Is this autism?

[blessedmom3]

Hi all,


I've been looking for a forum just like this one. I have a 4 year old son who has been diagnosed with Social anxiety and language delay but I feel there's more. He talks in sentences since he was 3 and asks questions but his comprehension level seems behind. He doesn't understand stories from books , unless they are "black and white" ... anything that requires more thinking overwhelms him. He is unable to concentrate to a story like "Make way for ducklings" and he asks me to stop . I feel he is more like a 3 yrs old than a 4 yrs old.


The speech pathologist said he is about 6-8 months behind in speech .However, if he has comprehension problems and also fine motor problems , what is his diagnostic ? I want to know in order to help him better.

He also likes to line up toys in a row in all kind of patterns , he never plays with other children in the playground and sometimes he has a poor eye contact. He is obsessed with snow(although he has never seen it , we live in FL! ) and likes to toss up things in the air pretending it's snow. Also , he asks tons of questions about the body like why do we talk , where the water goes when we drink, what do I feel on the back (the spine bones) , etc
If I tell him a sentence more than 5 words , he is unable to repeat it .
Anyway, I can't say what exactly it's wrong , but I feel something is wrong...



Is this autism? PDD ?


The specialist said it is not , but I feel he is somewhere in the spectrum.


Academically he seems to be ok. He can count to 20 , knows all letters names and most of sounds and his IQ was normal.



There are days when I am filled with hope for him, and other times I despair when he can't master concepts or answer questions that I know a 3 year old could answer. My biggest fear is what the future holds for him...I worry about him being picked on if I send him to school or not being able to be an independent adult.
Anyway, I'm glad I found a forum to be able to talk to other parents who have children with the same issues.

[Cindyg]

I'm not qualified to diagnose anything but from what you've said, ...yeah, I'd want a thorough evaluation. {hugs}

[Jorsay]

My wife, who is not an expert, but has been amazingly accurate in my opinion in spotting autism, says it is autism.

We have four that were diagnosed. One has been de-diagnosed, one is very mild, and the other two are living good lives. There is a lot of community support. Don't be shy about searching it out.

[Dobela]

:grouphug::grouphug:

If you have concerns, now is the time to start looking for answers and help. Yes, to me it does sound like from some of the behaviors you listed as beign on the autism spectrum. Some of the questions and such are pretty normal for a 4 year old though. The lack of eye contact, the lack of interest in peers, the lack of language comprehension, is not typical for a 4 yr old.

Sometimes it is good to find a book or a developmental checklist that gives typical behaviors and/or expectations for different ages. using those you can compare your child to some kind of standard. If you look online, they will often be slightly different depending on the purpose (academic, motor skills, social skills, etc) but they can also give you a place to begin and somethign to share wth a pediatrician (so you can get referrals to the next level). Don't just look for the age level of your son, look at the ages below and above so you can see what he is doing well, and not so well.

[Mandamom]

IM not so expert opion, it does sound like there are several autistic tendencies.

You might also want to consider whether or not there might be some auditory processing problems.


:grouphug: I hope that you are able to find someone who can do an evaluation so that you have more information.

[mom4him]

Hi all,


I've been looking for a forum just like this one. I have a 4 year old son who has been diagnosed with Social anxiety and language delay but I feel there's more. He talks in sentences since he was 3 and asks questions but his comprehension level seems behind. He doesn't understand stories from books , unless they are "black and white" ... anything that requires more thinking overwhelms him. He is unable to concentrate to a story like "Make way for ducklings" and he asks me to stop . I feel he is more like a 3 yrs old than a 4 yrs old.


The speech pathologist said he is about 6-8 months behind in speech .However, if he has comprehension problems and also fine motor problems , what is his diagnostic ? I want to know in order to help him better.

He also likes to line up toys in a row in all kind of patterns , he never plays with other children in the playground and sometimes he has a poor eye contact. He is obsessed with snow(although he has never seen it , we live in FL! ) and likes to toss up things in the air pretending it's snow. Also , he asks tons of questions about the body like why do we talk , where the water goes when we drink, what do I feel on the back (the spine bones) , etc
If I tell him a sentence more than 5 words , he is unable to repeat it .
Anyway, I can't say what exactly it's wrong , but I feel something is wrong...



Is this autism? PDD ?


The specialist said it is not , but I feel he is somewhere in the spectrum.


Academically he seems to be ok. He can count to 20 , knows all letters names and most of sounds and his IQ was normal.



There are days when I am filled with hope for him, and other times I despair when he can't master concepts or answer questions that I know a 3 year old could answer. My biggest fear is what the future holds for him...I worry about him being picked on if I send him to school or not being able to be an independent adult.
Anyway, I'm glad I found a forum to be able to talk to other parents who have children with the same issues.
Here is a web site to check out. http://www.littlegiantsteps.com/index.php
They have ND's all over the country and you would be amazed at the difference this program will make. It isn't cheap but at the age your son is you could have a total turn around in one to two years.

[Alessandra]

Doctor's diagnoses in the AS area can fluctuate wildly! If there is a special needs parent group in your area, you might be able to get some good doctor recommendations.

Have you checked out the Autism Speaks website? -- they have some good resources.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/

[blessedmom3]

Thanks all for your replies. I will check out these websites.