Published on 12, July, 2020
I've been searching for such communities for several days now and I’m hoping to find some support here.
My cousin's son was diagnosed with autism, but she sort of refuses to accept it. He is almost 3 and hasn't received any care from specialists yet. He doesn't say a word, and he doesn't even respond to his name. The only thing he eats is milk and pasta. The worst part is that his mother works a lot, so the only person who takes care of him is his grandmother.
We are really worried because the situation is out of control.
Oh, I forgot to mention that his father doesn't participate in his life.
Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Lana Apeg said:We are really worried because the situation is out of control.
If there is no abuse then I don't think there is anything you can do about this.
Once the child reaches school age then they should be assessed by the school and have a Special Educational Needs CoOrdinator work with the child and parent if needed.
Until then the child is the responsibility of the mother.
It is tricky as you can see the child not being given the best care but it is also none of your business so long as their needs are being met.
If you believe there is neglect worth intervention then contact someone like the NSPCC and they can offer advice on how to go through the official channels.
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-abuse-and-neglect
There will inevitably be fallout within the family as a result of this so you would need to prepare for that.
It really is a difficult call to make but it is worth noting that a lot of autists can develop quite late compared to other children so it could just be this at play.
If there is malnutrition then the GP should pick up on this, but that of course depends on whether the GP has seen the child.
Thanks a lot for the response and recommendations. I'm just thinking of how to make it to his mother's mind.
Oh, I see. I have to sleep on everything you said. Probably, I will back off and watch.
I'm just thinking aloud here, but considering the very young age of your cousin's son, it's a possibility that your cousin might not start to take on board her son's autism diagnosis until he's a bit older, starts nursery and/or school, and is with a class full of other children. That's when the blinkers may come off and your cousin starts to accept her son's diagnosis.
Regarding her son's diet - My mother had taken me to see the GP when I was a young child because the only thing I was willing to eat was cornflakes. The GP said to her that as long as I was eating and drinking something, it was better than me not eating or drinking anything at all, and therefore something she shouldn't be too concerned about. I'll be 50 this year, and whilst my diet now consists of more than cornflakes, I am and have always been an incredibly fussy eater.
Whilst it is heart-warming that you are concerned about your cousin's son, I don't think there is a great deal you can do, unless (as Iain said) you have reason to believe his needs aren't being met and his mother is neglecting him.