Doctors refuse to try to diagnose before 3?

[Ceejay123]

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[Ceejay123]

Oh i should add, his speech therapist has mentioned learning difficulties, autism, ADHD and aspergers.

 

[Ready4number2]

Have they done any tests?

 

[JASMAK]

My daughter started the process at 18 months...by then, we KNEW she had ASD, alhough I was in denial...my sister would bring me pamphlets and I had taken her in, on my own, before that. She was 2 years and 10mths when diagnosed. We were told she was young, but there was nothing quick about it, and it was very thourough.

 

[Creative]

Is he getting stimulated regularly with play and speach etc. I only ask because of a similar parental situation that I know of where because of the parental limitations, the baby simply was not being stimulated or spoken to unless other people were around. once the problem was realised, plans were put in place and the child developed normally.
keep fighting to get something done.
the reason they will not diagnose until much later is that many syndromes and problems have similar symptoms and making the wrong diagnosis is easily done. There are also other traits that come out in older age that make diagnosis easier and more certain.

It was the same 20 years ago. I knew at 18 months that things were noot right, but the health visitor and doctor refused to listen to me., even though I was a very experienced nanny, nursery nurse and a nurse. It pee'd me off, but I just kept records of all events, milestones, observations of his actions etc.
At three years they told me he had a developmental delay to which I responded yes, I know, I have been telling you that for years.
in those days, there was no internet so I would research in the library and I asked for referrals to audiologist (to get a full hearing check as without hearing, speech does not develop in the same way) I asked for an occupational therapist and a speech therapist and they said "no, we'll just keep an eye on it"
I got so mad, I rang the hospital and asked to speak to the paediatric consultant for special needs who I had briefly worked with during my training. He agreed to see us informally and once he met Joe he wrote to my GP asking that Joe be formally referred.
I then got the services I asked for. They also did a full chromosone check which came back clear. Dyslexia and a formal diagnosis was made at 8 of pragmatic semantic disorder, aspbergers, dyslexia and gross motor skills delay.
It was then a very long road. Many hurdles to jump and many frustrations. To cut a very long story short joe is now 21, a qualified lab technician and is an amazing lad.

 

[ashley_gee89]

I don't think they 'like' to diagnose before 3 because children change so much around that age & a lot of the "markers" for autism can be grown out of. I don't believe that tbh, I think if a child has autism the markers don't go away, they just change and manifest in different ways. Get your sister (brother?) to demand he be assessed. They did this with my cousin-in-laws son and she didn't stop until they assessed him.. Low & behold, high functioning Autism. If your family can SEE there is something just not right (which it sounds like there was quite a few things) then keep pushing them

 

[Ceejay123]

Thank you girls. They did his 24 month chel and said the bridge of his nose hasn't formed properly - which can mean special needs but try want to wait. We all try to interact with
Him and stimulate him. He's a lovely little boy but he comes across as misbehaving constantly to those that don't know him as he's restless. He won't play with toys, he doesn't answer to his name being called. He doesn't know any nursery rhymes, and only gets soothed of you tickle his leg over and over in one spot bless him.

I keep telling her to demand he's seen, I think she's resigned herself to waiting until he's 3 now as they keep telling her she's paranoid. His mum and dad both went to a special school, he's being raised by his gran who's brought up a daughter with special needs before. She says it took her seven years to be listened to with her first child x

 

[ashley_gee89]

That's really unbelievable it infuriates me when things like this happen. As parents, we know our children better than anyone so I think when we say there is a problem, it should be taken seriously & investigated. Hope it all turns out ok!

 

[Ceejay123]

Thanks! Me too. X