My 3 year old grandaughter has been in speech therapy but continues not speaking. Could it be autisum?

Question

She was told she was tongue-tied at the age of two and had to have the small muscle under her tongue clipped. That is the reason she is in speech therapy. She will repeat a word after you say it, but really is not trying to communicate or make sentences. She points alot. She is very quiet and makes no noises.Please help me!

Answer 1

I suggest going to the Autism Society of America, they have tons of info about autism, asperger's (high-functioning autism), PDD-NOS (atypical autism), and the other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. They also have information about disorders with similiar characteristics of autism . I'm leaving info from there about the characteristics of autism and the criteria they use to diagnose it, the criteria is different from asperger's, PPD-NOs, etc (under PDD link)..but they have that info as well there. Hope this helps.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, and although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities

Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. They may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Their communication is often described as talking at others instead of to them. (For example, monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).

People with autism also process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits:

Insistence on sameness; resistance to change

Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words

Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language

Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason showing distress for reasons not apparent to others

Preference to being alone; aloof manner

Tantrums

Difficulty in mixing with others

Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled

Little or no eye contact

Unresponsive to normal teaching methods

Sustained odd play

Spinning objects

Obsessive attachment to objects

Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain

No real fears of danger

Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity

Uneven gross/fine motor skills

Non responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range.
For most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand what we are experiencing. For example, our sense of touch, smell and taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe peach: the feel of the peach's skin, its sweet smell, and the juices running down your face. For children with autism, sensory integration problems are common, which may throw their senses off they may be over or under active. The fuzz on the peach may actually be experienced as painful and the smell may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that some of the typical autism behaviors, like the ones listed above, are actually a result of sensory integration difficulties.

There are also many myths and misconceptions about autism. Contrary to popular belief, many autistic children do make eye contact; it just may be less often or different from a non-autistic child. Many children with autism can develop good functional language and others can develop some type of communication skills, such as sign language or use of pictures. Children do not "outgrow" autism but symptoms may lessen as the child develops and receives treatment.

One of the most devastating myths about autistic children is that they cannot show affection. While sensory stimulation is processed differently in some children, they can and do give affection.

___________________________

The central features of Autistic Disorder are the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interest. The manifestations of this disorder vary greatly depending on the developmental level and chronological age of the individual. Autistic Disorder is sometimes referred to as Early Infantile Autism, Childhood Autism, or Kanner's Autism.

A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

*Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
*Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
*A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
*Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

2. Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:

*Delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gestures or mime)
*In individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
*Stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
*Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

3. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

*Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
*Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
*Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
*Persistent preoccupation with parts of object

B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:

*Social interaction
*Language as used in social communication
*Symbolic or imaginative play

C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

Answer 2

Well, despite what the person above me said, children with autism CAN use gestures to communicate. My friend's son has autism turned three in July, and he has been using sign language since he was a year old (before diagnosis). That said, it doesn't sound like she has autism. Many people assume that speech delay = autism, which simply isn't true. Speech/language delay is just one of many symptoms that a person with autism may exhibit, while others on the spectrum don't have marked speech delays. Nobody can diagnose your granddaughter without seeing her, but you haven't said anything that points to autism. She's in therapy, and if the therapist and/or her parents are concerned, they'll do something about it. Speech therapy takes time; just be patient and keep encouraging her.

Answer 3

No, it's highly unlikely she has autism because she is communicating her wants and needs by using gestures. Autistic kids don't do that.
Sometimes clipping the frenulum (the structure which anchors the front of the tongue to the floor of the mouth) gets clipped unnecessarily when a child doesn't use the tongue for intended activities, such as licking lips on command or sticking out their tongue when asked to do so.
The inability to use the tongue intentionally is called "developmental apraxia", and it can even extend to making noises with not only the tongue, but the voice, as well.
A speech pathologist should begin therapy with the goal of establishing volitional tongue movement. Once that is largely accomplished, then the therapy will progress to the production of vowel sounds, then on to syllables combining the vowels with the earliest developing sounds (p, b, and m), then short words, longer words, phrases, and sentences.
There are several conditions where "echolalia" (the child's repeating of words produced by the person speaking to the child) can be present, but are too lengthy to be described on YA.
If you have other questions, go with the child's mother to meet with the speech pathologist.
All the goals should be included in the child's IEP, which the parent agreed to and signed after a meeting with the entire special services team.

Answer 4

I work with a group that helps parents and their autistic children. Here is a 13 point checklist they provide. Look for at least 7 of the 13. If so, talk to the pediatrician.

1) Has difficulty mixing with other children
2) Acts deaf, visually impaired or blind
3) Resists learning
4) Has no fear of real dangers
5) Resists change in routine
6) Lacks use of gestures, laughing and giggling
7) Is not cuddly
8) Exhibits marked physical over activity
9) Makes no eye contact
10) Exhibits inappropriate attachment to objects
11) Spins objects
12) Has sustained odd play
13) Has a standoffish manner

Answer 5

I dont know about autism, but she needs patience. She needs to adjust and the clipping of her tongue may have been somewhat traumatizing for her, especially now that she is extemely conscious of what is going on. She needs encouragement and she needs to be read to. I am sure the doctors would have picked up the autism, but maybe an appointmen is in order after her therapy is done.

Answer 6

Her parents are evidently handling it by taking her to speech therapy. Rome wasn't built in a day. Stay out of it and reward her with a big smile and hug when she does use her words to ask for something.

Answer 7

Look at how she is socially. I think if you google - autism speaks - they have a list of signs. Also involve her pediatrician, think recently there was some updated guidelines for docs for early detection and intervention.

Answer 8

It could be, but there is also other things that could be causing this. She should be evaluated by an autism specialist, just to narrow things down.

Answer 9

my oldest was 3 1/2 before she started talking. find out if your local school district has what the ECD (EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT). I had hope in it and it was the best thing in the world. if you need more info email me @ [e-mail]

Answer 10

GO here and test her for autism&related conditions .
http://www.childbrain.com/pddassess.html

Answer 11

its possible but doesn't sound like it to be honest with you my partner has austim and there are other signs, but it might be worth talking to her parents and a doctor about it