Need Some Information from Moms with an Autistic Child

Carrie made the same suggestion I was going to make...I have a son with asperger's (sp?) and he does all of these things. He is MUCH older though, 11. Call early on and go from there. Good Luck!!!

I worked in early intervention and with autistic children for the last 10 years. Please call EARLY ON today. It is the Michigan program for children with developmental delays. It is free to anyone regardless of ability to pay. It is through a federal program called Early Intervention through the IDEA (federal Act for children and education). They can do the screening for you. Tell them your concerns and tell them that you want your child screened for speech delay, sensory disorder (an OT would do this) and autism. 18 months is not too early. It is actually right no time to start this stuff. The earlier you screen the earlier you can start therapy if you need it. Kids are also very quirky. But, I was on a team that screened hundreds of kids per year and your indicators are there. Sometimes it can be nothing, sometimes it can be more. Don't be scared. The sooner you start, the sooner you can get help. There IS help out there. The Judson Center nearby also has some things that might help. Beaumont Hospital also has a program, but it is expensive. However, if your child qualifies, he will be eligible for free services through Early On. I don't want to alarm you, but I do think you need to look into this. Also, talk to your doctor and let them know that you are making the request and why. If you want to know more you can email me through mamasource.

If you live in Macomb County you can contact the Macomb ISD. They will have you come in and do an evaluation of your child. They are very good!

Hi A.,
Although I don't have a direct answer to your question, I commend you for going with your Mother's intuition on this subject.
Please visit the website WWW.GENERATIONRESCUE.COM
It is a parent funded and parent run site of people whose children have autism and other neurological disorders.
Your hunch about your doc is probably dead-on as they have almost no training in this area.
Also, I think it would be very worth your while to look deeply into the subject of vaccines and to hold off on any further vaccines until you know the whole story behind them. Some great websites are:
WWW.THINKTWICE.COM
WWW.NVIC.ORG (National Vaccine Information Center)

I'm sure you will get a lot of responses and I hope you are prompted to find out the truth.

Best of luck!

Hi A.
My son is going to be 5 in A. of this year, he has autism, he was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 some of the signs for us -he loved things that would spin fan,helicoptor blades,pin-wheels. -repeative play or playing with trucks or cars and just spinning the wheels over and over again, not saying words in sentences just pointing to what he wanted,or grabbing my hand and taking me to what he wanted. he could play be himself for long periods of time, I never thought that was bad because he was an only child at that time, I thought it was good he could play and entertain him self, comes to find out it's a sign of autism too. We live in Genesee county. I had my son evaluated by Early On of Genesee county you could call Genesee intermedite school at ###-###-#### this is the early childrood development center and they could direct you. The head lady is Mary Rickard for Early on.
good luck. let me know how it goes or if you need any other resources since my son was diagnosed I have learned the ropes a bit.
have a great day. L.

I also suggest Early on.

The opening and closing doors is actually pretty developmentally on target.

But the loss of words, and the physical reactions are concerning.

My son was 15months when I started the ball rolling, he was flagged for ASDs by 18months. The earlier you start the interventions the better for your child

Hug, it's a hard road...be prepared to fight for him.

go to your local Intermediate school district- they have to provide you with support. Your doctor should also be ablet to help you find someone to get an early diagnosis. Early diagnosis is essential.

I work with an autistic child in swimming and my daughter teaches in the field. I've seen wonderful things happen in the right environment.

I don"t have an autistic child. In fact I have a healthy smart 5 year old. The reason I am writing is because my son spoke some words at 9-10 months old including mama, etc. Then he decided not to talk again until he was almost 3. I had speech therapists come in and they tested him and he was fine. He too was easily amused playing with just himself because that is all he had. He doesn't have any siblings. He was amazed with doors and buttons as well. I do think he suffers from a touch of OCD but I only think that because I do and I have picked up on some signs but nothing to worry about yet. I hope your son does not hae autism. I would start with a speech therapist. They do all kinds of simple tests in your home with colors, etc... I contacted them through a suggestion from his pediatrician through the Intermediate School District and it was free.

Before you get to upset, talk to his doctor, and see if he could order some test for him, with the worries you are having your go to make yourself ill and not good for your son either he can feel your emotions.Don't delay in discussing this with your doctor.

A.: I have a close friend whose son has autism. The behaviors you describe (the clenching, the loss of language and the repetitive actions) definitely sound like your son may be on the autism spectrum--which doesn't mean he won't go on to live a wonderful and fulfilling life. But the key is to get early intervention. You need to get him diagnosed (if there is something to diagnose), and into therapy programs. Michigan's Early On program is customized for 0-3 year olds. Don't wait. Call your school district (or even your local elementary school) today and they'll give you information about the next step, likely a phone number for Early On or a similar service, which you can call to make a screening appointment and start the process. Early On is free--a taxpayer service, just like public schools. All research shows that early intervention is key, so if you suspect any problem at all, the earlier you address it the better. I wish you the best of luck.

Do NOT wait. The earlier you know answers, the earlier you can help your child. It sounds like he is displaying some traits on the autism spectrum. Early intervention is the key. Talk to your ped. first BUT if he says to wait.....DON'T. See if you can get an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. They are your best bet, but may take a while to get an appointment. That's why you must intervene early. Your son will respond better to therapies the earlier he starts and all these special doctors/therapists are backed up.

Congrats on helping your son so early!

the first place to go IS your pediatrician. He is trained to look for these behaviours. Please don't panic; some kids to regress in their behaviour then progress again. Once you've talked this over with your pediatrician, see if you can get referral from him to Ken-O-Sha, a program through the GRPS for special needs children. It's not just for mental development; they have speech and occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc.

My son had speech delays when he was young. Everyone said it'll be fine and poo-poo'ed me, thinking I was overreacting. I took my son to Ken-O-Sha and he qualified for free speech and OT; seems he had poor muscle development in his hands, mouth and throat, making it hard for him to speak clearly. He's fine now. They do wonderful things there!

A.,
I am a Speech-Language Pathologist working in the schools. I am involved with training staff who work with children with Autism, complete evaluations, and work with students who have Autism. I think that your concerns are legitimate; however, I am not telling that Autism is the diagnosis. My advice to you is to contact your local ISD/RESD/RESA (depends on where you live) and ask to speak to the Early-On coordinator. Early-On is a federally funded program that works with students who demonstrate delays in the 0-3 year range. Even if it isn't Autism, something is going on with your child and that is what is important. Early intervention is best practice and research shows that it can help children with language/communication delays. If I knew what county you lived in, I might be able to provide you with that contact information. And, you do not have to wait for your pediatrician to refer you. Please feel free to email me personally. I hope I have helped.
B.

A.,
I have a 2.5 year old little boy. My son hit all the developmental milestones until some place between 15-24 months of age. He would say single words -no, momma, daddy, pop, baba (bottle), ect..... he would point to his nose, ears, lips, tongue, belly and other body parts. All that changed some time between 15-24 months. He stopped responding to his name as if he couldn't hear me some times. He stopped making eye contact unless we were rough playing like tickling. He stopped playing with toys appropriatley. He would only line up toys verses play with them the way they were supposed to be played with...and it was by color, shape size...all his legos would be organized..blocks by color and letter....and he stopped talking all together. He won't point to objects...he will take your hand and lead you to what he wants and you pretty much have to play a guessing game. He started flapping his hands when he's excited.
This is my only child....so when I didn't really know what was going on. I took him to the doctor who recommended him to an early on program in kent county. Early on came to my home to evaluate him and said he qualifies for servies. (meaning he has speech, developmental delays),...they recommended school once a week and home therapy once a week which is all a free service. He's been doing this since September (6 months now). He is still not making much developmental progress in these area's...he still can't talk .still continuing with the same repetitive behaviors.... So last thursday I took him to a DAN doctor. Which stands for (defeat autism now) suspecting that my son is showing the signs of autism but no one will diagnose him appropriately. The Dan doctor told me that since he was developing normal until that age range there may be some sort of dietary problems leading to cause these autism like behaviors. The Dan doctor put him on a gluten free casein free diet and gave me some supplements to give him. They took a hair test to see if he has any heavy metal substances in his system like mercury, lead..ect. The doctor explained to me that his body might not be able to process the gluten and casein products with leaks into the blood stream causing a opium (morphine)like affect on the child. So .....sorry this is so long.....I just want you to check out all your options...you're his mother and you know whats best for your child so make sure you get all the information you can and get him evalutated becase early intervention may be the key to making him better (if there is a problem, if not it can't hurt him). You can check out the www.defeatautismnow.com website and get lots of valuable information. you can contact me if you have any questions....I know its scary to think something may be wrong...trust me I know. good luck;0)

I would contact your local school district and ask for an evaluation. Because he is under 2, they will come to your home to do the evaluation. (Children under 2 need to be seen in there natural environment.) I am not sure exactly where you live, but in the Grand Rapids area, we have a school specifically for doing these assessments.

I am a speech pathologist and I ALWAYS recommend early intervention. The evaluations are free and you can get some really good information. Email me if you have any other more specific questions. I work for the schools and can help talk you through the process.

My other advice is to listen to your gut, not your doctor. I started telling my doctor, "There is something wrong with my daughter" from a very early age. He kept telling me that I was a nervous, first time mom and that it was my parenting. Then I had my son. I parented him the exact same way and he is fine. It took 3 1/2 years to finally get a diagnosis and it was all on my doing. (Seeking out psychiatrists, psychologists, Occupational therapists, social workers.)It was the schools that gave me direction.
Long story to simply say, contact your local district and remember that you are your child's best advocate.

Hello A.-
My son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at age 2 and half. Our first concerns were when he was around 15 months. He was terrified of a lot of things, did not play with toys, tantrums that were very frequent and would last for an hour or more, tip toe walker, and transitions were extremely difficult for him. He didn't talk and acted as if he was deaf not responding to name and did not follow directions. These are some of things that went on with my son. Our pediatrician picked up on all this very quick. We started receiving services through the Early-On program when he was 16 months old. That is where I would start. You can call and set it up yourself you do not need a referral. Well at least in Eaton county. I think you should follow your gut and go with what you feel. I would look into it just to be safe. My son is now five and is doing great. I am not sure where he would be if we didn't get the help when we did. If you have more concerns or ?'s I would love to help. Hang in there!

defintitely seek out an early assessment-it can't hurt- even if he's not on the autism spectrum (asperger's). you can start by calling your public school system- they should have early intervention services that will provide assessment, diagnosis and intervention. Judson Center in Royal Oak has a comprehensive program as well... the behaviors you describe are certainly enough to initiate an assessment since he's showing a regression in learned behaviors. I am not an expert by any means, but I have worked with children who are on the spectrum and have done some trainings- if it were my child, I would look for support/assessment just in case!
good luck and good for you for being proactive in this- early intervention is essential!

www.autismspeaks.com

Hi - Here is the response of my future daughter in law, when I sent her your question. This is her area of study -

Hello! Well, I personally would say that they sound like they could be behaviors that reflect the symptoms of autism (although I can't say for sure, as I am only an undergrad :-) ). It is worth while getting a diagnosis or at least looked at by a psychologist, especially this early some hard work and dedication with behavioral therapy could really help re-teach the behaviors. I don't know where exactly to get a diagnosis around the detroit area (assuming she's from detroit) but I do know that Royal Oak Beaumont has a great program that, the website its: https://www.beaumonthospitals.com/center-for-human-develo...

I'm not sure if you need a referral from a peditritician but I would say as long as she lets the doctor know the regression and her interest in early intervention (which is best for her child in the long run) the doctor hopefully will help her out. Beaumont is a great place, and some of the people and Dr's there are behaviorally orientated which is a great thing, and hopefully can offer support through some of their programs there.

If she is not from detroit, have her search her local Autism Society of America, they have a list of links on their website of places and resources she could gain. The faster she acts, the better chance the child has to learn the skills he may need to go on an live as close to a normal life as possible.

Hope this helps, I wish her luck, and I know it's hard but there are amazing people who can do some really awesome things for her and her son to help him grow into an amazing person, even if it is growing up with Autism. Allison ____@____.com

I completely understand your sense of urgency. One of my twins (4yrs) has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. While on the Autistic Spectrum there are many differences between this diagnoses and Autism.

I remember knowing in my heart that something wasn't just right. Convincing my peditrician was a little harder. Working with your pediatrician is really the first step or it's an uphill costly insurance battle. Autism is so prevalent in the news that they consider most requests just a response to the hype.

I recommend documenting your concerns (and in reading them, they do seem familiar - particularly the body motions). They'll likely ask about eye contact - consider whether he looks at you or looks through you when you try to get his attention. Other symptoms that we deal with are:
-tiptoeing
-loves to spin in circles
-sensitivity to light (it's a must to wear sunglasses, he recoils in the light - sometimes even in the house on a really bright day)
-sensitivity to textures, e.g. cannot walk barefoot in the grass
-lines things up or repeats the same activity over and over again - exactly the same way, e.g. playing with trains, they're always in the same order
-fascinated with doors and doorknobs
-fascinated with mechanical things
-plays head down engrossed in the activity - doesn't invite play or open to other children in playing

Since your son isn't really verbal yet you'll need to be very prepared in order for a true diagnosis. I had sitters that had been at our house write their thoughts, or if you go to a daycare, or any class - get their opinion. It was helpful to my pediatrician to hear that other people were noticing -- made me seem like less of a nervous first time parent in discussing the problem.

You might also contact Early On in your neighborhood for an independent assessment, however they're really not geared to look for anything more than developmental delay. I tried that route, and since my son was verbal the problem went undiagnosed at that stage.

Best of luck!

In my family, I have 2 teen cousins that are in the Autistic spectrum. One has autism and the other aspergers. The one with autism was diagnosed when he was 2. His symptoms were crying through the night until he was wrapped in a tight papoose, repeating one specific sound over and over, lack of eye contact, concentrated play inviting no one else to join in, fixation with keys - doorknobs - lights (had to have them off). My other cousin was not diagnosed with aspergers until she was around 10. Her signs were much different - walking with hands pasted on front of thighs, being 'genius' in the area of music---being able to hear a song one time and repeat it back perfectly.

All I can say is that mom's know best. You know your child. Like you said, better to know NOW than to wait and have a late start on it all. If your ped discourages you from further diagnosis- simply tell him that you're not asking his permission, this is something you are demanding for the sake of your child. Your ped cannot tell you no at that point. Best of Luck with your baby!!!

A.,

you're right to trust your gut and seek intervention (or at least an assessment) for your son. It sounds like there are many red flags that may indicate Autism in your son, though I'm not a doctor or a specialist. And if your pediatrician says "let's wait and see", be persistant (I have a ped for my boys who is similar in nature, it drives me nuts!).

I work for Easter Seals of Southest Michigan, and they provide many services to children with developmental disabilities. I don't know as much about the children's part (I work with adults with mental illness) but the website is helpful. Please visit:
www.essmichigan.org and click on Developmental Disabilities Services, then on Children's Therapy. There are many links to resources on Autism, and hopefully they will be helpful in navigating the "right route" for you and your son.

God's Blessings!

B.

Hi A.,
I am not a Mom with a child with Autism but I do work in a school district on a team certifying students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I would say talk with your pediatrician about your concerns but in my experience I've dealt with some pediatricians who this truly not is their area of expertise, I would really try to find a pediatrician who has knowledge in this area if you are really concerned. More importantly, I would go to your local school district and request an evaluation in order to receive early intervention services. No matter what may be causing the delay or lack of progression of skills in your little guy, it is much more important to receive services. To be very honest, sometimes (not always)it is quite dificult to diagnose Autism as young as 18 months because there are many other things that can look similar. However, as long as you can get services that is much more important at this age. After receiving early intervention services the picture may look a little clearer and it may be easier to provide a definite lablel. Good Luck!!! SOunds like you are very on the ball and in tune to your son's development.

A., The behaviors you report don't necessarily mean autisim. I do think you should trust your instincts and have him evaluated.
I agree with advice you got to contact Early On. It's a wonderful program. They have a toll free number which will help you get connected to your area since I'm guessing with only one 18 month old you're not involved with the your school district.
1 (800) early on.
Good luck.

Hi A.,

there is such a broad spectrum now of what is considered autism. I think your first step is to talk to your ped. He would be the one to evalutate him physically and mentally for age appropiate milestones. that way he can check for any physical problems and then refer you to the right people in your area. If you feel you are getting the 'wait and see' or 'you are worrying for nothing' attitude and you still feel you are right about something being wrong then i would get a second opinion. i would contact your community mental health agency and they will be able to send you in the right direction. also most states have autism groups, google one in your area to see if there is a contact person you can speak to about signs and eval.

good luck. as a mom w/an emotionally impaired son, i learned that you are your childs best advocate.

hi A.! I have a friend who has an autistic son and I have read a few stories of others and although I have no personal experience with it besides seeing my friends son now and then, I believe that no matter what your Ped. says, KEEP LOOKING INTO IT. You never know what or who you may find that will check out/work with your son while he's still very young; after all- the earlier you find out, the quicker you can get going on therapy and the help you need. It certainly won't hurt anything to check things out early! If he did happen to be autistic and you didn't find out till later, then you would always be wishing you did something about it earlier. But if you find that he's is fine and nothing's wrong, you will have peace of mind that you did all you could 'just in case.'

A.,
I believe you have some real concerns, and you should talk with you Dr. You can also call your local ISD, Intermediate School District. They should have testing available for you. They test kids all of the time for school, including autism. Another thought is to call your local Community Mental Health. If you have medicaid, their are certain places like CMH which are providers for medicaid recipiants. I have friends who have had similar experiences, one cut out foods with preservitives and went to all natural cleaning supplies including laundry detergent. She saw an incredible change in her son. They are learning so much about autism and how to connect with kids who have it, new methods are being used and discovered all of the time. Keep trying to connect with him. God bless you during this time.

hi,
i do not have an autistic child but one of my closest friends does and I watched him 7 days a week for a long time while she worked and went to college. He had a lot of similar issues and quite a few more that had concerned me. She was not willing to see an issue at first until he was almost 4 and not speaking and having horrible episodes. I am glad you are willing to see there may be an issue. Go to the pediatricians office and be adament about checking into this her pediatrician kept saying all kids develope diffenently and at their own pace. Well needless to say he is autistic, has ocd, and i cant think of the other diagnosis but there is one more. He is now in a school to help him as well as going to ot. He is doing amazing now. But the earlier detection the better off your child will be now and the better his future will be. I hope you all of the best. Good Luck! Make that appointment.

Pick up Jenny McCarthy's newest book: Louder Than Words. We have a four year old who we think may be autistic and we are now on our way to a more holisitic approach with a DAN! doctor (Defeat Autism Now) but your little boy may just be a little lagging...who knows. But if you are suspect, talk to someone. Early is the KEY!

A.,
I am just trying to figure out how to list a seminar on Mamasource and I thought it would be helpful for you. My friend (Heidi Scheer)is speaking on March 11th at Ward Church (6/Haggerty) regarding Autism. What to look for, what steps to take, as well as her personal story and success using the biomedical approach. It will be at 7pm in room 307/309 and it is free. She has a son who is autistic and has a passion to help others. It would be a great place to ask lots of questions from others who have a lot of experience. J.

This is a site that will answer some of your questions. I have a step-son that has autism. His grandma is in a support group that helps with questions about autism. Here is the web site: www.geneseeautism.org. I hope this will answer your questions for you. I also have a cousin with autism.

My name is C. and I have a 10 year old son with Down Syndrome and although his diability is obvious, we went to Early On. I would call the Early On program in your county (Ingham?) and ask them to come and do an evaluation. They will come right to your house and talk to you and do an eval on the spot. We entered early on when my son was six weeks old and it was the best thing we ever did for him. A home teacher can evaulate him and if he does have any delays developmentally they will get you some services (physical, occupational, speech, etc. therapies). Most of their programs are in home also, so it is convenient and most comfortable for your son, in HIS environment, to get the help he needs if he does need help. I also just want to say great job in being an advocate for your child and not doing the waiting game like so many doctors like to do!!!! Good Luck and let us know how things go for you!! CM

Hey A. -
I think the advice given is really quite good, but one other thing I would do is to start documenting/recording all of your observations. Have a diary or something and at the end of the day just make a few notes. It is important because in a year or two, you may not be able to remember exactly when things started/stopped happening. So my thought is to write it down now while it is all fresh - and always go with your gut feeling as a mother :) Good luck :)

I have two boys on the Autism spectrum. It's not the end of the world but you are right to want to get treatment early on. Call your local school district special education department and have them do an evaluation. You will get more support from a psychiatrist or pediatrician if you have documentation from the schools. If you have any more questions feel free to email me. Good luck - S.

Hello A.---I'm not sure where you live but I've heard about a great pediatrician in Ann Arbor who specializes in treatment of disorders like autism and ADHD. From his website, http://www.integrativepediatrics.net, Dr. Richard Linsk has openings to see children with chronic issues
such as autism, ADD, and behavioral disturbances, as well as
holistic primary care. We accept most major insurance plans.

One thing that is very important with the possibility of autism is his diet. Be sure that he eats whole foods only, no additives, colorings, etc. He will need more fruits and vegetables than the 'average bear' and also eliminate gluten and dairy. Both cause alot of problems that are hard to diagnose, hence they are still recommended as healthy foods. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Good luck. D. M

A.,
My 6 year old daughter was diagnosed Aspbergers(An Autism Spectrum Disorder). To watch her during daily activities I thought nothing was wrong. Sure she would not do things like other kids, she would line her cars in a row and get upset if they were out-of-place, she was speech delayed, etc. I just figured all kids are different and grow at there own pace. My Pediatrician was not much help, I had to go to a psychologist and he diagnosed her. We did go through some speech therapy and her preschool teacher was the one that said she should be checked out. Being your son is only 18 months your ped will probably say hes too young lets wait and see. If you go online there are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and dealing with Autism. Sorry I cannot remember the particular sight but they are out there.
Good Luck!

Macomb has a great program called Early Start. It is located at the Macomb Community College North Campus. (19 mile and Garfield) My son was premature so I had him evaluated a few times over the last few years. (he is 3 now). They will beable to help you and help monitor his progress and inform you of things you and your husband can do at home. There are also different programs availible that they will make you aware of. Good Luck to you and your little one!

Educating yourself about autistism is the first step in preparing yourself for most things. Epson salt baths help austistic children/adults sleep better, because it is a form of magnesium. I give my son, who is now 18 magnesium and B-6 together (B-6 helps it absorb better), it has a wonderful calming effect. I tried med's from many dr's, all of which made his weight gain rapid and after removing him and putting him on a regimine of different vitamins, his behavior is better, his weight went down. And his speech and cognitive improved. He is not on a special diet. Start with a pediactrics pyschologist, for an evaluation, perhaps his pediatrician can referr you to one, but it's not always necessary to get one. Public mental health facilities are a huge suppport. If the diagnose is as suspected, you and your child will become eligible to some state aid alloted in your community. Hand flapping, and not playing with toys the way most kids would are some tell-tale signs. Covering his ears to certain sounds, and the inability to make eye contact. Mine likes to arrange things in order of size, color, type, etc. and likes the screech of a cat. Every autisitc child is unique, some with or without classic symptoms. Learn all you can about it, there's alot of stuff out there. And there are organizations aimed at helping for this particular condition. Also, in the Oakland Press (Pontiac, MI) in Jan. of this year, I read that a mother found a cure for her autistic son! I did not get a chance to get a good hold of that article, or the exact date, but I so remember it, and that dr's were very interested in futher study of this great find.

God bless!

Hi A.,

Call your school districts Early On program as soon as possible. Your sons behaviors are very similiar to what my son was doing at that age. He too was obsessed with doors.
Also, call Dr. Richard Solomon in Ann Arbor. He will evaluate your son and give you a diagnosis if he believes he is on the Autistic spectrum. He is an amazing Doctor.My son is nine now and through alot of intervention he is doing wonderfully. He has friends and speaks beautifully. He definitely is a little quirky. He still has some obsessions but they are not really that odd ( he loves going on line and watching Movie trailers,He knows every movie, what it is about and its rating) It may be a hard journey but very worth it. Good luck.

Call Early On now - don't wait! Early intervention is important, so you're right to want to look into this now, rather than later. Good luck to you and your little one.

A.,
The first thing I did was contact the local school district and get him evaluated by the Early Intervention Team run by the Special Education Department of the School District. This is FREE. It will also give you an idea of what to do next. Most important is DO NOT WAIT ANOTHER SECOND!! There is a small window of opportunity to help your child and you are entering into a very challenging era of your life, but if you get him the help he needs now, you will be able to help him. My son is turning 4 next week and has been with the program since he was 20 months old. He has improved greatly and I can thank the caring people that work with him. There are a lot of other programs out there, but most are not covered by insurance. We have done some of those too, to make sure we felt like we were trying everything(reasonable). There are many great books available and lots of "cures" out there, but beware because every child is different and every case of Autism is different. You need to trust your instincts and do what you feel is best for your child.
I hope this helps some. Good Luck!
C.

A., Don't let your doctor give you ANY attitude! YOU are the MOM and know your child best, get a second opinion! Be ready with a written list of concerns, things you have noticed, be prepared. REMEMBER, You are paying your doctor, make him do his job right! Then call your ISD, Intermediate school district, they can have someone evaluate him also, and work on a program for him. MOST IMPORTANT: YOU are his teacher 1st, spend a lot of time reading... making him focus, most autistic children respond well to music, if music helps him respond, sing everything! (I am not kidding!) Look on line for autistic websites, find a local support group, go to the library, watch, listen, ask questions! He should, could have been evaluated a long time ago. No guilt involved, do what you have to do NOW! I have been a childcare provider for 30 yrs, worked with many autistic children, you can do it, you are your childs best advocate, teacher. YOU can do IT!
K.

Contact 1-800-Earlyon (it's Early on of MI) - it's FREE. I don't know that they deal with autism directly. However, they will evaluate your childs speech / language development and determine if any therapy may be required. I'm betting they'd also note signs of autism. Another resource is your local school district - they can evaluate your childs speech development as well as their small and large motor skills - for FREE. IF therapy is required, the school district will provide it to your child through the use of an IEP (Indivualized Education Plan). Good luck.

Take all the advice you have recieved. Don't be scared, find out now instead of later. I have a 9 year old with Asperger's Syndrome....found out when he was in Pre-K. Check out ASA; Austism Society of America
and Autism Society of Michigan. Look up Asperger's Syndrome also. Do something now, don't put it off. Early intervention is what you and your child need if you're thinking AS or Autism. One quote to remember, when you see "one autistic child",you have seen "one autistic child"- everyone is different. People say my son is nothing like they see on t.v. when viewing a special on autism. My son has Asperger's, a spectrum of autism.
God bless. Go forward with all the advice given, don't wait.
Sincerely,
L. R