There's a lot of different "symptoms" as it is such a broad spectrum. I'd recommend seeing a child peadeatrician to chat about any concerns.
Flags for autism can range not making eye contact to completely ignoring you when coming up from behind. Have a look on Google but don't self-diagnose or get fixated. It could just be a simple fix - I was struggling to hear as a child due to glue ear so couldn't talk properly and ignored people coming up behind me, typical symptoms of autism but once my ears were fixed and with some speech therapy I was fine.
If in doubt get a referral. The list is long and varied. Stims like hand flapping, toe walking, delayed speech, appeared deaf at times, hyperactive, absolutely no fear, perfectionism, slept very little, advanced in some areas of development were my sons symptoms.
But I know 100s of autistic kids and they are all different. Like my son has excellent eye contact. He likes nothing more than to gaze into my eyes (much to my discomfort as I'm autistic and hate eye contact).
I'm on the spectrum and my symptoms as a toddler were huge meltdowns around transitions from one activity to the next, sound sensitivity to things like vacuum cleaners, intolerance to certain clothing, difficulty making friends, needed extra time to do school work even though smart, perfectionism,
Yes theres no sure signs, also for sensory theres different types and each child has their own combination and unique list of things they can and cant tolerate. you notice the troubles your child has first and if they cant cope, then get them help with what theyre struggling with.
Book an apt with your child and maternal health centre or GP if you're worried, early intervention can make a huge difference. Don't apply the wait and see principle here!
ASD markers; children can have some or all of these things. Austism is a spectrum, meaning symptoms range from mild to moderate to severe.
- language delays
- poor eye contact
- no evidence of joint attention (google for definition)
- poor social skills or disinterest in socialising, in the context of what's age appropriate, so this would be more relevant for slightly older children who are generally socialble and not babies or toddlers.
- lack of social reciprocity; eg you and child smiling at each other, sharing a moment together.
- narrow and fixed interest in something that could be quite obscure, such as battleships or postage stamps or anything really!!
- Difficulty adjusting to change, new environments, new people, new routines
Sensory issues
Hypersensitivy to
- sound
- textures
- tastes
- And anything else we experience with our senses
Examples can include; not liking loud noises, crowded places, certain foods because of the texture, feelings of certain surfaces underfoot (might toe walk), might not like having hair cut, wearing certain fabrics
While kids with autism can have sensory issues, children can also just have sensory issues without being on the autism spectrum.
There are probably more markers for both ASD & SI but this is me writing off the top of my head.
I had a very long road the get where we are now, actuallu functioning at school with out incidents.
I noticed little things with a small change in routines at 3ish but cpme his 4th birthday and being at Daycare 5 days a week, the aggression and non compliance was so visible to me. I started looking into it more. 2 peads and many many people telling me I just need to be a better parent (single mother with a large child) I changed everything his diet his routines nothing worked, sleepless nights brcause he just wouldnt (couldnt) turn off 2am or 3am he woukd just pass out, constantly eating EVERYTHING. Then we moved in grade 2 and OMFG!!!!!! At first the teachers were great then they just decided he was tge 'naughty kid' just down right sh!+ head that knew what he was doing. Suspension after suspension for hitting and running off. Last straw I took him to a random GP near us and as he walked in holding the iPad (only thing to keep him still normallly) said something about smashing it. I sat down at my wits end. The doctor turned to me and asked had I run out of Medication. Well I lost it. I was at the end of my tether reasy to just give up on him. (Consently beating myself up over how much I had failed my son and that maybe he would be better off with someone else, and how selfish I was being not too) the doctor looked at me and said 100% ADHD, to start off with then I went into the last 3 years and he suggestes ODD Conduct Disorder (font google either of them unless ypu want google to tell you, your a bad parent and your child WILL turn out to be a criminal) We got referred to a Child Psychologist, but even fast tracked it would be a month. (We couldnt wait a month for some crack pot to tell me I was a bad mun again.) We left with a promise of a call back after he had spoken with another gp. I felt like we had got a little closer to help. 5pm came round no call then 7pm nothing a little disheartened. We went through the normal agruments and tears (mine) just to eat dinner. Then 7.30pm my phone rings it my GP telling me he has a script for dex. WTF!!! Low dosage so we can see the difference between now and the psych app. omg we have never looked back. I had a different child, still my loving gorgeous child but with out melt downs every 10mins about the sun on him or that his breakfast tasted funny. No tears. I didnt send him back to school. It was 1 week before xmas holidays, so I sent him to my mum. Where he could interact with his cousins. 1st day of grade 2. Comments from the teachers on how much he has changed. That night we saw the psych well a long story short, every 6 weeks for a year we have a diagnoses of ADHD, ODD, and ASD. He takes vyvanse for ADHD, resperidone for the aggrrssive autism and catapres to help him sleep. Medication was no a road I wanted to travel but if you could only see the difference in MY CHILD and how much mpre functional and Happier we are. I wouldnt go down any other road. I know gr has a chemical imbalance in his brain. So we add counteracting chemicals. And I have the child I knew he could be. Learning is still difficult but my god I would hate to think what would have happened if I had of just given up.
5 Replies
There's a lot of different "symptoms" as it is such a broad spectrum. I'd recommend seeing a child peadeatrician to chat about any concerns.
Flags for autism can range not making eye contact to completely ignoring you when coming up from behind. Have a look on Google but don't self-diagnose or get fixated. It could just be a simple fix - I was struggling to hear as a child due to glue ear so couldn't talk properly and ignored people coming up behind me, typical symptoms of autism but once my ears were fixed and with some speech therapy I was fine.
If in doubt get a referral. The list is long and varied. Stims like hand flapping, toe walking, delayed speech, appeared deaf at times, hyperactive, absolutely no fear, perfectionism, slept very little, advanced in some areas of development were my sons symptoms.
But I know 100s of autistic kids and they are all different. Like my son has excellent eye contact. He likes nothing more than to gaze into my eyes (much to my discomfort as I'm autistic and hate eye contact).
I'm on the spectrum and my symptoms as a toddler were huge meltdowns around transitions from one activity to the next, sound sensitivity to things like vacuum cleaners, intolerance to certain clothing, difficulty making friends, needed extra time to do school work even though smart, perfectionism,
Yes theres no sure signs, also for sensory theres different types and each child has their own combination and unique list of things they can and cant tolerate. you notice the troubles your child has first and if they cant cope, then get them help with what theyre struggling with.
Book an apt with your child and maternal health centre or GP if you're worried, early intervention can make a huge difference. Don't apply the wait and see principle here!
ASD markers; children can have some or all of these things. Austism is a spectrum, meaning symptoms range from mild to moderate to severe.
- language delays
- poor eye contact
- no evidence of joint attention (google for definition)
- poor social skills or disinterest in socialising, in the context of what's age appropriate, so this would be more relevant for slightly older children who are generally socialble and not babies or toddlers.
- lack of social reciprocity; eg you and child smiling at each other, sharing a moment together.
- narrow and fixed interest in something that could be quite obscure, such as battleships or postage stamps or anything really!!
- Difficulty adjusting to change, new environments, new people, new routines
Sensory issues
Hypersensitivy to
- sound
- textures
- tastes
- And anything else we experience with our senses
Examples can include; not liking loud noises, crowded places, certain foods because of the texture, feelings of certain surfaces underfoot (might toe walk), might not like having hair cut, wearing certain fabrics
While kids with autism can have sensory issues, children can also just have sensory issues without being on the autism spectrum.
There are probably more markers for both ASD & SI but this is me writing off the top of my head.
Good luck.
I had a very long road the get where we are now, actuallu functioning at school with out incidents.
I noticed little things with a small change in routines at 3ish but cpme his 4th birthday and being at Daycare 5 days a week, the aggression and non compliance was so visible to me. I started looking into it more. 2 peads and many many people telling me I just need to be a better parent (single mother with a large child) I changed everything his diet his routines nothing worked, sleepless nights brcause he just wouldnt (couldnt) turn off 2am or 3am he woukd just pass out, constantly eating EVERYTHING. Then we moved in grade 2 and OMFG!!!!!! At first the teachers were great then they just decided he was tge 'naughty kid' just down right sh!+ head that knew what he was doing. Suspension after suspension for hitting and running off. Last straw I took him to a random GP near us and as he walked in holding the iPad (only thing to keep him still normallly) said something about smashing it. I sat down at my wits end. The doctor turned to me and asked had I run out of Medication. Well I lost it. I was at the end of my tether reasy to just give up on him. (Consently beating myself up over how much I had failed my son and that maybe he would be better off with someone else, and how selfish I was being not too) the doctor looked at me and said 100% ADHD, to start off with then I went into the last 3 years and he suggestes ODD Conduct Disorder (font google either of them unless ypu want google to tell you, your a bad parent and your child WILL turn out to be a criminal) We got referred to a Child Psychologist, but even fast tracked it would be a month. (We couldnt wait a month for some crack pot to tell me I was a bad mun again.) We left with a promise of a call back after he had spoken with another gp. I felt like we had got a little closer to help. 5pm came round no call then 7pm nothing a little disheartened. We went through the normal agruments and tears (mine) just to eat dinner. Then 7.30pm my phone rings it my GP telling me he has a script for dex. WTF!!! Low dosage so we can see the difference between now and the psych app. omg we have never looked back. I had a different child, still my loving gorgeous child but with out melt downs every 10mins about the sun on him or that his breakfast tasted funny. No tears. I didnt send him back to school. It was 1 week before xmas holidays, so I sent him to my mum. Where he could interact with his cousins. 1st day of grade 2. Comments from the teachers on how much he has changed. That night we saw the psych well a long story short, every 6 weeks for a year we have a diagnoses of ADHD, ODD, and ASD. He takes vyvanse for ADHD, resperidone for the aggrrssive autism and catapres to help him sleep. Medication was no a road I wanted to travel but if you could only see the difference in MY CHILD and how much mpre functional and Happier we are. I wouldnt go down any other road. I know gr has a chemical imbalance in his brain. So we add counteracting chemicals. And I have the child I knew he could be. Learning is still difficult but my god I would hate to think what would have happened if I had of just given up.