Not sure what to call this...a whine, anxiety acting up...I dunno. All i know is that I need to get it out and that some of you will understand better than most anyone IRL for me.
Quick background: DS is 27 mos and is severely speech delayed. He has about 30 words and uses some 2 word phrases and short sentences. But that is sparingly, like he went a week with zero words recently and most days I hear just a couple...and i am the only one who usually understands him.
I am beyond thankful for both his spoken and receptive language. Just 6 months ago he had none of this. He hummed.
I think my anxiety is acting up after spending the holiday with NT kids his age and having it driven home just how far behind he is. That and he has his follow up dev eval in a couple weeks...at which i am expecting a dx of ASD (Am both looking forward to a dx so i can get him more help and am scared shitless of it) and he (FINALLY) starts speech therapy this coming week.
My worry: I'm worried he will never talk. I want so badly to know whats going on in his sweet head. Hell, I would be thrilled just to hear him say he wants food or a drink
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14


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Re: Speech delay (likely autism)
DS does sometimes tell me "get down" or "down" when he's done eating...but that is often the only word I will hear all day...and it generally is well prompted by me.
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
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I think you are at one of the hardest points right now. The stupid waiting game between starting the eval process and actually getting the diagnosis (or not getting it -- we were also worried about that & not being able to access all the great ASD therapy options as a result). You know there's a problem and you're trying to take steps to address it and you are stuck in this damn holding pattern. I hated it. Same with having the diagnosis and waiting to start services -- so yay for at least getting the speech therapy rolling this week. Hopefully the rest falls into place quickly for you.
DS2 & DD1: 01.14.13
And you completely nailed my thoughts and concerns with the evals. I have known something was wrong for a damn year now (16 mos) and all but two months of that time he has had ZERO therapy (we moved cross country in Sept, didn't arrive here until Oct). I just want to help him and am scared about losing precious time in this window when he is so young.
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
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Usually I look back and feel good about where we are. For example when they first threw the word Autism onto the table he had two rarely used words and hummed all.the.time. My prayer then was to hear him say anything resembling a word...or just to make a new sound (ok, I was also praying it wasn't autism). Now I am hoping for more words and more communication. He has come so far.
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
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I've gotten a really good book an early start for your child with autism. It gives you tons of easy, practical tips to implement in your life to help.
I've gotten a really good book an early start for your child with autism. It gives you tons of easy, practical tips to implement in your life to help.
Name of the book?
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
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Can you increase his speech therapy? And do you believe he may be autistic based on the speech delay?
The speech delay is just one of the signs of autism with him. Some other biggies: speech regression around 15 mos, he rarely points or waves, he has a complex motor stereotypy (in his case it involves all four limbs and his mouth, he has had this since infancy), he loves spinning/running really fast in circles (does so when he is bored...and can do it for a long time), his eye contact and imitative play is much improved since autism was suggested to us six mos ago...but it isnt where it should be for his age. There are more signs, but those are his big ones.
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
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The books name is an early start for your child with autism.
The regressing recently was just with speech. He went from a half dozen words/phrases per day to absolutely none for a week. He is now doing maybe à phrase or two per day. It wasn't a global regression. He had that around 15 mos. That was so much more, and honestly, as his mom it was terrifying to feel him slip further away each day and not know why or how to help him.
I think the difference with DS in Cali mayve been his age and the timing. He was <2 at the time and it was June of last year, so right after DSM-5 kicked in. I was told by the psych that did his initial eval that until age 3 "at risk" would get him the same services as a dx. It took a while to get services rolling, but they were providing so much more than Virginia is. Here he needs the dx. Period. Interesting to hear Cali wasnt so good with PDD-NOS as i have a suspicion that wouldve been where DS would have landed under the old system. Your saying how much trouble they had getting services is making me really appreciate the fortunate timing DS has had.
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
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Olivia Kate is almost 4!
Diagnosed with autism this year and doing great!
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
My Recipe Blog
~All AL'ers welcome~