does he have a problem

[confusedone422]

firstly please forgive me if you,ve seen this message somewhere before on this site as i,m not sure where to write it having just joined....
My son is 11 yrs old, as a toddler he would line cars up in a line and moan if you so much as moved one, now he still does it but he,ll do it with playing cards and rubbers too
he never sits still, he will sleep and sleeps very well, but today i went and saw him at essembly in school and it shocked me, he was sat on the bench rockig back and forth and talking to himself, some of the other children turned to look at him but he seemed oblivous to this and carried on rocking and talking, , i,ve not noticed this at home but saying that he does sit on his knees at home rocking whlst he talks to his cars or cards and he,ll sit there talking to me and stop then start making noises like hmm hmm hmm and when i ask him to stop that he,ll say stop what then carries on i generaly think he doesnt know hes doing it,  have you any idea what it could be? and how to help him, i,m worried that when he goes to senior school he,ll be picked on if he continues that behaviour

[Jessica L Thomason Sassi, Ph.D., BCBA-D]

Autism is characterized by severe impairment in social interaction skills, communication skills, and/or stereotyped (ritualistic) behaviors, interests, and activities.  Asperger’s Disorder has a similar profile (restricted interests, delayed or inhibited social interaction skills), but without the developmental and language delays seen in children with a diagnosis of autism.

It does sound like there is some repetitive behavior; however, it’s not possible to tell from the description whether it meets a level that would qualify for a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Also, it’s not clear whether he would meet the criteria for deficits in social or communication skills.  Clearly you are worried, so I would recommend that you speak with his pediatrician to ask about whether a referral to a developmental psychologist, neurologist, or other specialist in autism is warranted - only a trained professional who has conducted an in-person assessment can provide an accurate diagnosis.   Best of luck to you.

[mommyX3plus1]

I would suggest taking him to a children's hospital and have him seen by a child psychologist who can then further diagnose or refer you to a better suited specialist. It sounds like some autistic behavior but then again it could be something different