Expert: James Michael Roan - 12/17/2005

Question
 This Friday (16th of December) our daughters doctor made a prelim diagnosis of autism. And refered us to specialist in another city. Said specialist cannot see her until late Feb!
 Is that going to effect her if she does in fact have autism?  Now for a brief rundown of her symptoms/behavior

 Our daughter was verbally speaking mama dada at 12-13months old as well as waving byebyes. No verbal words now, and no hand gestures anymore. She will not point at anything she wants. If you bang pots together she will barely register hearing them, same as if you shout her name. She will act "deaf" most of the time, even when it comes to Barney/Spongebob ect she can react the same if they are on TV whether the sound is muted or up high.
Those are a check mark next to autism from what I am reading. Now for the things that either don't sound autistic or maybe show the spectrum she has.

I or my spouse walk into her room she gets up in her crib and raises her arms to us to get her out. She will lay her head on our shoulders when holding her. She will cry if my wife cries, she will smile if we are smiling.
She eats a wide variety of foods, has no problem with clothing.  Picks up my drinks (gatarades, powerades) and brings them to me to open up so she can take a swig.  Plays with a wide variety of toys from play phones, stuffed animals, to trucks normally. She will attempt to brush her own hair and her teeth, she attempts to feed my bellybutton her drinks/food if it is avaiable :) If we go out to the stores/ in-laws/vacation she does not react  abnormally. She is overly friendly with strangers but will squirm and start crying if they pick her up trying to come to her parents.
I know this is a long drawn out question but waiting until Feb to just get some sort of advice is killing us both. Needless to say whatever the problems causing her developmental delays we love and care for our daughter totally.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can throw our way. Have a happy Holiday at least have one that is surely going to be a little easier then ours this year.  

Answer
Dear L. Dill;

Waiting until February will not make a big diference. What is most important, is that an "experienced" team evaluate her. The lack of pointing and not responding to her name being called would cause a pediatricain to make a referral. You have, however, described many positive social behaviors. I strongly suggest you download the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT). It is short questionnaire and will yield a risk for autism factor. This will help alleviate at least some of your stress.

Has her hearing been recently evaluated? Does she have fluid in her ears?

Kind Regards,
James