HELP!

The best thing is to wait for the diagnoses and start preparing and learning about Autism this way you can help and understand your daughters condition. Stay in touch and let us know what we can do to help. Today there is a lot of help, information and support with speech and other things.

I was diagnosed at a late stage in my life. As a child my doctor thought I was deaf mute because I paid no attention to him when he spoke to me, I was almost speechless to the age of 10 and did not have any friends.  At school other kids were mean to me and the worst culprits were adults. Back then the help and the awareness was just not there, I got through the hard way.

So there is a lot of help and advice today, don’t ever think your alone carry on speaking to us and to people who genuinely care. 

 I got this from the internet hope its helpful..

Unfortunately it’s common for families to have to wait weeks to months for a diagnostic evaluation after a parent, doctor or teacher notices behaviours that indicate a child may be affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Here are five things I recommended you do to prepare:

1. Learn more about autism. This will help you develop a list of questions for the visit and prepare to take action if your child is diagnosed with ASD. For starters, highly recommended Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit, especially this section on diagnosis, causes and symptoms. Also see the “What is Autism?” section of the Autism Speaks website as well as the Autism Speaks Video Glossary.

2. Gather your child’s information. recommended filling a folder with your child’s medical records and any previous developmental or behavioral evaluations your child has received. You might also want to bring your own notes on your child’s behavior, as you observe it in different places and with different people. It can also help to jot down some thoughts on what you consider to be your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Bring this folder of records and notes with you to the evaluation.

3. Learn what to expect at the evaluation. Some evaluations are done by a team of specialists, others by a single provider. In general, a developmental pediatrician or psychologist is the best qualified to make a diagnosis. However with training, other medical providers can competently conduct the evaluation. It should involve direct interaction between the provider and your child.

This should include a structured, play-based assessment called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Your child may also complete one or more cognitive, or “thinking skill” tests. As a parent, you’ll be asked questions about your child’s behavior and development. In addition, you’ll probably fill out one or more “checklists.” It can feel like a lot of questions, to be sure! Just remember that this information helps the professional make the most accurate and helpful diagnosis.

You should have a chance to meet with your child’s evaluation team to discuss the assessment and diagnosis. You should also receive their written report. In all, the evaluation will take at least several hours and more than one appointment to complete. (Also see the “Diagnosis” page of the Autism Speaks website.)

4. Arrange support. Many parents find the diagnosis process emotional and even a little overwhelming. Rather than go it alone, consider inviting someone you trust to accompany you and help take notes on what was said and make sure your questions get answered.

5. Get the ball rolling on intervention services. Whether or not your child is diagnosed with autism, the evaluation may reveal developmental delays that would benefit from intervention services such speech, occupational and physical therapy. Your school district or state early intervention program provides such services free of charge to children who need them. However, your child must be evaluated for them separately. So don’t wait for the autism diagnosis to request such an evaluation. Call now. (For local contact information, see the Autism Speaks Resource Guide.) Also see Autism Speaks Individualized Education Program Guide.

We know that this can be a stressful time for you. If you need additional help from a live person, don’t hesitate to call the Autism Speaks Autism Response Team at 888-288-4762 (Español 888-772-9050) or email us at familyservices@autismspeaks.org.

You should also know that at Autism Speaks, they want to ensure that the new DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for autism are serving the community well. (The DSM-5 took effect May 19, 2013.) If you or your child are  evaluated for autism under the DSM-5, please consider learning more and taking the survey Autism Speaks.  

I would agree with Longman that if you don't have a diagnosis (unless you have been told it's definitely forthcoming) you shouldn't be worrying and stressing to this extent.

As you appear to be in the US, I would also want to ensure that they are not rushing to diagnosis unless it's categorically present.  If you Google "America overdiagnoses autism" you will get a plethora of information about how autism is being diagnosed suspiciously frequently.  I believe the estimates are 1 in 50 to 1 in 88 in America, in the UK it's estimated at 1 in 100.  So either there is an epigenetic difference in America due to e.g. higher use of toxins in the environment or something else is going on.

We all know that the US is litigious, so perhaps there is a tendency to hone in on autism for some reason (either as a parallel or directly connected to litigiousness) for instance.

If your daughter truly is autistic, 2 years old is so young and even if she was non-verbal now that absolutely doesn't mean she would stay non-verbal and early intervention can work wonders.  Google "Carly Fleischmann" a Canadian girl who was labelled as a severe autistic and see where she is now.

Ignore mean comments from your mother.  Google for what autism support groups or charities there are in your area as you may make a new circle of friends who understand what you are going through.

BTW, both Longman and myself are on the autistic spectrum - would you have guessed?

Hi New Diagnosis to...

Seeing your other posting in response to Hi! by Suzie, It appears you've only just been advised of the possibility and your daughter is yet to get a diagnosis.

So until you get the full facts try not to let this get you down. Autism varies very widely (they use the term spectrum because everyone's different and people have varying symptoms). So don't assume from a few instances that your daughter will be like any one of them. She could be anywhere from full on autism to mild Asperger's.

Your Mum's comments sound shocking, but people are generally very ignorant about autism, hopefully she will come to regret being so harsh, as this is a time when you need her support.

What you may encounter here is that parents sometimes show traits of autism, so you need to explore at some future stage why she has said this. However it does not follow that other children born to you will have it. There are parents who have a number of children with varying degrees of autism. There are others who have one child affected and all others unaffected.

The causes are still little understood, and there may be environmental factors as well as genetic. There's a lot of debate about atmospheric pollution, increased lead and mercury. Also there is a growing network of information about it so you do not need to feel alone.

But it is about the way the brain processes incoming information. Hence you'll find it labelled a cognitive disorder. It is neither a mental halth condition nor a learning disability, although those can be present in association in some cases.

You can get useful information from Tony Attwood's site if it turns out to be Asperger's Syndrome rather than autism http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/ or for any form of autism read the explanatory sections on the NAS homepage.