Need advice: what's wrong with my 3 yr old?

imaima

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 6:01 am

YW123 wrote:

I am at wits end. My son just turned 3. He was very delayed in speech and received therapy for it 3x per week for year. He now is doing excellent, HOWEVER he is driving me up a wall. He does not stop talking for a second! And that would not be a problem but he has been repeating everything over and over and over at least 10 times. For example: "Mommy, I want juice." "Ok, hunny I will get you juice in a minute" He continues, "Mommy, I want juice, mommy I want juice, ok, mommy? your giving me juice mommy? mommy I want juice". But this is not only when he wants something. It is with everything! Like, "Mommy, you see my truck?" And I answer him yes hunny I see your truck its so nice. He continues on, "mommy you like my truck?"....and asks 10 times and I answer 10 times until I usually get so frustrated and say stop!!!!

He has been checked and his hearing is good.

HELP!!

It is just a stage. OTOH they can't really wait yet and they don't understand when you say "in a minute".
When he shows you something don't say it's nice, be specific: Oh it is a blue truck with four black wheels? Who is driving it? What is inside? Is it going to the store to pick up a whole lot of ice cream for all the kinderlach?
If you say more than he, he will leave you alone LOL

MommytoB

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 7:22 am

My oldest child was like this. If she said something, we had to repeat it back word for word or she would keep repeating herself. "I want milk" -- we would need to say right back "I want milk" otherwise it was as if she was not sure that we heard/understood her word for word. It was an annoying stage!

amother

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 10:54 am

I have one son with Asperger's, and my four year old also has a number of Asperger's red flags. This included. It could be that it's normal behavior as well, and getting him 'unstuck from the loop' as one of the other posters mentioned may work, however, non of my children without Asperger's did this. Err on the safe side and get him evaluated.

5*Mom

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:07 am

I wouldn't panic. It sounds like he is trying to engage you but he doesn't yet have the full range of language skills needed to carry on the kind of conversation that he would like to have with you. He knows what that kind of conversation/interaction should look like but can't make it happen. Yet. You've gotten some very good suggestions for moving the conversation forward for him by taking the initiative and asking him questions about his chosen topic. Try to keep the conversation going for as many rounds as you can. He'll learn this way.

ASD and Asperger's are characterized by a collection of symptoms and behaviors, not just one in isolation. Again I wouldn't panic.

amother

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:14 am

Yes, definitely get him evaluated. It could be normal, or it could be sign of fixation or rigidity (can be a feature of Aspergers).
I think that you can revisit the board of ed, and request an evaluation, even if you didn't do it originally. Worth a try, as an evaluation is quite expensive. The evaluation would also be helpful to bring to a developmental pediatrician.
That said, in my experience the board of ed could downplay certain things as they are working with a budget, and therefore not so quick to acknowledge more subtle behavior issues (such as mild sensory needs). I probably depends on which district you're in.

Either way, the sooner you can work out his needs, the quicker he can get on track.

Hatzlacha, he's lucky to have a mommy who's looking out for him!

amother

Mon, Apr 08 2013, 11:24 am

I'm amother 1:14

My son is three, and is on the spectrum. We almost missed it because his issues are subtle. We're so glad we didn't miss it, and are able to get professional help. With G-d's help we hope he will be mainstreamed by 1st grade.

Many of the things we noticed were confusing, because many typically developing kids can do them too. He just gets a little more stuck than the other kids. He has very good language, but his conversational abilities need some help. Even his eye contact can fool you. He makes eye contact, but doesn't sustain it (though that has b"H improved).

A poster above advised not to panic, and that these things could be normal.

Well, panicking never helps, so don't do that. But do check it out, and don't wait it out. If you do need to help him with a little intervention to get him on track, the earlier done, the better.