ASD

ASD, short for Autism Spectrum Disorders...or better known as Autism.

I've always complained about Keston's slow developments and today for some reasons, I had a niggling feeling and googled Autism. What I found was NOT very reassuring and I am now guaranteed a sleepless night!

Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Children with autism generally have problems in three crucial areas of development — social interaction, language and behavior. But because the symptoms of autism vary greatly, two children with the same diagnosis may act quite differently and have strikingly different skills. In most cases, though, the most severe autism is marked by a complete inability to communicate or interact with other people.

Many children show signs of autism in early infancy. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life but then suddenly become withdrawn, aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Though each child with autism is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior, these characteristics are common signs of the disorder:

Social skills

• Fails to respond to his or her name check. Keston has almost never responded to his name!
  
• Has poor eye contact
  
• Appears not to hear you at times Sometimes. But usually when we're telling him off.
  
• Resists cuddling and holding Sometimes.
  
• Appears unaware of others' feelings
• Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or her "own world" Sometimes.
  

Language

• Starts talking later than other children Check! He knows no words!
  
• Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences Check. He used to say Mama but not anymore (for a long time).
  
• Does not make eye contact when making requests
• Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
• Can't start a conversation or keep one going
• May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn't understand how to use them

Behavior

• Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping Hand-flapping when he's happy. Does that count?
  
• Develops specific routines or rituals
  
• Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals Quite adaptable to changes actually!
• Moves constantly Yes. But don't all toddlers?
  
• May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
• May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet oblivious to pain

Young children with autism also have a hard time sharing experiences with others. When read to, for example, they're unlikely to point at pictures in the book. This early-developing social skill is crucial to later language and social development.

As they mature, some children with autism become more engaged with others and show less marked disturbances in behavior. Some, usually those with the least severe problems, eventually may lead normal or near-normal lives. Others, however, continue to have great difficulty with language or social skills, and the adolescent years can mean a worsening of behavior problems.

The majority of children with autism are slow to acquire new knowledge or skills and some have signs of lower than normal intelligence. Other children with autism have normal to high intelligence. These children learn quickly yet have trouble communicating, applying what they know in everyday life and adjusting in social situations. An extremely small number of children with autism are "autistic savants" and have exceptional skills in a specific area, such as art, math or music.

I read somewhere else about the lack of ability to point. And I kept droning on to HW about how Keston doesn't point. He sticks out his index finger only to poke us, but never to point at stuff.

Of course when we went home this evening, the kid went around pointing at everything. Just to prove a point? HW says he probably felt what I was thinking of all day.

Anyway, I digress. While there are some 'symptoms' that seem to be displayed in most/all toddlers, there are some really disturbing ones that I've highlighted above. Particularly the name-recognition and speech delay bit.

HW thinks I'm overreacting and refused to participate in further discussion with me. I think I need to get Keston assessed! But then I read from local forums that you can only get a proper assessment at 2.5yrs old. That's 1 year more!!!

Seriously hope K starts saying something soon. It's really quite distressing especially since I've always thought the first and foremost symptom is the refusal of eye-contact! I had no idea there were so many other symptoms!!! I hope what he has is just a speech delay. I keep hearing about kids who didn't speak till they were 3 and then they wouldn't shut up...I hope K is one of them. I promise I won't tell him to shut up.