My 20-month old daughter was recently dx with autistic spectrum disorder. Two months ago I agreed with the dx, I was probably the first person to think she was autistic. But I no longer do. She is so much different than she was when she was dx. She makes eye contact, she smiles at people, she lets others touch her, last week in playgroup she even went over to someone else's mother and sat on her lap. She plays with her brother... The only thing is she is still nonverbal. So she has a language delay or maybe an auditory processing disoder, but not autism. When I mention this to her drs. they think I'm in denial. They tell me that autism is a spectrum disorder and though she may not be severely affected "she is under the umbrella" Now she is about to begin tx, beh. mod, PECS, discrete trial training, etc. Should I be treating my child for something I'm not sure she even has?

There are other problems that can make a toddler seem "mildly autistic" such as a hearing problem. Have you had her ears checked? If I were you, I'd get a second oppinion. If her ears are fine, you need to start speach therapy....that will help. If your second oppinion says she's on the autism spectrum side....start behavioral therapy. She is so young and since she is high functioning, she can improve alot! By the way, you should also get her allergy tested E.L.I.S.A is the best test for that. Some kids have an intollerace to certin foods and it makes them regress, hyper active, or they act more "autistic", or they can have autistic like behaviors temperarly. There are other things that can mimic autism, and theres no blood test to say, "yes, she has autism", so you need to test her for other things to before you give her that lable.

I've had her hearing tested twice. She passed the second one. She starts speech next week. I've just heard so many things (some negative) about the behav. mod., like the strictness and how its upsetting to some parents and they don't want to be in room when they do it. My daughter acts "different" in front of these people who evaluate her. I don't think anything is wrong with that. Most kids don't like strangers. This behavior is what is giving her this label, but she doesn't act like that in the comfort of her own home. Her ped thought she was too young to do allergy tests, also because she has some breathing issues and if she were to have a reaction it would be too much for her. Also I've heard about the casein/gluten free diet. I don't know if that would work because she survives off milk. She is extremely picky about food. She will not allow a spoon near her mouth, we have been unsuccessful getting her off the bottle. Are there milk-like substances w/o casein?

There are different types of behavior modification...some are not so intense and others are very intense. My son has a behavioral therapist and he trained the teachers and me in teaching my son so he doesn't feel so overwhelmed. There are so many different types that if you do decide to do behavioral therapy, you can always choose something not so intense and time consumming, or you can always wait and she how she does in another year...she's still very young. About the milk, they make almond milk, rice milk, potatoe milk and soy with out casins.

If the behavioural therapy is implemented properly and incorporates the childs learning style it shouldn't do any harm even if ASD is not the main DX.

ABA and behavioural style teaching methods discrete trials etc. along with visuals and PECS can be used to teach children with a variety of needs and can also support teaching for NT children. ABA etc was being used in classroom management strategies before lovaas completed his original study for ASD.

As long as you are comfortable with the strategies being used then it should be fine.