Anyone with a severely autistic child?

amother

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 12:36 am

I’m asking because I suspect my toddler has low functioning autism although he hasn’t been formally diagnosed. Can you tell me what it looks like? What can your child do or can’t do? Does he or she speak? Anything you can tell me would be helpful.

Zehava

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 12:51 am

How old is he?
I’ve taken care of many children with low functioning autism. Generally speaking his behavior would be markedly different than other kids his age, unless he was really really young.
Autism is very individual, though it does have certain characteristics like lack of eye contact. I’ve dealt with both verbal and nonverbal kids. What concerns do you have?

amother

Tealblue

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 12:55 am

Lots of autistic people may eye contact. It’s actually sad that people cannot get a diagnosis when they literally have every other symptom but if you make eye contact you CANT be autistic.

Just wanted to put that out there.

amother

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 1:16 am

Zehava wrote:

he is 3. He has zero communication skills or even interest or need for communication. Very little interest in anything except food and a pacifier/stuffed animal. He will not turn to look at me or show any acknowledgment when I pick him up from school. He will make good eye contact on occasion and try to connect sometimes in a moment like if I’m changing his diaper etc. I’m wondering if this is what severe/ low functioning autism looks like.

Zehava

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 1:37 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Has he always been like this? Is he in a regular school? What’s the feedback from teachers?
If he’s always been like this I’m surprised you haven’t gotten him evaluated until now and that a regular school accepted him. Especially if he’s in diapers?

amother

Tealblue

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 1:43 am

Zehava wrote:

This.

amother

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 11:36 am

Zehava wrote:

no no he’s in a special school of course. He has not being properly evaluated yet. He will be soon but there’s a wait.

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 11:59 am

My child (25) is high functioning but if you think that you have a dx there, pursue it like a bulldog. Don’t stop until you have services to address his symptoms and support for yourself.

Sometimes the difference between a higher and lower function outcome can be turned around by getting intervention as early as possible. Hatzlacha and koach to you!

amother

Crystal

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 12:14 pm

andrea levy wrote:

Yes
When my son was evaluated at 2, the evaluators were not very encouraging when I asked if it was a mild case. Today after a decade of nonstop work, we are there. I would call his diagnosis mild Asperger's if that dx still existed. It won't go away but you can make life for him and your family vastly better with alot of work. Maybe consider moving to NY.

amother

Lemonlime

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 12:16 pm

My low functioning child with autism played inappropriately with toys(spinning wheels of car for long periods of time), lots of hand flapping, non verbal, couldnt imitate motions or point to body parts. He's 15 and I remember all this clearly. Sending you lots and lots of love. The day he was diagnosed was a tisha beav day in our house. I still remember having soup for supper and both dh and I just pouring salty tears into the soup.

imasinger

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 12:23 pm

3 is too young, especially for a kid who likely has ASD, to know what his functioning level will be.

When my youngest (I have 3 on the spectrum) was tested a little before his 3rd birthday, the test said low intelligence. He also didn't make eye contact, barely talked, and was still in diapers for another year.

Now, he's fully mainstreamed, and everyone comments on his keen intellect, ka"h.

Give your kid diagnosis, treatment, and time.

You might want to join the ASD section here.

amother

Red

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 12:51 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

no no he’s in a special school of course. He has not being properly evaluated yet. He will be soon but there’s a wait.

Get him evaluated ASAP. If there’s a wait, tell your school/health care agency you intend to get him a private evaluation that they will have to pay for. Have this in writing.

In the meantime, start speech therapy and ABA ASAP - call different places and different agencies. Pay out of pocket for now, you will submit claims to the state and to regional center.

Don’t wait on this.

Zehava

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 2:54 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

no no he’s in a special school of course. He has not being properly evaluated yet. He will be soon but there’s a wait.

Wow
Again, I’m surprised you waited this long and he was accepted to a special needs school without a diagnosis.

FranticFrummie

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 3:02 pm

My landlord lives upstairs from me, and his oldest son is very low functioning. The boy is around 19 I think, and he lives in a care facility during the week. He's home for Shabbos and Yomim Tovim (and when there is Covid in the facility.)

He is an incredibly sweet, happy guy. He is non verbal, but he hums zemirot. He carries a blanket with him everywhere. He loves to sit on the lawn and tear the grass out by the roots, then make a big pile of it. He could do that for hours. He also likes to take the leaves off of the trees. He does not always answer to his name, he has a tendency to elope, and he loves to get into things. His IQ is somewhat lower than a toddler's. He is still in diapers.

I want to reiterate that he is HAPPY all the time. I mean REALLY happy. Just listening to him going around the yard, humming to himself makes me happy. He's nice to have around. Just make sure the gate is locked!

He's definitely in his own little world, but it seems like a good world to be in. I wish all Autistic people could lead such pleasant lives.

amother

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 3:24 pm

Zehava wrote:

Wow
Again, I’m surprised you waited this long and he was accepted to a special needs school without a diagnosis.

he was given a loose diagnosis to get accepted into the school but it wasn’t much of anything. There was no real evaluation involved. He’s been getting ABA , OT and Speech for over a year now.

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 3:44 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

he was given a loose diagnosis to get accepted into the school but it wasn’t much of anything. There was no real evaluation involved. He’s been getting ABA , OT and Speech for over a year now.

The services are the most important thing with autism. Treat the symptoms. I’ll just add that it might be worthwhile to watch the documentary ’the magic pill.”

imasinger

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 3:46 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

he was given a loose diagnosis to get accepted into the school but it wasn’t much of anything. There was no real evaluation involved. He’s been getting ABA , OT and Speech for over a year now.

Are you happy with his progress? Not all therapists are created equal.

creditcards

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 4:37 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

he was given a loose diagnosis to get accepted into the school but it wasn’t much of anything. There was no real evaluation involved. He’s been getting ABA , OT and Speech for over a year now.

My daughters eval also took just a few minutes because it was so obvious that she has autism and she qualified easily. My son needed much longer evaluations because he was very borderline and they didn't want to diagnose him.