Callista

Welcome. Luke sounds like a fascinating boy. I'm a 24 year old woman with Asperger Syndrome, so I didn't have a speech delay; but I think his chattering is really a good sign--he's trying to communicate, even if he hasn't quite got the hang of it yet.

One thing I do know about myself is that I prefer to communicate in writing. Words are easier to read than they are to hear; easier to write than they are to say. Written language is slower and clearer. I think when your boy learns to read and write, his communication will become easier. I learned to read and to speak simultaneously (at about the age of two--hyperlexia is typical with Aspies), and when I think of a word, I think of the written word as well as how it's said. When I speak, I mentally "write" what I'm going to say before I say it. Autistic minds are often quite visual; and reading is a very visual skill.

Your coming online for support is a good thing. Being isolated is not a good idea for parents of special-needs kids, especially today: New ideas about educating the autistic mind are coming out every day, and if your son is to benefit from them, you need a network that'll inform you of them. (Obviously.) And of course, there's the stress that comes with any sort of parenting, added to the stress of the additional help he needs--that needs some outlet, or you won't be the best mom you can be. (My mother, who was quite isolated while raising me, often ended up yelling at me when she was stressed. I think if we'd had a network to depend on, she might've had it much easier.)

We are woefully short on child therapists... Your situation is something I've heard quite a lot. I myself have to travel to the nearest big city in order to connect with other Asperger's adults and parents of Asperger's kids. (It's quite helpful to do so--one doesn't feel nearly as alone; and the others often have faced the same problems you're facing.) But it seems you're doing your best; and that's all that can be expected. I sure hope Luke is OK with car rides...