Need Info

[turnleftjohn]

Hello, I have a 2.75 year old nephew that shows signs of autism. I have very little information about the disorder. My sister/brother in-laws are very reluctant to talk about the possibility of the disorder.

I am looking for the best information to learn about detecting autism at this early age. The little guy has not developed any speech at this stage. I would say he "reacts" to input, but does not interact with other people. He plays with very specific toys, and plays by himself. His doctor has told the parents that autism is a possibility.

Where do I start to learn more about detecting the disorder? Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

TurnLeftJohn

[AutMom]

I found this along with the description - I haven't checked it out myself:

[color=#22229c]http://www.firstsigns.org/pages/del...orders/asd.html[/color] (http://www.firstsigns.org/pages/delays_disorders/asd.html) A good basic page on what autism is and how it’s diagnosed. Has links to DSMIV and red flags for
autism.

Red Flags:
http://www.firstsigns.org/concerns/flags.htm

Denial can be very strong for parents....good luck...keep us posted.

[kristinandnick99]

Hi! my name is Kristin and it just happens to be that we have basically the same situation, my nephew is now 5 and he is autistic with a severe developmental delay. your nephew needs to be seen by a developmental pediatrician for a diagnosis. If he is diagnosed with autism, your family should be able to get some phone numbers from the doctor and they should be able to help get some therapy for him which can come in handy! My nephew is 5 and he has been getting therapy now since he was 2 and when he was 3 they put him in what they call an "early Intervention" program where he goes to school everyday with kids his age and might have the same diagnosis as him and he gets his therapy there and everything. It has made nicholas like a new little boy even though he is 5 physically he is 3 mentally and we have been told that that is fabulous for him! if you need anymore information you can e-mail me at pooh2028@aol.com and I can help you as best as i can! Kristin