My Son is 3 1/2 years old (43 months). When he was 2 1/2 someone told me he may be autistic but I went into denial because he did make eye contact and he was talking. He didn't talk much then, it wasn't that he couldn't just that we couldn't get him to COMMUNICATE. I've learned that being able to talk and communicating are very different.
He will be attending a special needs class for this pre-k year. He failed the screening and was considered 25% delayed in fine motor skills and social/emotional. However, they think he's fine and not autistic. I know he's not autistic and I wish they would stop focusing on that. Yes I know he makes eye contact and I know that with enough prompting, he will answer questions and I know that he's a very intelligent little boy, but me and my mother know something is not normal with him.
He is fixated on sucking his thumb. HUGE tantrum if you take it out. Certain Noises cause him to cover his ears, shake, and scream, cry, whine, etc. We've worked with him and he's gotten better but I never know what is going to set him off. It makes it difficult to go anywhere that is loud or has sudden noises. The other day, the wind blew open our front door and it squealed but by the way he reacted you would have thought the bogeyman walked in. He is a very picky eater! Always has Been. Only eats a few food items at a time. He doesnt' care about soiled, wet diapers. (makes potty training difficult). Once (sorry if tmi!) he pooped in his pants, and it ran down his legs yet he continued to play with his matchbox cars. He didn't seem to care what he was stepping in!! He has this HUGE fixation on matchbox cars. He has always needed to line them up, drive them, etc. Once, this past June, he had a big bag of cars. He took out one or two at at time and played with them from 1:30-10:30 that night and wouldn't talk, eat, and barely drank his sippy. This is when my mom declared something was wrong. He still won't sleep through the night and when he wakes up crying, it's near impossible to console him. He has irrational fears of the simplest things like a TEDDY BEAR yet he's not scared of falling or heights and doesn't seem to understand certain dangers! Yet the teachers at this school believe nothing is wrong with him because he played with farm animals and a farmer and said he was playing appropriately. I know him and I know that what he was doing was merely repeating what he knows they should do. There was no imaginative play! He LOVES music and sometimes he just dances from side to side and sings incoherently. It's really hard to get his attention when he's focused on something. Sometimes I resort to clapping my hands really loud to get his attention.
He has good days and he has bad days. I would not classify him as "severe". But I'm worried. He does play with other kids but he only mimics what they do. He will stand to the side and watch and study, then he follows them. But he won't talk to them, only looking at me and asking "What is that boy doing?" He can answer my questions, especially if it's dealing with a factual answer. But if I ask him what he LIKES or DESIRES, he wont' answer me. He does better with CONCRETE questions, ideas, thoughts,etc, rather than ABSTRACT. He also gets VERY frustrated and upset over the simplest things and throws this huge fit. Sometimes he even has moments of self hurt and even hitting his little baby brother (who is 1).
I would like some opinions just because I believe that something is amiss with him, however I'm worried that, when he finally does see a specialist, will they believe the same thing as the teachers in his special needs classes? I know they only focus on autism, and I believe he has apsergers, but I'm not sure. If he were to get diagnosed it would make it so much easier to explain his odd behaviors. One REALLY ODD, sometimes embarrassing behavior, is his NEED (and I say need because it seems he is COMPELLED to do this) to SMELL peoples' skin. He will smell and rub a person's skin almost obsessively. One friend commented that my son was a pervert and I wish I could just say he has "...." and can't help it!
I love my son and I want what's best for him! I wish he could get diagnosed so people are more willing to help and understand.
20 Oct 2011, 12:08 pm
