Expert: James Michael Roan - 4/24/2007

Question
Hello, My son is 16 months old and he is not really saying any words. I have read a lot on autism and it says that this is a "red flag" He does say ba everytime he sees a ball but he also says it to other things and he will say mama and dada but if I ask him who I am he wont say it and it seems like its not specific to us. It also seems like he is trying to say HI but I'm not sure. He does follow directions like where is your juice and he will go get his sippy cup and many others. If you ask for a hug or a kiss he will give you one. He will also point to his nose and belly button, eyes, etc most of the time. He sometimes points to his ear when you say nose though.He doesn't like to just sit and have a book read to him though. He also points at things he wants and say uhhh...uhhh...I'm sure I'm just a over reactive first time mom! I just find myself watching is every move now to see if it seems off.I just want to know how worried I should be.  

Answer
Hi Becky;

This sort of activity could easily indicate a communication delay only. In autism, we are most concerned about social awareness, social development, and social interactions. I suggest you download off the internet the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) http://www.firstsigns.org/downloads/m-chat.PDF Also download the scoring instructions at http://www.firstsigns.org/downloads/m-chat_scoring.PDF If there is any risk noted then do two things:

1. If you live in the U.S., make a special education referral to the school district in which your child lives. They are responsible for the assessment of children 0-21 years of age, and if they qualify for special education, responsible for education and related therapies.

2. In addition to the special education referral, take the M-CHAT to the child's pediatrician and ask for a referral to a multidisciplinary team expert in this area. Again, if you live in the U.S., you can go to the autism unit at a university near you, or a Children's Hospital.

It's absolutely essential to get the right diagnosis and appropriate services going right away. When you score the M-CHAT, I urge you to share the results with me and I can give you better advice.

Kind Regards,
James