Does this sound like autism?

[gmaco]

My Grandson will be three on December 1st.  He is just now saying one word at a time, no real sentences.  You ask him if he wants milk or juice and he acts as though you aren't even in the room. When he wants a drink he may come and hand you his cup and just walk away. I have had him tell me "I hungry".

He is an effectionate child.  He will stop his playing and come to you and hug and kiss, then turn back to his toys.  He is extremely good and puzzles and the toys with shapes (fitting shapes into their appropriate space).  

Some days he will speak more than others.  If you can get his attention, and ask him what a cow says, he will say "cow". When you ask again what it says he will tell you "moo".  My son and daughter in law have a speach therapist working with him.  She thinks more interaction with other children (pre-school) is the answer.

I have not seen him wave good-bye.  He is making hand jestures (like a puppet type motion).  That may be something he has seen on one of his movies.  He loves to watch children's movies, and he will dance with the music and clap his hands.  

My son and daughter in law are three hundred miles away from me with no health insurance and I am worried that their son might me getting lost in his own little world.  

Any suggestions; does this sound like autism?

[888mom]

Do you live in the U.S.?  If so, he would qualify for developmental preschool with a language delay.  Developmental preschool is free through the public school system.  My daughter is turning 3 next week, and she is starting next week.  She had therapy in the Birth to 3 program until now.  Now we're transitioning.

My daughter was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) on the autistic spectrum (she's too young to diagnose between PDD-NOS and typical autism, so it's not specified yet).  She is usually very social and interactive, but in her own ways.  Her eye contact is really good.  She has problems with social cueing and huge problems with speech and language processing.  And she has sensory issues, ritualistic behaviors, and other things that are typical of autistic behavior.  

Anyways, you could express your concerns with your son, but in the end, they are the parents and they have to make the decisions.  I have a dear friend with a son who has significant language delays (no other delays or issues, just language).  He could qualify for free developmental preschool but she chooses to keep him at home and not send him to public school.  She can't send him to private school yet because he's not toilet trained.  And she refused the Birth to 3 speech therapy for him as well.  He has made very slow progress compared to my daughter (they are the same age, only 1 week apart).  I mentioned the things to her, only because my daughter has and will be going through them, but after that I don't suggest things because I know she gets frustrated because she hears the same things from her family.  Well, anyways, just wanted to share my friend's frustrations, to possibly save you some heartache if you have an argument with your son about how to raise your grandson.  

Is your grandson learning sign language?  It's a great bridge for communication until the spoken words kick in.  You don't even have to see a therapist to teach them.  There are so many children's sign language and baby sign language books out there since that is the popular thing these days.

[Sally44]

If you click on the Health Page icon on the top right hand corner of this page and go into Behavioural Characteristics behind a Diagnosis of ASD, I have posted the clinical criteria.  These are the lists of behaviours that professionals are looking for to diagnose a child/adult as being on the autistic spectrum.  Parents have also posted examples of their child's behaviour that fits the criteria to help others understand what kind of behaviours the professionals are looking for.
Have a read through that and then post back again with your thoughts.