• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 69 subscribers
  • Views 2061 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Undiagnosed 2 year old- looking for some advice.

LM

Hi all,

I’m looking for some advice regarding my 2 year old son. 

We are just starting the process of having him diagnosed ( with possibly a high functioning autism).
I’m keen to have a few questions answered please if anyone has recently been through a diagnosis…

We have recently briefly spoken to a doctor but what is the next stage? Will we receive a questionnaire to fill in and then be put on a waiting list and if so how long did you wait for your/ your child’s first appointment?  
How many appointments do you usually attend?

Does anyone have experience with taking their young child who has anxiety over enclosed spaces to their appointment? I’m worried as my son refuses to even enter a room where he feels trapped and can’t get out. He probably wouldn’t actually be able to be assessed because he would be screaming the whole time to get out the room( just as he usually does if I take him to doctors/hospital etc. 
I’m sure they are used to this but just wondering if anyone has experienced this? 

Thanks for reading! 

Parents

  • Hello,

    When you speak with your doctor don’t take all his-or her words for granted, doing so has lead lots of autistic people in the opposite direction the parents were intending, just take your doctor’s words as possibilities.

    The waiting list will most likely be pretty long since the spectrum has broadened and more people are being tested as people’s understanding of autism increases.

    How many appointments you have will differ to others as it will depend on how your child’s affected and what you write on the questionnaire.

    Concerning your child’s anxiety, if you know anything that helps him stay calm allow him to hold on to it, certain objects and activities like a special area of interest work as a great way of soothing, comfort and helps them make sense of the world.

    While you’re waiting I suggest you do some research on ABA, Applied Behaviour Analysis. ABA is what you’ll most likely hear if your son is diagnosed, but ABA is clearly not for all of us on the spectrum. Seek multiple sources and look at both the benefits of ABA, and the problems about ABA. If you ask those of us autistic what we think of ABA I can be sure the vast majority of autistic respondents will describe it as abuse. Out of all autistic people I’ve spoken with I would estimate no more than 5% went through ABA without suffering, listen to professionals about ABA, and listen to autistic people about ABA before you decide what will help your son best.

    The reason ABA is so abusive is because its original intention when founded in 1961 is “Autism Conversion Therapy,” founded by the same man who founded “Gay Conversion Therapy,” Ole Ivar Lovaas. In the U.S. they did not stop “shock therapy” until March 2020. ABA has cleaned up its act not because it wanted to, but because it was forced to by law.

    While waiting for an official diagnosis investigate and research the different interventions to see what’s best for your son, make sure you know about your son’s symptoms because ABA workers are not even taught about autism which is just another reason so many suffer from ABA. 

    I hope all goes well.

  • in reply to Daniel

    Hi,

    Thanks so much for all the advice! I will definitely look in to all this before any appointments. 
    My partner is autistic( this is how we found out about our son too) and so I’ll get his perspective on it all.

    Thanks again!

  • in reply to LM

    Watch this video, it's less than 3 minutes long but you'll see the kind of thoughts autistic people have. Even though the thoughts sound devastating and heartbreaking, still research it because we do have some autistic children it has greatly helped depending how they're affected. If you think it suits your son you can try, if it doesn't, seek an alternative option.

    https://youtu.be/bPV7nMfyHHg

  • in reply to Daniel

    Thanks so much again for the advice! I’ll watch this video :)

Reply Children
No Data