My 2 year old has Just been Diagnosed

Hi Loughton chef! 

You really are not alone! My boy is 2.5yeara been diagnosed with autism yesterday! 

Its very hard to know what to do for the best! I noticed my boy changed about 18months he had words and then stopped suddenly - he rockled from a very young age and to tho day continues to rock and flap - more apparent as he gets older. 

We we have one to one support  3 times a week - (free)  from the home bridging team in Ilford  - I'm in redbridge so I don't know if  they would be able to help you. My boy has full support now in a mainstream nursery, which really has helped. 

Your ur speach therapist will be able to help you also - they gave us great techniques to help him at home - in order to communicate, really help with eye contact, giving options, - my boy in a few months can understand simple instructions through simple hand commands and tones from my voice. 

i really home the home bridging team can help you! They really are amazing or at least they can maybe put you on touch with something similar within Loughton borough. 

Good luck! 

Hi - welcome to the site .  As Coogeybear mentioned, a form of communication is v important.  My son (now an adult) was non-verbal until he was 5, then said a 6 word sentence at school.  However, he could understand simple phrases, especially if you aligned that phrase with an appropriate action, such as standing in the hallway with him + saying "get your coat" as we took our coats off the peg.  Also he found pictures of things v helpful.  He would line tinned foods up + want to know the word(s) for the pictures, such as "beans" etc.  You can create a picture timetable for him so he knows what he's doing each day.  When my son was younger he loved a book which, hour by hour, chronicled what a little boy did.  My son spent 24 hrs following it to the letter + loved every minute of it.  Routine stablises our children, makes life + all the changes neuro typical people like ourselves take for granted,  a bit easier to cope with for them.  Also what we often regard as normal/usual etc can seem chaotic to our children.  Things happening too quickly, unexpectedly.  It can all get a bit too much.  So try to go at a slower pace.  There's absolutely loads of info via the home pg + the posts so start there to assess what might work for your son.  There's also Research Autism which assesses various therapies for effectiveness so have a look at their site.  Are there plans for your son to access speech therapy?

Good luck with everything, come back any time.

Hi LoughtonChef.

 Can i suggest you start with a means to communicate. This may take the form of basic finger pointing to images and verbal instruction for additional support. If you feel you can manage it, learn to sign with verbal support also. I'm inexperienced with a mute componant to speach, however, my sons had delayed speach and I used signing and imagery to assist with communication. One of my sons still signs, yet now speaks with extraordinary vocabulary. I, on the other hand, have forgotten how to sign.....

From what you say, he seems to have oral sensitivity, however i'm told that the oral phase can be long lasting in those on the spectrum. My own son  chewed everything for years and still does and even grinds night and day. So take note if this if it persists, It maybe a componant of his Autism spectrum,

My advice would be to use a multi-sensory approach. Carefully watch the responses you get and where they fail. Then try again with the same stimulants, in multiple environments, and with slight deviation if they have been unsuccsessful, to ensure that sensory issues are not to play in any negative response

I credit early intovention with some considerable improvement in my own sons improvement, but it does not have to cost the earth. Research, ask and try, especially with music, touch, visual, taste and smell. All will help develop his sensory perception.

I'm no expert; just a mum, but i hope my advice is of assistance.

Regards 

Coogybear XX