Hey
I'm concerned about my son have been for a while but kept putting it down to toddler behavior frustration etc
I'm just looking for some advice really.
My son is 22 months he doesn't speak. Well he says two words but in no context at all and it is babababa and mamamama. He did say previous around ten words. Mama, dada. Baba. No, bum and a few others. But now none at all other than mamama and bababa.
He screeches from morning till night. Bedtime is a tricky one with us. Until say two weeks ago we would do bath. Story with milk then bed at 7pm. He would then scream and throw himself around the cot hitting his head off walls stripping the bed and himself till in average between 10pm and 11pm.
We moved two weeks ago and he had no option but to go into a single bed and for the first week he slept soooo much better. But we are back at square one he is up and down at ten times a night and not falling asleep till 9.30ish. Sometimes when he wakes he can be up for hours. He's an early riser also.
He throws huge tantrums over anything. Which results in him hurting himself, me , baby brother etc and will throw anything he can. Including small wooden toddler chair, scooter etc. He bites headbutts floors etc.again screaming for ages can last for quite a length of time. Nothing will distract him. So now I let him get it out his system as long as he's not hurting himself. And we move on after I explain what ever caused the tantrum.
He has a major obsession about carrying a certain jacket. He sleeps with it. It comes to the dinner table, itchiest for walks with us etc. And he loves doors. He could happily sit and open doors all day long any door. Doesn't matter. If it opens and shuts he will do that for ages. Not much interest in toys, when he does it lasts a few minutes he gets fed up and goes wandering. He doesn't watch TV either, no interest .
He doesn't interact socially well. IE if we go to soft okay he will just play by himself. But this may be because he hasn't really had much opportunity of late to be social with children his own age.
He walks around alternating between normal walking and tip toes.
He does this weird thing with his hands sometimes they flap around sometimes they r clenched into fists at his side and the hands and his body shake. Sorry very hard to describe. I have found out this is called stimming.
He doesn't point clap or wave.
His understanding is good to a degree. If I ask him where his shoes are he will get them after a few attempts of asking. Not all the time but sometimes. Same with a jacket or hat. But anything beyond that nope. If I say are you dirty keys get a nappy he won't get a nappy etc
He used to eat anything was a great eater. Now food is an issue. He will eat pasta all day if I let him. Breakfast I try cereal . Usually he will just drink he milk. So then I give yoghurt grapes and strawberries he will eat the yoghurt the fruit is hit it miss. He will just pick out the filling if a sandwich rather than eat the sandwich. He used to use a spoon and fork. Now he eats with his hands the majority of the time unless I feed him if he outright refuses anything.
He will very rarely answer to his name. I can call him continuously but he won't answer. Whether in same room or not.
He will make eye contact. But if u ask for a cuddle or kiss he just throws himself at u rather than an actual cuddle and for a kiss he just puts his face towards u but not actually kissing. These r rare occurrence but are slowly becoming a little more frequent.
Now I know alot of this could be typical toddler behaviour. (He's my third boy and second youngest) but I also know now collectively these r red flags for autism . I mentioned this to Health Visitor. She agreed it could be but she said its probably more of a communication problem. Fine OK. Basically her only concerns are sleep, speech and tantrums. And was referring him to audiology for hearing test. Was asking a nursery nurse to visit to address behaviour. And said I'd no improvements by 2 then refer him to a children's specialist (not entirely sure what as she didn't explain.
Recently we had to move due to unforeseen circumstances and I seen the new HV today. He asked me a whole range of questions about lo what he can and can't do. His abilities etc. He also witnessed the lack of speech, the just wandering around in his own. Playing with doors. Tip toe issue.
Anyway he asked why I thought it could be autism and I explained he used to speak and no doesn't. His sleep and his tantrums were initially my concerns but after speaking to people I know his behavior isn't completely all toddler behaviour. And I google about him saying words and now not . I said then once I read up on it the mire behaviours I could identify with lo.
Today I completely forgot to mention the hand flap thing he does. Until ghe health visitor witnessed it himself I just thought it was lo being excited etc but he said himself it was interesting when he seen it. He's not referring lo to audiology now too.
My issue is they won't refer to SALT and they won't diagnose u til he's 3 as in he won't even be assessed till he's 3
So in the mean time what can I expect? He has hearing test and then what else will the HV etc do to rule out anything else before he is out forward to be assessed.
Am I being paranoid? Does it sound like autism ? Sorry I must sound so ignorant but I have no idea how to help my lo if it is autism and would like to try and start doing things to possibly make his life easier. I'm thinking of learning makaton or bsl and teaching him if I have his attention for ling enough to try and see if we can communicate this way ? He also like to eat non food items. Card paper. Shower pouffes and wet wipes r all a favourite! He was meeting milestones toll about 1 using cutlery. Walking etc
Any tips , helpfully advice etc would be much appreciated.
