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You are here: Experts > Parenting/Family > Parenting Special Needs > Autism > 2 year old Aspergers or just normal toddler behavior?
Autism - 2 year old Aspergers or just normal toddler behavior?
Expert: James Michael Roan - 10/28/2009
Question
QUESTION: Hi, I am concerned my 2 year old may have Aspergers - most of the symptoms I read about describe him almost exactly.
He is 27 months old and has a huge vocabulary. He started talking around 12 months old, no real babbling prior to just saying words. He now speaks in 5-10 word sentences. He also has an amazing memory, can identify all his letters and numbers, counts to 20, can sing his ABCs. I've said he could probably memorize the encyclopedia if I could put it into song form.
In addition to those wonderful things, I am concerned about the following:
- Extremely sensitive to loud noises. Ever since he was a few months old I noticed he has a much more dramatic reaction to loud sounds than other babies, etc. Now he gets so worked up about the trains being "loud" that he'll talk about it before and for some time after, like he just can't get it out of his head. He'll also cover his eyes when a noise scares him.
- Melts down at large, loud places. We're not sure if this is the loud factor, or the strange place/people factor, or all 3
- Sucks his thumb on and off all day, and when he's trying to fall asleep.
- He likes to line up his cars
- He likes to play with is cars on his knees, with his head on the floor and sucking his thumb. He mostly does this at home, but I have seen him do it in other play situations.
- He is a great sleeper, has been since birth. He sleeps alone in his crib and often will wake up and lay there talking/singing to himself. I sometimes wonder how long he'd stay in there alone. Sometimes when I go to get him up he does not want to get up. I drag him out of the crib and the tantrum is a pretty quick one.
- He seems to understand about using the potty and sometimes we can get him to sit on it, but so far has never gone to the bathroom on the potty. I don't feel like any progress is being made.
- His tantrums usually occur when something doesn't go his way. For example his train track comes apart and he can't get it fixed by himself; he doesn't want to stop playing with his trains to leave the house.
Am I just an over-concerned mom with a normal toddler or dose he sound Aspergers to you?
Thanks!
ANSWER: Hi M!
Please understand that I do not, at any time, attempt to diagnose or rule out a diagnosis or condition over the Internet.
Well, he is obviously very intelligent! In order to attempt to separate out Asperger's syndrome (AS)behavior from the behaviors you reported, we need to address his social behavior around others his age. I will not attempt to determine whether he does or does not have AS, but I'll be in a better position to recommend next steps. How does he interact with others his age? In detail please.
Kind regards,
James
Disclaimer:
While James Michael Roan has attempted to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, the information is provided in good faith without any express or implied warranty. The purpose of this web site is to provide information to families with children, teens, and adults with an autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delay. James Michael Roan does not prefer any one organization to another, and it is not responsible for the information listed on an organization's web site, or any disseminated information either verbal or written. Please be advised we are not giving medical advice and that circumstances can dictate different treatments. If these issues affect you or your loved ones you should seek professional advice. This site is operated for informational purposes only. At no time will James Michael Roan attempt to diagnose or dismiss a potential diagnosis over the Internet. We hope that you find our resources useful.
Bio
James Roan is a certified school psychologist who has been consulting in the areas of autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning difficulties in the United States and in Ireland for over ten years (http://www.jamesroan.com). James earned his M.Ed. in School Psychology and M. Ed. in Adult Education and receives ongoing post graduate training in autism at the University of Washington’s Autism Center. James Roan has traveled to Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Clare, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and other cities and counties across Ireland assessing children and adults, and consulting with solicitors (lawyers) in defense of children with disabilities. James Roan was the consulting assessment professional responsible for many of the autism and AD/HD screening tools and other content for Access Special Needs.Com. James Roan consulted with the graduate department of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford Ireland in the development of their graduate program for the certification of private autism tutors. James has conducted formal assessments of students in the Autism Unit in the Claddagh National School in County Galway Ireland.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: James,
I stay home with him and he's seldom in a daycare setting so most of his interaction with other toddlers is at our bi-weekly playgroup, weekly music class, or various one on one playdates.
Our playgroup moves between the members' homes, so its a new location every time. I notice that he'll be shy and clingy to me when we first get there. Most of the time he'll warm up and begin to play with the toys that are around. I'd say he prefers to play with the toys, not the other kids. He won't go up to another kid and take a toy away, even if its something I know he wants to play with. And when something is taken off of him, he either just lets the other kid have it, or cries and comes over to me. One time I did see him and a little girl both holding on to a coloring book pulling back and forth and fighting over it. As much as I want him to learn to share, I kind of liked that he was sticking up for himself when he wanted something.
He's around other kids in our music class, but mostly just interacts with me and the teachers. There is really no "play" time there, just moms and kids doing songs in a big circle. He's hot or cold here - one week he'll be shy and clingy to me, the next week he'll be singing and dancing and having a great time. One of the teachers has a really loud voice, and I think she scares him a bit. Some days he seems more sensitive to it than others.
We have one on one playdates every so often. He seems to do much better in a smaller setting. Not really acting shy or anxious. But also not really playing WITH the other kid. Just playing with the toys next to the other kid. Sometimes when he seems a little more wound up, he'll get excited and want to play "chase" and he loves it when his little friends chase him. He calls out to them by name and seems to enjoy interacting with them.
I also take him to the park and playground fairly often. However these experiences I'm not sure how to judge, because we live in Japan and our local playground has no English speaking kids. (The play dates and playgroup I described above are all with English speaking friends). I always encourage him to go up to the other kids and say hi, and he usually does, but I'm pretty sure its just because I told him to. He loves the playground and swings and slides, but just runs about on his own, not really caring what the other kids are doing. One thing I do notice is that when he does go up to another kid and ask to use his shovel, etc. he bends down and gets right in the kid's face and turns his head to the side in a strange posture while he's talking. It reminds me of the posture I take when I get down and close to talk to him in a loving way.
One last thing, and I'm sorry this is so long...this summer we were visiting my parents in the US and to get him some exposure to American kids I enrolled him in 2x/week morning daycare. In total he went 7 times. He was anxious every time. He'd walk in with me and I could see him start to realize what was going to happen, and then when I told him goodbye and left, he cried so hard. The teachers would have to take him aside and calm him down. They said it took him about 10 minutes to calm down. They also noted that he preferred to play alone rather than with the other kids, but that they didn't try to work on it with him since he was only there temporarily and wasn't used to being in daycare. They thought if I had him there every day I'd see an improvement because he'd get used to it.
Thanks!
M
Answer
Hi M;
This is a hard one. These behaviors that you have described occur in Asperger's syndrome (AS)and can also occur as a result of low social development or a less than gregarious personality. You should watch his social development and note if he has an unusually high degree of meltdowns when in a school or preschool setting where he is surrounded by his peers for a good amount of time.
Kind regards,
James
Disclaimer:
While James Michael Roan has attempted to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, the information is provided in good faith without any express or implied warranty. The purpose of this web site is to provide information to families with children, teens, and adults with an autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delay. James Michael Roan does not prefer any one organization to another, and it is not responsible for the information listed on an organization's web site, or any disseminated information either verbal or written. Please be advised we are not giving medical advice and that circumstances can dictate different treatments. If these issues affect you or your loved ones you should seek professional advice. This site is operated for informational purposes only. At no time will James Michael Roan attempt to diagnose or dismiss a potential diagnosis over the Internet. We hope that you find our resources useful.
Bio
James Roan is a certified school psychologist who has been consulting in the areas of autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning difficulties in the United States and in Ireland for over ten years (http://www.jamesroan.com). James earned his M.Ed. in School Psychology and M. Ed. in Adult Education and receives ongoing post graduate training in autism at the University of Washington’s Autism Center. James Roan has traveled to Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Clare, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and other cities and counties across Ireland assessing children and adults, and consulting with solicitors (lawyers) in defense of children with disabilities. James Roan was the consulting assessment professional responsible for many of the autism and AD/HD screening tools and other content for Access Special Needs.Com. James Roan consulted with the graduate department of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford Ireland in the development of their graduate program for the certification of private autism tutors. James has conducted formal assessments of students in the Autism Unit in the Claddagh National School in County Galway Ireland.
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