What other symptoms? - Autism Spectrum Message Board

rebby24 · 06-05-2006, 04:32 PM

My son is about to be three and says words but doesnt really say sentences.
Is there such thing as a child just have delayed speech and nothing being wrong with them? Or does it always point back to autism? I have taken my son to pediatricians and they all say that we probably speak for him alot of the times(which we do, he's the baby) Even his sister talks for him we have been trying to tell her to allow him to say what he wants. Anyways other then delayed speech I dont see any of the other characteristics that is associated with Autism. When we tell him to say something he does and pronounces it fine. He does point, smile, great eye contact, hugs, loves to babble with srangers and wink. I have read some parents say that there kids with autism tend to do something over and over again. I have never seen him do that, umm are there any other signs I should be looking for other then his speech. Also he has always responded to his name even if we tell him not do something and he does it anyways he still looks at us first then grins and does it. Even though in the last 6 months he has totally stopped doing this yeah!!! Sorry for the book just want someone to list some other symptoms to be looking for? Thanks!

Liz Cook · 06-05-2006, 11:07 PM

every kid is different...

the repetive thing is important... hand flapping, spinning objects... stimming... lots of stimming... more stimming

(stimming tends to be a repetitive behavior thats sole purpose is to comfort or soothe the person doing it) somet stimming behaviors COULD be: spinning objects on a string (my son will literally do this 24/7 if you let him, no joke), waving or moving fingers in front of face so as to interfer with light... etc... stimming fills a sensory need or overload basically.

i saw on another board apraxia... which (i dont know anything about it except what was on that post) is severely delayed speech/non-verbal but without other delays. something to look up anyhow...

GENERALLY speaking and i am sure someone will crack me in the head for this

with autism there is a general delay in all developemental areas. not in all cases but in most. and if it is autism there is TYPICALLY

sensory issues involved. our kids find the world we live in abraisive in certain areas so will have issues with certain things... my son absolutely flips out when i turn the vacuum on... screams, cries, jumps up and down... and he is almost 5 so its not normal for his age

anyhow, i am sure that something will come up. either another dx that fits better or maybe it is mild autism or aspergers and with a little bit of help he will be fine. either way if he is doing well in all other areas then i think you are in good shape (comparitively to someone like my son who is so severe that we were told that he is the way autism use to be and that they havent seen a case like him in YEARS)

and maybe just the speech is what he needs or maybe he needs visual cues to process language better like sign language.

have the therapists mentioned sensory intergration disorder? that can mess up speech and is pretty darn curable and may not necessarily affect other areas of development.

ok now i have written the sequel to your book

so, G-Luck!

madwasper2 · 06-06-2006, 01:12 AM

My son when he was 2 years old woul repeat words and he could say his abc.But then he stoped . Its called echoing that was what he was doing but we did not know at the time. My son was verry loving playfull and had good eye contact. But when we put him in preschool he stopted makeing good eye contact and was with drawing from us. Putting him in school stressed him out. We have found out our son does not like stress it makes him with draw from people and society. Therapist needs to learn how to handle austic children beter. We had one speech lady yell at our son and he could not stand being arround her after that.

Brandiof4 · 06-06-2006, 11:22 AM

My Autistic son who is 5, still does not use the words he knows for communication. just this last year I started enforcing him to use his words for things he wants- like if he wants a popsicle, he has to first say come here insted of pushing me to what he wants, then he must say popicle please, then I ask him red or blue, he has to say the color he wants. A few times of me puting the popsicle back convinced him to start talking. I wish I started this earler. Unfotunatly Autisum comes in many different ways, that is why alot of proffessionals will say he is on the spectrum. Only time can tell! Its a painfull wait. All you can do is love and teach teach teach. The most important thing to remember is if tought they can learn, just at a different pace, for my son it is all about exposer. I now know he is listening and learning even though he is not responding.

pddmother · 06-10-2006, 01:46 AM

It could be just speach delays but get him an evaluation right away, just incase the earlier you detect if there is a problem the earlier they can start working with him. My pediatrician did not seem to notice a problem except with speach. He was test by board of education at 2 1/2 to see if he qualified for an early childhood program for children with disibilities and to my dismay (was hoping there wasn't a problem) he did. At 4 1/2 he was diagnosed with pdd-nos because he didn't meet all the qualifications for autism. He had no repetitive motions. His motor skills were delayed, he is considered high functioning, but is way behind in many areas, and although his knowledge of words is very good and he reads well his ability to understand what he read is delayed. He is 9 now and as we go we find new things. But anyway instead of worring yourself, get him an appointment for an evaluation with a specialist, don't rely on your pediatrician, you need someone more knowledgeable. I hope things go well and it's nothing to worry about. Good Luck