristics of other PDD's.  If Reilly only has a speech disorder then why are all these other concerning behaviours present and why cant I help him naturally when he is upset or distrressed.  Could this be PDD-NOS and does any one elses child have the same problems?