Hello ladies. Has anyone had a feeling their child had autism or a learning delay but was denied early intervention due to being “within” the parameters of normal. My daughter is 18 months and has practically no words. She doesn’t mimic either and I’m concerned but she has already been evaluated (2 months ago) and was told she is on track. She does however have great gross and motor skills. This is purely a concern about communication. Socially she seems okay and is loving and personable but she gets so frustrated that she can’t communicate and my heart hurts for her.
If she’s making eye contact and plays well she most likely doesn’t have autism. Just seems like a speech delay. My son is going to be 3 in march and just started talking and saying words only about 6 months ago.
Start with getting her hearing checked.
It certainly doesn’t sound like autism.
Lindsay Beasley this might interest you! I also thought you’d possibly like sharing your personal struggles/accomplishments dealing with similar situations! Xo
Can you get a second opinion?
You can try using pictures to help teach her to communicate through those. Regardless of having autism or not it is a helpful way to identify things through both pictures and words. Great age to start with pictures, then move to pictures with words.
Alternate to suggestions already made, but could you try teaching a few sign words for communication.
My youngest had difficulty with speech and ended up he was hard of hearing due to chronic fluid in his ears. Kids learn to talk by mimicking and since his hearing was muffled his speech was garbled. He got tubes in his ears and took him to speech therapy for awhile and all was good! Might be worth checking into.
Prayers for your daughter Amene
I was always told it was more important that the little one understands what you are saying to her. I have 4 children my second one really didn’t say much until about 2 and a half. She is perfectly normal. Also does she have an older sibling close to her age? My daughter would let her older sister talk for her. Asking for juice or snacks I in turn started having her make these requests for herself. If she has been tested and they told you she is fine she probably is.
At my daughter’s 2 year appointment she wasn’t saying many words or putting words together, her Dr was a bit concerned about a delay, gave it a little bit more time and not long after 2 began saying more and now at 2 and a half she talks full statements.