2 yr old autistic?

[KATIESMOMMY]

I was hoping some of you Moms could help me out. I have suspected my 2 1/2 year old is autistic for some time. I am not a layperson or anything, just when I was in nursing school we dealt with this in a class and for some reason it has stuck with me since she was a year old. She was a 34 week preemie and was behind on everything for along time. At her 18 month old checkup I had concerns as her speech was way behind, no eye contact, very little pretend play etc. By her 2 yr old checkup when we were going to schedule her appt with first step things had improved, she can now stack blocks, makes eye contact, pretend plays and speaks alittle more,etc.
Well about 3 months ago we started having problems with her and spatial issues. The elevators have terrified her since she was 18 months so I didnt think anything of it. Then she wouldnt go to the photographers and we chalked it up to being space again as the room at olan mills is tiny. Well now in th last few weeks it has gotten horrible, the disney store- which she loved- now terrifies her, any aisle at a store that dead ends into a wall or something she screams bloody murder and the newest development any small store scares her to death, I mean really scared and she starts smacking her ears with her hands and says ok ok ok ok ( what she does when she gets hurt, like I am asking are you ok?).
We already have an appt with her ped on the 21st and a concult with first steps the when we get back from Disney on the 11th,DO you thing this is austism or???? I am at a loss and have not been able to find anything on spatial issues with toddlers and I just believe it is something to do with autism. I am also scared about the whole plane ride, I just know she is going to freak.........any advice/insight will be appreciated

 

[freckles and boo]

Whether your child is autistic or not, it seems from your description that she definitely has sensory issues. I don't have time for a long post, but I would suggest you do some research on Sensory Integration and see if you recognize your child's behaviors in your research. We are currently addressing our daughter's hyposensitivity, and her speech and language are beginning to blossom. Best of luck!!!!!

 

[pokemon_master]

I haven't much advice on this subject unfortunately. Whilst having Asperger Syndrome I haven't much clues as to what it actually is to be on the Autism Spectrum.

In my opinion there could be other reasons for this but my advice is definetly go and see your Doctor. He should hopefully be able to find out what is going on.

Good Luck and best wishes.

 

[freckles and boo]

Here is just a quick introductory article about sensory integration in premature babies.

http://www.comeunity.com/premature/child/sensory-integration-preemie.html

 

[karynnix]

Does she engage in "stemming"? If you don't know, stemming is self-soothing methods. At that age, my son would stand in front of the TV and flap his arms when he got excited. That was the first sign of autism that he showed. Reading back over your post, that sounds like what she is doing when she is "smacking her ears". My DS does the same thing.

Autism is a beautiful aspect of Jack's personality. I think that he would be such a different person without autism. Yes, it is challenging, but he is such a great kid. Your daughter will be just fine. If it is autism, educate yourself. Learn how to calm her down. Learn how to communicate with her.

She will probably be okay on the plane ride. Is this her first time on a plane? My son had his first plane ride when he was 7 and absolutely loved it. Take some games to entertain her. My son liked his CD player with Christmas music to listen to.

Please keep us updated on what the doctor says.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Although I have an Autistic son it is difficult to fully diagnose the condition as Autism and you really need the help of a professional, however if you ask me do any of the things you mention sound familiar based upon my boy's condition then I would have to say yes.

As for the plane we find a Portable DVD player invaluable.

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

 

[belle&beast]

Hi am a speech pathologist and live in your area. I worked for First Steps for 3 years and now I work in the school district because my kids are approaching school age. You are taking the right steps to get help for her. I agree with the previous posters that it sounds like sensory integration, and I am wondering about her vision as well- not necessarily acuity but how she processes what she sees. If you haven't already determined which disciplines should be part of your evaluation I would recommend that you definitely request an occupational therapist along with a developmental therapist and speech therapist. Feel free to send me a PM if you have specific questions about the process in our area.

 

[Bugsmom73]

It sounds like it, push to get her eval'd it may be sensory it may be more. DS was just diagnosed with autism. Also, make sure to have her vision checked.

 

[Karalynn]

Thought maybe you could use one of these!!

You know your child best, and I always say go with your gut. What ever the outcome, its hard to see your child struggle. I think you are great for looking into some answers to help her.

As far as the plane ride goes, I would do whatever you can to keep her busy and calm. Does she watch tv? if so, then I would invest in or borrow a portable dvd player if you don't have one. You could also pick up a couple of craft kits and do those. My dd loves the foam crafts and they come like stickers now, so you don't have to bring a glue stick. Walmart even has Disney Princess ones!!
Best of luck to you all on your trip and the evals!

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

thanks for all the support. Yes I think she does the "stemming" she has pretty much picked our couch dry of the polyfill,its a weird thing, started out with a finger size hole in the arm about a year ago,she started digging little pieces of it out whenever she gets upset and rubs it across her cheek. I have resewed the hole numerous times and she will just go over there and claw at it till she can get it open or makes another, I have used 4 bags of poly to refill it. She goes into uber panic mode if she cannot get at it and if somehing happens when we are away from home she uses her hand and rubs her cheeks over and over. No one looked at it as a problem everytime I brought it up.She also does the Ok, Ok, thing over and over.....
Belle- thanks for the pm, I will keep you abreast of what Dr says.
I believe it has something to do with the sensory also, and have been reading tirelessly since posting about all the different aspects, I know how things work in these situations, and how you have to fight to get help sometimes and I want to be armed with as much knowledge as I can. Thanks for all your help and support
I am going to see if I can pick up a portable dvd for the plane, thanks for the ideas

 

[Earstou]

About the couch, have you tried giving her her own personal polyfil that she can use to rub her cheek? Maybe sew a bag with a small hole so she can reach in and pull it out. This could even be something small and portable, like a small child's purse, that you could take on the plane, and out in public.

With my son, the more I can do to prepare him for a new situation, the easier it is. Granted, you can't prepare for unexpected things, but preparing for the plane ride may help. Find a book about flying and read it many times. Talk about all the different things that might happen during the flight. Can you take her to an airport to watch planes take off?
Many people use social stories for autistic children. It's a story, with simple drawings, that would talk about your child flying on an airplane, explaining what to expect.
I dreaded my son's first flight, but he was totally enthralled by the whole experience, even during the layover, he stood at the window watching the traffic on the tarmac, not moving from the window. The only problem we had was that he wouldn't exit the first plane, until I told him we were waiting for another plane ride!
and

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

Yeppers we tried everything with the polyfill, no go, it has to come out of the couch when we are home..........
We have been reading all kinds of books about flying etc so and we are going to go to the airport this weekend to scope it out and let her see the planes, hopefully this will help!

 

[freckles and boo]

I think going to the airport is a good idea. If she is able to understand, be sure to tell her that sometimes a plane ride is bumpy and sometimes it is loud. Sometimes the jet fuel is stinky. On the actual flight you may want something to cover her ears (ear muffs worked for my nephew!) Don't forget to take something for her to chew or suck on for the air-pressure changes. If you are taking Magical Express or the on-site bus transportation, you may also want to talk with her (or show her pictures) about buses. They can be loud, crowded, and stinky, too. I hope that you have a great trip, and even if getting there is a challenge I bet you will find the actual vacation will light up her face.