Sending MCHAT back to Dev. Pedi today...

weemodin

UGH.  It makes me so anxious.  We've been on alert that DS shows some AS tendencies for a long time, but not to any severe degree.  (I've got an awesome newphew with Asperger's, so I know more than I'd like to about ASD, and am a little hyper-aware of signs and symptoms).

He's 18 months and uses a few words (probably 10-15), but often just runs around saying "uva" (grape in spanish) or "bye bye" or blowing kisses for the heck of it -- not because someone's actually leaving, or because he actually wants grapes, but almost like a stimming behavior.  He does not point to show interest, does not look to you for comfort, but will gesture for things he wants (he'll stand in front of the TV and yell "aaahhh gabba gabba" with his hand outstreched when he wants YGG on).

He is fine with physical affection, and will interact with you if prompted, but doesn't seek it out much (though he will bring you books).  He's slightly happier playing by himself, stacking blocks, or stacking cups, or stacking anything that can physically be stacked.

He does the excited flapping bit, and plays with his tounge a lot.

But, he's fairly sociable, and does communicate some, so while I have a feeling he may fall slightly on the spectrum, I think early help will be good, right??  I guess I'm nervous that by following my gut and getting him evaluated now, I'm jumping the gun, and I might be overparenting based on some concerns that may, in reality, turn out to be nothing.

Has anyone ever gone to a Dev. Pedi and had them say, "your kid is fine."?  I guess I'm a little concerned they might overdiagnose him, if that makes sense.

Sorry for my rambling -- just needed to get this out there.

 

Glendi2.0

you described DD at 18 months almost to a tee... honestly, don't let the fear of "overdiagnosis" take over. I'd frankly be more afraid of a doc who told me "everything's fine" when, as you said, you've been on alert that your son's been showing tendencies for a long time. The best thing that can happen is a diagnosis, I think, because that'll open the door to so much more in the way of therapy (at least it did for us), and therapy is the key to help kids as young as yours. DD's been in ABA now for about 6 months, and her progress has been awesome. It seems sort of insane to say, but getting her ASD dx was the best thing that happened to her.

Good luck!

autumngirl

I had my concerns at around 24 months, so my DD was a but older then yours when I became concerned. The dev ped noted them (at 24 months old) and said she would not put my now 27 mo on spectrum. However, since then, my DD has more and more red flag behaviors that I can't ignore. I still have people saying not spectrum, but we are going for psychological testing. I am trusting my gut, especially as it's not just one thing - it's a few things that add up.

weemodin

-auntie-:

IRL I don't know a single person whose gut told them to have their child evaluated that didn't find some area of concern. Sometimes the answer wasn't what they went in looking for, but there was something.

Having a dx won't change who your child is, it will only give you an idea of what help he needs to be his best self. I wouldn't call getting information to help your child "overparenting".

FWIW, if I had a first cousin on spectrum and my child had these red flags I'd be in the dev pedi's office so fast his head would spin. Actually, I do have a cousin with Aspergers, but he was dx'd after my son was.

Thanks.  What's so funny is that my family (and everyone I've mentioned anything to at all) thinks I'm overreacting because he has words, he smiles a ton, and is a good-natured little guy, but I know there's something just a bit off-kilter, and has been for a while.  My nephew's Asperger's is much more the oft-stereotyped "baby genius" variety -- was speaking at 6 months; totally conversant at a year; taught himself multiplication at age 4... but, he was the king of the tantrum for no reason (if, say, you cut his sandwich and he didn't want it cut...), invades personal space, and drones on and on and on about, say, battleships for hours on end.  Even my sister thinks that b/c my son's idiosynchratic actions are different than hers, it must not be AS related (my DS is, for lack of a better word, a space cadet at times; hers is 10000% on all the time)... which, good lord, all AS-diagnosed kids are so freaking different.

I'm honestly not THAT worked up about it (well, today, at least), even if we do get a dx, because I've always suspected something was a little off.  No matter what, he's such a little sweetheart.  I just want to give him the best chance I can to adapt well to the world.