Expert: Jene Aviram - 7/20/2009

Question
I am very concerned about my 3 yr. old son.
He does not speak.  He has never said one sentence with the exception of: Ten toes.  He counts and can recongnize his numbers 1-10, he recognizes all of his ABC's but that's it.
He doesn't say MaMa, he doesn't say DaDa, nothing.
He has an appointment with a hearing specialist next week, but personally I do not think he has a hearing problem.
It is very hard when he can not communicate with me.
Recently he has been scared to sleep in his room.
He can not tell me that he's scared or what he's scared of, he just screams and cries when it's time to go to bed in his room.

I have taken the MChat and here are the answers.

1. Does your child enjoy being swung, bounced on your knee, etc.? Yes
2. Does your child take an interest in other children? No
3. Does your child like climbing on things, such as up stairs? Yes
4. Does your child enjoy playing peek-a-boo/hide-and-seek? Yes
5. Does your child ever pretend, for example, to talk on the phone or take care of a doll or No
pretend other things? No
6. Does your child ever use his/her index finger to point, to ask for something? No
7. Does your child ever use his/her index finger to point, to indicate interest in something? No
8. Can your child play properly with small toys (e.g. cars or blocks) without just
mouthing, fiddling, or dropping them?No
9. Does your child ever bring objects over to you (parent) to show you something? No
10. Does your child look you in the eye for more than a second or two? Yes (only me though-mother)
11. Does your child ever seem oversensitive to noise? (e.g., plugging ears) Yes
12. Does your child smile in response to your face or your smile? Yes
13. Does your child imitate you? (e.g., you make a face-will your child imitate it?) No
14. Does your child respond to his/her name when you call? No
15. If you point at a toy across the room, does your child look at it? No
16. Does your child walk? Yes
17. Does your child look at things you are looking at? No
18. Does your child make unusual finger movements near his/her face? No
19. Does your child try to attract your attention to his/her own activity? No
20. Have you ever wondered if your child is deaf? No
21. Does your child understand what people say? No
22. Does your child sometimes stare at nothing or wander with no purpose? No
23. Does your child look at your face to check your reaction when faced with
something unfamiliar? No


Please give me your opinion.


Answer
Hi Jessica,

I think it's good that your child is seeing a hearing specialist just to rule out any concerns.  However, I strongly feel that you should get him evaluated by someone that specialized in behavior disorders.  Depending on which state you live in, this is often a developmental pediatrician or child psychologist.

If I were in your shoes, I would ask your pediatrician for a referral.  Or you can go to this link and select your state, then scroll down and call the local offices to ask for help in getting an evaluation.  
http://www.nichcy.org/Pages/StateSpecificInfo.aspx

The results of the MChat are concerning, but I certainly wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet.  You need a full evaluation from a professional who will cover all areas of your child's development.  I'm wondering why your pediatrician never picked up on your child's delays?  Your son is lucky he has a proactive mom!

I would like you to take a look at this article called "How do you know if your child has autism?"  I think it will help you.  You can find it at http://www.nlconcepts.com/autism-howdoyouknow.htm

I know this is a difficult time for you but you are taking all the correct steps.  Whether your child receives a diagnosis or not, he clearly needs some help.  The quicker you can get an evaluation, the faster he can begin services.  And you'll be amazed what a difference some therapy can make in a small amount of time.

I hope that everything turns out well and I wish you great luck and success.

Jene Aviram
http://www.nlconcepts.com