Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi i have 3 children aged 8, 6 and 20 months! I noticed my son was different from my other 2 as he's development has been much, much slower! He burnt his hands very badly just before his 1st birthday on the raidiator, he put his hands on the top and just didnt move them off!! He's very lucky as the hospital said there wouldnt be any lasting damage! But it was very hard explaining to people that he didnt move his hands and i encounted some very nasty comments such as maybe i had held his hands on there to burn them!! Very hurtful and damaging!!!
He didnt crawl until he was 13 months and walking was 15/16 months! He had picked up a few words around 15 months such as mum, dad, nan. dog and hello! He also used to point to the sky if he could hear or see a plane in the sky! He now only says mum and hello. He uses mum for everything, if he wants something or its what he calls me, my husband and his brother and sister! Hes never been a good sleeper and still wakes 2 sometimes 3 times every night and i have tried all the tricks and routines to try and get him to sleep but nothing works! He also has very bad eating habbits and will fill his mouth with food until he can not close his mouth and then simply sit the food out, he will only wat brightly coloured foods ie bananas, carrotts, broccill! He is a mummys boy, he hates going to crowded places and i have had to stop taking him to toddler groups and birthday parties!
He also pulls his hair and bites his finger to the point that theres big red dents in his fingers! he hates being put in the bath and this normally takes me and my husband to get him in! He opens all the cupboards and drawers and will empty everything in them, he also lines the cups and plates up along the floor! He is very demanding and i have had to stop working at the moment, (i only work from home for myself making jewellery but am finding it impossible to do)!
I have spoken to my health visitor who has said she has also had concers regarding my son when we went to clinic, she has refered him to the local speach therapist who again has agreed there is something there, he is having 4 weeks of sessions and then a break over christmas and then a re-assment in the new year with another 4 weeks therapy if needed! The health visitor is coming back out to me on the 1st Feb to see how things are going and will then make a decision on what to do from there! She came out to me last week and used the CHAT form but said it was indisivie as when she was playin g with his toys he engaged with her and also played alone with a car toy?
Im very stressed and really want to get to the bottom of this as its very distressing to see him like this and not know how best to help him! Iv been told the waiting list in my area is very long and that the earlier autism is detected the more can be done! I dont know wether to go to my GP or wait for the health visitor to come back out! In the last few days he has started to get very spiteful and is now pully our hair and pinching us! Thanks.x
Do you know where the referral was sent to? If so, ring them up regularly to see where your son is on the waiting list. If you don't know, then ask your gp and he/she will be able to give you the number and then as suggested - ring them once a week/every fortnight for example and just keep asking where your son is on the waiting list. This tactic will help him from being forgotten and will let the place that have your referral know, that you won't allow yourself to be treat like a doormat.
Good luck