Can an autism diagnosis for a toddler actually be just a severe language delay.  how often is it misdiagnosed?
919404
Autism is kind of hard to misdiagnos Here are a few links for you. We have an autsic 16 month but we have to wait until she is 2  to be diagnosed. For the first 8 months of her life we thought she was deaf and blind. Working hard with her has helped her progress a little. The first link you need to register it is free to do so. It is a great sight.
601153
I'm not sure, but I can recommend a very interesting book about the history of Autism, including, as I recall, some of the early diagnosed cases. \n\n"Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism" by Paul Collins.\n\nHope this helps you!
257645
I was hoping you could provide a little more inormation as to what you are looking for.  If you are talking about time limits at mealtimes, I may have some good suggestions.  \n\nTransitions are hard for a lot of kiddos with Autism.  Warnings, and slow transitions, can work well.  An auditory cue (timer with a bell could also work).  Set the timer, and when it rings the first time, let the child know there are 5 more minutes, then reset it.  Be consistent...when that bell rings the 2nd time...it's over.\n\nI am not sure if this is what you were asking.  Please post some more info.  That would be helpful.  Best of luck!
738835
I don't know if i would be much help to you but i am a psychologist for intellectually delayed children and the general steps is obviously to first find the cause of the delay as you probably know there are numerous - then using the IPA; the symbols are divided into three categories: letters, diacritics, and suprasegmentals (symbols that indicate such things as the tone and inflection of a spoken utterance). These categories are then divided into smaller sections. For example, letters are divided into vowels and consonants, and diacritics and suprasegmentals are divided according to whether they indicate articulation, phonation, tone, intonation, or stress.\nSo starting from the cause and working with the child slowly until they grasp every step of the IPA is usually the best way
510047
Hello,\nI am not a mother of an Autistic person, but my younger brother is diagnosed with autism. I do not know if this will help, but here is one major expierence of my brother's.  He began to receive symptoms of ASD shortly after his MMR shot.  He began to stop talking and began to backtrack.  I have done some research myself, and this seems to appear quite a bit around.  Look it up, it's interesting. :) Good luck. :-)
175226
i have it still and im 23. so it has nothing to do with autism, yet my aunties son is autistic, i think it is a little bit like the same thing, kinda shy to talk and feeling uncomfortable in the presence of other people.\nyou should take him to a psychologist, with me when i was about 14, they used to give me games to play, like football and little puzzles to try to relax me to talk, but it never worked. it might work for your son though, so you should try it.
560666
That's a good question. I have seen many kids with a diagnosis of childhood or developmental apraxia who are non verbal and have autism spectrum type behaviors. I am qualified to diagnose verbal apraxia and have never been able to do so with a non verbal child. The nature of the speech errors need to be observed to make that diagnosis. I do know that a child can have a diagnosis of both. If there is a concern that the child has autism, look in the DSM IV and read the criteria\n\nhttp://www.autism-biomed.org/dsm-iv.htm\n\nAsperger Syndrome is and autism spectrum disorder. These kids are usually more verbal, some may not even have a language disorder. They are mostly impaired in social skills.\n\nAlthough developmental/childhood apraxia/dyspraxia can co occur with and autism spectrum disorder, they are not related. They are different disorders altogether.
434862
Symptoms of untreated shaken-baby syndrome are blindness, mental retardation, and neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy.  There will be retinal damage that can be observed in a eye exam.\nIf your son was having speech therapy as an 18 month old, and now has speech and learning problems, I do not see any reason to believe it is not a continuation of an existing problem.\n  \nYou should discuss this with your pediatrician.  I would expect the pediatrician to help you get testing and therapy for your son.  If not, call your local school district to see if they have testing and early-intervention programs.  This varies from one location to another.  Investigate what other school districts nearby offer, too.  It may be worth moving to gain better dianostic and intervention.
24677
that depends I assume there is some delay to correct. We would need to know the challange (dislexia, speech?} or the symptoms if the cause is not yet known
434235
Are these two separate questions, or do you want to know what are the common characteristics, or what?\n\nAutism:\n"All people with autism have difficulty with social interactions and relationships. Parents often describe their child with autism as preferring to play alone and making little eye contact with other people. Other symptoms of autism include:\n\nDifficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication. Language development in children with autism is almost always delayed. \nLimited, repetitive, and overused (stereotyped) patterns of behavior, interests, and play. Many typical behaviors—such as repetitive body rocking, unusual attachments to objects, and holding fast to routines and rituals—are driven by the need for sameness and resistance to change. \nThere is no “typical” person with autism. Although autism is defined by the above characteristics, people with autism can have many different combinations of behaviors in mild to severe forms."\n\nMental Retardation:\n\n"There are many signs of mental retardation. For example, children with mental retardation may: \n\nsit up, crawl, or walk later than other children; \nlearn to talk later, or have trouble speaking, \nfind it hard to remember things, \nnot understand how to pay for things, \nhave trouble understanding social rules, \nhave trouble seeing the consequences of their actions, \nhave trouble solving problems, and/or \nhave trouble thinking logically. \n\n\nAbout 87% of people with mental retardation will only be a little slower than average in learning new information and skills. When they are children, their limitations may not be obvious. They may not even be diagnosed as having mental retardation until they get to school. As they become adults, many people with mild retardation can live independently. Other people may not even consider them as having mental retardation.\n\nThe remaining 13% of people with mental retardation score below 50 on IQ tests. These people will have more difficulty in school, at home, and in the community. A person with more severe retardation will need more intensive support his or her entire life. Every child with mental retardation is able to learn, develop, and grow. With help, all children with mental retardation can live a satisfying life."
177527
I am a parent of a child with mild to high functioning autism. I have tried some support groups online and am not happy with them. Feel free to email me anytime at sbirch5@yahoo.com. I know what you are going through. I would love to hear about your child.
7337
Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior.\nChildren with autism appear to lack "theory of mind", the ability to see things from another person's perspective, a behavior cited as exclusive to human beings above the age of five and, possibly, other higher primates such as adult gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. Typical 5-year-olds can develop insights into other people's different knowledge, feelings, and intentions, interpretations based upon social cues (e.g., gestures, facial expressions). An individual with autism seems to lack these interpretation skills, an inability that leaves them unable to predict or understand other people's actions. The social alienation of autistic and Asperger's people is so intense from childhood that many of them have imaginary friends as companionship. However, having an imaginary friend is not necessarily a sign of autism and also occurs in non-autistic children.\n\nAsperger's and Kanner's syndrome\n \nAsperger described his patients as "little professors".In the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), the most significant difference between Autistic Disorder (Kanner's) and Asperger's syndrome is that a diagnosis of the former includes the observation of "[d]elays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play[,]" [2] while a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome observes "no clinically significant delay" in these areas. [3]\n\nThe DSM makes no mention of level of intellectual functioning, but the fact that Asperger's autistics as a group tend to perform better than those with Kanner's autism has produced a popular conception that Asperger's syndrome is synonymous with "higher-functioning autism," or that it is a lesser disorder than autism.
1098459
it doesn't matter if you have autism or not.  sometimes i tell my husband that "nothing" is wrong when there really is something wrong. i will finally "spill the beans" when I get ready to.  until then, he just takes my word for it, that i am ok, until i get ready to talk.
185275
Children with autism have a hard time communicating because they rarely understand the social functions of talking.  They imitate other people because that is the easiest way to say something.  The best thing to do is to enroll him in speech/language therapy or hire a private tutor.  With autism, he will be behind in a lot of things, but sometimes they can be smart at remembering things, math, or another language.
196890
I think the first place to look would be the 'official' diagnostic tool for autism: DSM-IV (or ICD-10): this will tell you how autism is diagnosed, and will help you decide which type of autism you want to be investiagting:\n\nDSM-IV Criteria, Pervasive Developmental Disorders\n299.00 Autistic Disorder\n\nA. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):\n\n    (1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:\n\n        (a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to- eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction\n\n        (b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level\n\n        (c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)\n\n        (d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity \n\n    (2) qualitative impairments in communication, as manifested by at least one of the following:\n\n        (a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)\n\n        (b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others\n\n        (c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language\n\n        (d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level\n\n    (3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities as manifested by at least one of the following:\n\n        (a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus\n\n        (b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals\n\n        (c) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex whole-body movements)\n\n        (d) persistent precoccupation with parts of objects \n\nB. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.\n\nC. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's disorder or childhood disintegrative disorder.\n\n299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified\n\nThis category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder, or avoidant personality disorder. For example, this category includes "atypical autism" --presentations that do not meet the criteria for autistic disorder because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these.\n\n299.80 Asperger's Disorder\n\nA. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:\n\n    (1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction\n\n    (2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level\n\n    (3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)\n\n    (4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity \n\nB. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyp
597505
I would certainly say that this should not be done unless under the direct supervision of a doctor with a  specialization in autism-spectrum disorders.\n\nPersonal experiences will be highly varied, and responses here should not be used to justify starting this sort of treatment.
251836
My son didn't speak until he was 3 years old and displayed some of the symptoms of autism, as you state above, until he was approximately 8 years old. He then caught up with the rest of his class and went on to graduate with honors from high school.  He is 31 now and is a normal person that is able to hold down a job, support himself and be a productive member of society. \nYour grandson could just be temporarily developmentally delayed, and he may, as they say, "grow out of it" like my son did.