Early possible autism diagnosis - under 2 - any advice?

HLx · Aug 9, 2021

Bit of a back story.

Enzo is now 20 months he has failed massively on all his reviews and my HV decided the best thing for Enzo was to get him assessed for autism, which we agreed.

Signs we noticed from 1 year - present

Lack of eye contact
Rigid play
Obsessed with spinning wheels
OCD in how his toys are lined up
Doesn’t like certain textures
Likes other textures
Tip toe standing (still doesn’t walk at all)
Plays in his own world
Refuses to feed himself
Won’t touch certain foods due to how they feel, wet, sticky etc

And amongst other things. We’ve recently received our letter back from ISCAN that has agreed Enzo will be seen by the correct teams as discussed at ISCAN.

I know, we all know that he is on the spectrum, and I’m super great full to a very pushy HV that has been there for us from day one.

I’m just wondering has anyone else had a very early diagnosis with their babies? What was the help that was offered to you, and most importantly how did you feel when you got the news

Xxx

HLx · Aug 9, 2021

Enzo - 20 months

DobbyForever · Aug 22, 2021

I know this is late, sorry. But just in case anybody comes across it looking for similar info.

I am in the states and I have Kaiser just to explain a few important details.

I had developmental concerns before my son's first birthday, but in the states (and general practice) assessment for developmental delays won't really occur until around 18 months. My son was assessed and diagnosed with mild autism, an expressive speech delay, and sensory processing disorder before he was 2.5. For the autism specifically, he was offered 25 hours a week of ABA therapy. Essentially, he has an aide that tries to help guide him toward expected behavior as well as keep him and his peers safe at school. It was a battle and a headache, but ultimately him having that support allows me to keep him enrolled in a mainstream daycare system versus having him in a special education preschool. I was also offered a parent/child course specifically for children with autism who also have speech delays. There's a great book that went along with it. I'm totally blanking on what it was called, but there's a book for it as well. I was also given a book. "An Early Start for Your Child with Autism...."

I was not surprised when I got the news. I work as an elementary school teacher, so I see students every year with varying diagnosis even in gen ed. It is hard. I love my son, but it is exhausting work to help him be successful and safe and make sure he is getting his services/ to his services. But ultimately at the time of the diagnosis I was just happy because it meant he would get the necessary supports. Especially when there is so much evidence that this early intervention is what makes the difference between success in school once they go to school. I don't feel like his diagnosis defines who he is. It's just something we navigate, and I do grieve the lost reality of what I expected things to be like but then we create our own new and fun and loving reality together. And people will only know that he has autism if I make a point to tell them.

HLx · Aug 29, 2021

DobbyForever said:
I know this is late, sorry. But just in case anybody comes across it looking for similar info.

I am in the states and I have Kaiser just to explain a few important details.

I had developmental concerns before my son's first birthday, but in the states (and general practice) assessment for developmental delays won't really occur until around 18 months. My son was assessed and diagnosed with mild autism, an expressive speech delay, and sensory processing disorder before he was 2.5. For the autism specifically, he was offered 25 hours a week of ABA therapy. Essentially, he has an aide that tries to help guide him toward expected behavior as well as keep him and his peers safe at school. It was a battle and a headache, but ultimately him having that support allows me to keep him enrolled in a mainstream daycare system versus having him in a special education preschool. I was also offered a parent/child course specifically for children with autism who also have speech delays. There's a great book that went along with it. I'm totally blanking on what it was called, but there's a book for it as well. I was also given a book. "An Early Start for Your Child with Autism...."

I was not surprised when I got the news. I work as an elementary school teacher, so I see students every year with varying diagnosis even in gen ed. It is hard. I love my son, but it is exhausting work to help him be successful and safe and make sure he is getting his services/ to his services. But ultimately at the time of the diagnosis I was just happy because it meant he would get the necessary supports. Especially when there is so much evidence that this early intervention is what makes the difference between success in school once they go to school. I don't feel like his diagnosis defines who he is. It's just something we navigate, and I do grieve the lost reality of what I expected things to be like but then we create our own new and fun and loving reality together. And people will only know that he has autism if I make a point to tell them.

That’s amazing thank you so much for this. I feel the exact same way, to me, apart from his very significant delays I feel like he is actually very advanced in other things, he is obsessed with cars. He can line toy cars up by make/model/colour, and sort them into his own little categories which I think for a child of 21 months is absolutely brilliant, but however he can’t say actual words, he can’t walk and can’t or won’t do something as simple as build a tower with blocks. So for me getting the early diagnosis and help will actually help him with the things he struggles in, and advance the things he’s already amazing with like his toy cars etc.

My health visitor was the one to point it out even though I had my inkling something was wrong, not wrong, that’s probably the wrong term, but something just didn’t sit right with me with Enzo, he’s my 3rd and even though you don’t compare all your children, he was different to his brother and sister from early on. I know he will be fine regardless and I’m hoping as my health visitor is so on the ball with getting Enzo the help he needs, it will actually benefit him before he starts school in the future. I think he will be fine in mainstream school, I don’t see him as severe, he loves other children, he loves noise and excitement and is very rarely overwhelmed by large groups, he plays alone a lot at home, but if we are out he loves to play with other children and will even go up to strangers children to play, he’s not shy and such a gentle little boy. So I’m hoping he is just mildly autistic just as your little boy is. I’ve spent many a nights crying thinking to myself did I cause this, with him being my 3rd baby I obviously have to split my time with the kids so obviously didn’t have 100% of my time in the early days, so I feel massive guilt for that, but I know deep down that isn’t what causes autism, it’s just my own head telling me otherwise trying to find something to blame I think.

Early possible autism diagnosis - under 2 - any advice?

HLx

Mummy to Layla, George & Enzo <3

HLx

Mummy to Layla, George & Enzo <3

DobbyForever

Done with One

HLx

Mummy to Layla, George & Enzo <3

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