I am sorry to hear this honey. I hope getting tests done will reveal more.

My sister's daughter was like this but after early intervention and special classes she is fairly 'normal' if there is such a thing! and now would be described as having Aspergers syndrome, which is milder. She is 17 now and her social skills improve all the time, that was the most noticeable aspect, and I think will be fine!

It is just confusing before you know, but after you know, there are things you can do to help him. Please let us know what you find out!

"A lie told often enough becomes the truth." - Vladimir Lenin

My son is 2 also and I understand the fears of somethings can be overwhelming when they are this age. Sounds like you are doing all you can to ensure you help him along the way and diagnose if there is a problem so you know which direction to head. I am sorry you have to go through all the emotion attached to tests and doctors and worst of all not knowing what the outcome will be. My thoughts are with you and yes, please let us know what the results of the tests are.

Catch xx
*Mean People Suck*

he is such a little cutie! a friend of mine has an autistic child and he just develops a little slowly. but he alwasy had problems w speech. up until the time he was ten he barely spoe and when he did, it was his own made up language, kinda baby talk that only she coudl understand. he improves everyday though and now at 14 functions like any other child and u would never know the trouble he had. i think its great u are doing something so early...i think thats key and it will certainly help him. i know u are worried but like the girls said above, once u figure out whats wrong it will be much easier on all of u. let us know. luv ya chica.

"Given the right reasons and the right two people, marriage is a wonderful way of experiencing your life."
~the late great George Carlin

my son now nearly 9 was diagnosed at 2 and a half with a develpoement delay, he didnt walk to 22 months and his talking wasnt great. We did a long few years of early intervention. Alot of therapy and alot of patience. Always constantly explaining things to him over and over again. When we had his IQ done the first time it was only 55 so we chose to put him in a speical school , it was a hard decision but the best outcome , he loves it , we know he is getting the one on one care, he access the speech, OT, and any of the therapists he needs there. It's alot of hard work and beleive me very me very frustrating at times. I have been very stressed epsecially when hubby's away and im on my own.
Anyway we move soon and are currently looking for schools but he will attend another special school as we had his IQ updated and it was only 49 now. Just that he is learning alot more and its too much. Sometimes he surprises you with our smart he can be , other times he is confused. But we have on our side that he wants to learn and is constantly trying to see how everything works, if that means to pull it apart he will. Keeps us on our toes. Goodluck with your son, and find out now if there is any problems as you can start now to help him , the early the better.

Chel let me be the first to tell you, if you son is autistic that does not mean that he won't be brilliant. My nephew is absolutely brilliant. His recall is unbelievable. I have seen a drawing that he rendered of a train in motion that he saw one time and was able to draw it to the last detail. My nephew is, and I can tell you very special. He is comical - when he finds something that he likes he studies it until he know nothing else. For example a few years ago, he got an interest in (don't laugh) Bill Cosby. He was able to speak verbatim the whole program with personality..... He is now in the 11th grade has been a straight A student his whole life. I believe that his potential is higher than most...

Now, with that said...He was diagnosed at age 2. My sister became very concerned when he stopped reaching normal childhood milestones. After multiple testings he was diagnosed with Autism. At an early age his characteristics were the same as you mentioned with your son. At that time beany babies were very popular. He had probably 100 of them, everyday he would line them up in a certain order, count them and let me tell you he would know if you took one...He would know which one and what order was out of place. Hell, I couldn't even do that !! 0 Social skills ! If his routine was disrupted, he would go crazy - yelling at the walls, turning in circles, bang his head on things...you get the gest. He had a fear of nothing. When he was I guess about 3 years old, my sis had taken him to the park and there is a lake next, he just jumped into the lake - no warning, no fear just stepped into the lake, of course it was over his head and by the time my sis got him out his face was red d/t lack of 02, but no emotion, no crying, no hysterics, nothing.. My sister enrolled him and herself in a support group at a local college, at that time, autism was very new and even though it is still unknown territory, it made a huge difference in both, nephews and my sister. Education is key.

I want you to know and to understand even if you son is diagnosed with autism, that it doesn't mean that he won't grow up functional, because unless you raise him to blame his actions on a special need, he won't know that he is special need. That was how my sister approached things. Now in school - he is mainstreamed, not in "special" classes, he does have an aide that gives him additional educational help, but he takes the same classes, tests as the other children.

But first things first, congratulations for seeing the symptoms or lack of milestones. And I'm so proud that you have taken this to his physician. Get your diagnosis first, then you will know how to proceed. It will and I promise no matter what type of diagnosis that you get if any, that I know you will be a great mother and you will do everything in your power to support your son. Take things now 1 day at a time..

If you would like to pm me, we can chat in more detail, I have a photo of my nephew on my myspace page if you want to check it out. I'm hear for you, as I am here for my sister... There will be good days and bad..... But first........I want you to BREATHE !!!!
Luv Ya, and going to pray for yall...

Stepwitch
Thank you Disney for portraying a positive image on all stepmothers!!!!

Chel,

First, my thoughts and best wishes are with you and your family.

That said, it may be nothing beyond your son being a little later than most in speaking.

Now a Rag's story on a similar topic.

I did not speak more than single baby words until I was well past my second birthday. My Dad tells this story at family and friend gatherings to the great mirth of my son, nieces and nephews. The story goes that my Dad thought that I was pretty much stupid because I would say MaMa, DaDa, WaWa, point and grunt but would not talk. This went on until I was well past my second birthday. I would smear my food all over my face, line up MachBox cars in long lines throughout the house, take pages out of books and line them up, stack them, organize, spin the sprinkler in the yard for hours on end, would not hug or kiss, etc.... Many of the things you mention you have noticed with your son.

Then one evening when we were sitting at dinner I looked out of the window pointed and said absolutely clearly "The moons comin up!" According to my Dad he nearly fell out of his chair.

Of course he ends the story by saying that I have not shut up since. As you can tell by the length of my posts he is right ....... about the not shutting up part anyway.

Again my thoughts and best wishes are with you.

Good luck and best regards,

Not much chance of short & sweet answers out of you anymore huh?

Oh Chel, life seems to keep chucking those curve balls at us every time we turn around.

I have nothing really to offer but love and good wishes. My friend has a son diagnosed with Aspergers and we believe my 19 year old son has some signs of it too, although I see no benefit to taking him to be assessed now.

He was classed as gifted as a child, but has always struggled socially. We have had some really bad times, but conversely the good times with him have been amazing. He is now developing normal relationships and I see an amazing young man emerging before my eyes.

Your son already has a secret weapon... you. If diagnosed, I believe you will grieve a little for what might have been, and then bounce back, ready to take on the world with your special wee man. You are a wonderful person and his life, with whatever the future holds, will be all the more successful with you holding his hand.

Never spoke much until she was 4!! We were so worried and thinking what could be wrong?...Off to speech therapy and doctors...turns out her sister 2 years older worked out her ways and signals and spoke for her!! She never had a chance to talk for herself as they were inseperable. After it was sorted miss 4 started speaking for herself, she is now 14 and a gem at school and never shuts up..LOL

I know this is not your situation but just to show it can be something that is worked out over time, and so simple. Problem with society these days is that kids have all these age "milestones" we read about and compare with other kids...don't compare him to others they are all different and unique.

My ex (38) and his 2 sons 18 and 10 all have aspergers. What brilliant humans they are!! Given the correct tools they have a certain genius about them and my ex is the most brilliant musician, he can play an instrument within 10 mins of picking it up, even if he has never seen it before!! The 18 year old has also picked up music and he is showing the exact ability of his dad.

My point to you chel, is no matter what you find or don't find, he will be special and brilliant in his own way!! And just for good measure that can't hurt either way, buy him a cheap musical instrument, me ex's first 34 years ago was a harmonica (Blues harp) and he never looked back, apart from that even my 2 year old gets hours of joy from blowing his harp for hours at a time and mind you he is showing no signs of being brilliant at it..LOL It drives us insane!!

Love and thoughts.

Catch xx Catch xx
*Mean People Suck*

Little man (DH's son) is diagnosed ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). He has been in "school" since age 3(non verbal at that time). Many evenings sitting on the floor with flashcards, teaching him the verbalization of what he was thinking, and many many many times giving step by step instructions on simple things (like how to open a package a toy comes in). He is almost 10 now and in 4th grade. He was held back in Kindergarden... not duw to lack of intellect, but due to social skills. It worked out okay b/c he went to a k/1 class, then a 1st grade class. He is a great little man. He doesn't quite get scarasm, but has a great sense of humor. He does focus on stuff to the extent that he shuts out the world, but now we just have to knock on the door and ask to be let into his world (by asking about whatever is holding his intrest). He is socially behind, but he doesn't really care. He has enough self worth that he doesn't need to get his value from other kids.

If it is thay your son has ASD, it will be okay. It is a spectrum. There are kids who cannot function at all and there are kids who just stymie (repetive movement... little man spins his hands like turning on and off a faucet). Early intervention is the key. It is not that he cant be taught, it is that he has to be taught in a different way. With little man, logic. When he has a melt down, we talk to him in logical steps... we tell him is okay to be upset, that it will be okay. For example, a bee flep into the truck on a recent drive. Screams... top of the lungs screams. I pull over as soon as I could fins a driveway to pull into. He is frozen with fear and his sister (7) was no help... she fed his anxiety. I get out and open her door, get her out. I tell little man to get out his door. He was so afraid he forgot how to get out. I told him to put his hand on the door handle and pull. Then take off your seat belt. Than put your feet outside, etc etc etc. Later after everything was over, I spoke to both kids. I ask... what is the worse that could happen. I get back... it was a bee... it was a bee.... I repeated.... what is the WORST that could happen? Neither knew. I told them, the worst would be they got stung. I asked what we could hace done other than screaming (than could have cause a wreck if I hadn't seen the bee before them).... We discussed opening the indows all the way, telling me (in indoor voices) about the bee, parking and getting out of the vehicle with the doors open so the bee could get out and find his way back home.

The thin it, little man is very smart, he just doesn't process information like we do. And do NOT let anybody let you think that just because he doesn't show/read emotion that he doesn't have feelings. Little man was a "do not hold me" baby. But, he is very affectionate. My momma says all the time how good it feels to have him worm his bony little body up next to her on the couch. He is like a puppy.... nosing his way into your arms. I love him with all my heart.

It has been over a year since he's had a melt down.... when I met him (at age 6) he melted down if we were at a restaurant and the crayons didn't match the colors on the kid's menu pictures. You are the one who knows you kid the best.... you will have to learn to "read" him and talk him through meltdowns. It is harder, sure.... but it is one of those things we get when we sign on as a parent... bio or step.

BTW little man is completely mainstreamed in school... his IEP is only open because it is easier to keep it open rather than re-open a closed one.

If your son has any developmental delays you are doing everything in your power to get him early interventation- BRAVO to you for truly putting him first.

I have seen parents who are so afraid or overwhelmed they don't do anything for fear of a diagnosis.

I say, if your child needs some help, get early intervention. If you went overboard for nothing and they didn't need it who cares? So much better to make the mistake of too much intervention than too little.

My niece had her son evaluated, who is definitely showing signs of autism, and was told that he needed early intervention. She has not followed up at all. My BD 2 will be attending the MRDD preschool as a typical peer (they have two non-delayed/developmentally on schedule kids per classroom to help the teachers gauge the students progress as well as help the delayed have a peer who is on schedule as a "mentor". My niece knows my sons went through this school. Their dad works there. And yet she is totally dragging her feet and just "doesn't want to think about it- she's too tired." It's so frustrating. He and BD 2 could be going there together next year, but she should be starting her son this year in EI. I don't even know if she'll put him there next year, or insist on taking him to a regular preschool where he won't likely get the skilled special ed focused folks.

You also wouldn't believe how the highly competitive, overly driven parents I know react to me sending my kids to an MRDD preschool. "Aren't you worried their intellectual development will be stiffled?????" I hear.

I like to tell the story of my oldest son's putting his arms out to the side at Friendly's at the age of 3, making room for a girl on crutches to pass by saying, "It's ok, you can do it!" Or my (now 11)BS's fond memories of his best friend in preschool, who had no feet but my son never noticed.

THOSE lessons mean more to me than ABC's which I am already teaching BD 2 at home anyway.

Goodluck Chel. Follow your mama hen instincts and keep doing whatever is best for your son no matter what anyone says to you!
"Om Tare Tutare Ture Mama Ayurpunye Jnana Putin Kuru Svaha"
~Sita Tara Mantra

You're little guy has a great Mom who is doing everything she can for him.

We had our worries with our little guy. He'll be 3 in November. When he turned 2 all he would say was da (dad), ma (mom) and kay (katie). Nothing else. He wouldn't play with other kids when I took him to playgroup, he would line up his cars instead of actually playing with them. My MIL insisted that he must be either Autistic or Deaf (she's a hypochondriac...) In all my worrying, I let her suggestions creep in and asked his doctor. He observed him for a while, gave him a few simple instructions, and talked to me all while watching Ben at the same time. He figured that he was processing everything at a level higher than he could deal with. He knew what he wanted to say, but couldn't get it out and would get frustrated and zone out. Now at almost 3 his vocabulary is exploding - the difference this last year has made is amazing. I do hope that the same happens for you. You're in my thoughts and prayers.