What Made You Seek an Autism Evaluation for Your Child?
My child is the youngest of three. He had his 18 month evaluation, immunizations, ran a high fever and stopped talking. I knew he should be talking and making eye contact and interacting with us. For weeks I thought he was just having a hard time "getting over" whatever caused him to run a fever. I voiced my concerns to our pediatrician.
How Did the Diagnostic Process Work?
Our pediatrician initially thought I was over reacting but was willing to refer us to a University Medical Center for evaluation. We saw a physician there who did a thorough and thoughtful evaluation. The physician very compassionately informed us that our child was on the Autism Spectrum.
Our local school district required us to see a specific psychologist (Ph.D.) in order to be eligible to pre school services. This "dr" informed us that our child would never speak, never read, never feel the emotion of love, and when he came to us for a hug what he really wanted was joint compression. I left his office in tears.
Advice
- Trust your mother's (or father's) instincts. If you feel something is wrong, then something is wrong & talk to your doctor until they listen. Don't be afraid to seek a 2nd, or 3rd, opinion. The internet is your friend-research! Seek out support groups. Not all support groups are people who want to hold hands & cry, many provide tangible assistance by Moms/Dads who have walked this road before you. Above all, NEVER GIVE UP. I sent the Ph.D. a home video of my son, cuddling me on the couch and reading "The Night Before Christmas" to me. It ended with him kissing me & saying "Love you Mommy". Love you too son.
What Our Diagnostician Recommended
EARLY INTERVENTION!!!
How We Found the Resources We Needed
Believe it or not, primarily through the school district then a lot by word of mouth through other families.
What We Would Do Differently
More OT early on to decrease sensory issues. We didn't recognize how much of his behavior was sensory rather than tantrums. I would have been more assertive with teachers, therapists, and doctors.
