If a child shows some signs of autism,(not all)what else could it be?

Question

My son is 21 months and I have looked into some cites on the internet on autism. He has a lot of the symptoms,but not all of them.What other things could he have or do you think his symptoms are really autism.People from early intervention came and he his is qualified for their program,but they said they cant say if a child is autistic or not but he showed a lot of the signs when they did test him to see if he qualifies for their program.
He doesnt play near other children usually he goes off and plays alon, but he likes adults.He also smiles alot.He does not keep well eye contact,but he will look at me for a second sometimes.He also will kida get into his own world and I say his name like 3 or 4 times and sometimes even then he may not responde.It varies.He is walking, but having trouble.He doesnt do some of the things he use to do.Other people have showed concern in him and I have noticed that he isnt doing the things my older child was at that age.please help me.

Answer 1

21 months is still a young age, what does ur family doc. say? There is a form of autism and its not as like full blown as autism...its called aspergers syndrome... my family doc told my friend she thinks her son has it and its difficult to diagnose and he's 5. He does some of the same things...plays by himself and he never looks any of us in the eye even the adults.
Good luck i hope he's fine.

Answer 2

Get your son to a pediatric neurologist. It is very difficult to make a diagnosis at such an early age, but there are number of problems that can cause autistic like symptoms. And, some can be fairly easily corrected.

But, first you need to have the best information available on just what you are dealing with. Then you are going to need support. No matter what the final diagnosis, start using the Internet to learn all you can about Autism. If there are any Medical Schools in your area, you may be able to get assistance, and new treatments.

When you know for sure what is going on, find a support group. The hardest part of dealing with a problem like this is 'going it alone', and you will find many other parents who have had the same fears and feelings you have had. They can help in a variety of ways.

This 'Early Intervention', was it through the health department or a private provider? Depending on the part of the country you live in, there are a wide variety of programs available.

Please take advantage of anyone/thing you can grab onto. You'll do okay in the long run. God Bless

Answer 3

Autistic children are all unique. Some kids may have some characteristics and not others. There are so MANY variations of autism- Kanner's, Noonan's, and Asperger's just to name a few. I have dealt mainly with Asperger's although I have a cousin with a son that has the Kanner's form- he has come a very long way.

Yes, it is difficult to come to grips with the possibility that your child may have autism but it is better to get involved and get the child some help. The sooner the better for the child. There are so many social skills that can be taught while they are young. I know a young man now that started out with Kanner's form and now he is considered to be an Aspie (short for Asperger's Syndrome).

From personal experience, I went through about a 2 to 3 week time of coping with the diagnosis. Then I became VERY determined to get the best help I could for my son. The school system was not very helpful. So I started looking for a school that WOULD help. I found one that truly helped him. EVERYONE helped- from the janitor to the superintendent, students and parents too. They helped him with social skills- in class, in the hallway, at lunch and after school too. He was a freshman in high school when he was diagnosed. Anyway, take heart. He transferred to the school that helped him as a sophomore. He took one course in the summer and was a senior the following school year.

He graduated at the age of 16 in a class of 31, AND . . .

was the Valedictorian of his graduating class.

I NEVER lost hope. Always have hope for your child and get him the help he needs. I truly wish you the very best.

Answer 4

Your child CAN be diagnosed as early as 18 months, depending on the severity, but usually they WON'T diagnose him unless he has classic autism, and that doesn't sound like your son. If a child is mildly autistic, he won't have ALL the symptoms. My child is untypically very affectionate, has no problem with eye contact. Keep pushing for answers. From personal experience, a family dr. cannot diagnose autism, and I would avoid a pediatric neurologist. I started with that myself, and that was a nightmare. The people from early intervention, if they were from something like a regional center? Go through them! They are fantastic! Let them work with him, they will figure out a diagnosis by the time he's three, but will be working with him until then. He could have something called sensory integration disorder, this can mimic autism to a great degree, you might want to research that.

Answer 5

Autism is a "spectrum," and symptoms can be mild or partial. However, you should let the experts make any sort of diagnosis.

There are a number of things this could be, ranging from a simple developmental delay that he could outgrow, to PDD-NOS or Asperger's, to a language or auditory processing disability, to a neurochemical imbalance such as inattentive ADHD or OCD, to just plain being overwhelmingly shy... and there are other possibilities beyond these.

You should take him to a pediatric neuropsychologist for an initial opinion. However, until he is older, you won't get a definitive diagnosis. The specialist can monitor him, and be there to immediately provide help as your son's condition(s) become clearer.

For now, just know that your son is different than what is considered "average" or "normal." You should also consider that it is the people that are different, who make our world a better place. There are many people with "disabilities" who have made notable contributions to the world, in a variety of areas. There are now high-functioning Autistics who have college degrees, up to and including Ph.D.'s.

That your kiddo is already signed on for special services is excellent. What you really want to focus on is your child's strengths. What is he interested in, what is he good at doing? How can you help him build on his strengths, to learn what he needs to know to cope with his areas of need?

Remember that your child is NOT his needs or disabilities. He is a person, who happens to have extra challenges in his life.

Here are some sites that can really help you as a parent, especially when you're in that hazy gray area between "there's something wrong, but no one knows what," and "after all these years we know he's got x, y, and z disorders, and he's really good at these other things, and the teachers and specailists are applying the following programs to ensure his success...".

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/pervasive_develop_disorders.html

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/auditory.asp

http://www.fcsn.org/

http://www.specialchild.com/index.html

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/devdel.htm

http://www.devdelay.org/

http://www.our-kids.org/

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/ears/central_auditory.html

Here's one parent's story, that you may learn from and relate to: http://www.ldonline.org/firstperson/6973

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adhd.cfm#inatt

http://d.webring.com/hub?ring=jayna

http://www.asperger.net/newsletter_march02kraus.htm

Answer 6

Don't panic! I don't think anyone could tell you that he is autistic by this age, but most likely he just has distinct personality traits that cross over with autism. Maybe he just enjoys playing alone more at this stage... and maybe he really does have a good sense of concentration and isn't easily distracted because he is so involved in his own interests!! Could he be having trouble walking for other reasons, like being taller or bigger or just not physically that athletic compared to other kids? Just love him and play with him and give him every opportunity to be included. I can tell you love your son because you are so worried. It's a mommy's job... I hope you find that all the worry was unwarranted. Good luck.

Answer 7

Not all autistic children refuse to make eye contact. One of the big clues is that he is losing some of his previously acquired skills. There are many degrees of autism. There are other neuological conditions that have similar symtoms.

You really need to get a complete assessment because there is so much research going on now that may lead to better management of autistic symtoms. Therapy now will make a big difference in the abilities he retains and develops in the future.

Answer 8

It is really hard to diagnose a lot of children with Autism in preschool. But also, a lot of kids in preschool show odd behavior and grow out of it.

There are a few things I can think of. Has he been checked for absence seizures? That might be why your son is acting spacy.

Asperger's Syndrome might be a possibility, as may a related condition to that called Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD).

Most children with Autism do not have trouble walking, though a lot of children with other disorders do have problems with coordination. Your best bet would be to take him to a Developmental Pediatrician.

Also, do not panic just yet. Some little kids do weird things and grow out of them, but I suggest mentioning your concerns to a Developmental Pediatrician.

Best wishes to you and your son.

Answer 9

Most definately get a professional diagnosis (your pediatrician can evaluate or even refer you to an educational/developmental psychologist for an evaluation). I am a special educator. Have you checked into Asperger's Syndrome? It is a form of autism and is becoming increasingly dominant in the classroom setting. You may also want to look into Angelman's Syndrome.

The most important thing that you can do for your son is to get him evaluated. If you are from the United States, every school district is a member of the "intermediate unit." (Call you local school to see from which intermediate unit they receive services.) The intermediate unit will do a no cost evaluation and provide support/referral services that are free or low cost.

Answer 10

My son didn't exhibit all the signs of autism either because he would allow us to hug him and hold him, but he has a moderate form of autism. Read the book called "So your child has a disability" and pay attention to the signs of autism listed in the book.