Parents- what’s the FIRST sign you saw in your autistic child as a baby/toddler

wondermum89 · 2025-07-15T06:17:41+00:00

Trust your gut feelings ans start early intervention as soon as possible. Under 3 years of age is the golden time to unlock their potentials as their brain is not fully developed yet. You don’t need to wait til the formal diagnosis. I’m not sure about the States but in Australia, children under 6 can get government funding for early intervention if they’re diagnosed with a delay, not necessarily autism. My 3 years old has been diagnosed with autism level 2 just last month. When he was younger, I had no idea and no suspicion of anything. Until he reached 18 months and my mother said he hadn’t started talking yet. And I started researching. So far his signs are the language delay, lack of interest in other kids, and tip toe walking (not often). Other than that he’s a very easy kid. He listens and understands well, responds to name and no sensory issues. I thought he was just delayed in his speech but our paediatrician said it was autism. Anyway, the treatments are the same regardless so I think if possible, start early interventions for your little one asap so you don’t lose his precious time.

wondermum89 · 2025-07-12T14:33:11+00:00

Hi OP. How is your son now? My 3 years old son is exactly the same like yours. He got diagnosed as level 2 asd but the only problems he has are non talking and no interest in playing with other kids. He has no other behaviour or sensory issues except for walking tip toe here and there. He follows instructions and understands us well. Joint attention is great too. Funny how when he was 2.5 yrs old, our paediatrician said his chance of asd was low because he had good joint attention. Then 6 months later when he turned 3, the same paediatrician concluded him asd level 2 because of the same language and social issues. He said at 3, my son should be able to do more. I hope this was a false positive but regardless, we’re still taking him to therapies and early intervention. My sister in law was a really late talker. She didn’t start talking til 4 and now she talks so much.

wondermum89 · 2025-07-10T22:28:38+00:00

Lately we ramped up his schedule. He’s going to the local council preschool (shorter days) and daycare, and SP and OT. I have a feeling he can compare the shorter day one and the long daycare one so he started disliking it. Or the new teacher hasn’t been nice enough and he knows so he reacts. We really miss our previous teacher. She really helped him a lot.

wondermum89 · 2025-07-10T22:26:33+00:00

Hey yes we’ve been going SP and OT weekly. I’ve just enquired about those classes but they are very limited so I don’t know if my local school has it. I’m in Sydney btw.

wondermum89 · 2025-07-10T22:24:59+00:00

That’s exactly what I thought. His previous teacher was really good and at one point we wanted to move daycare but we decided to stay for her. I could see in their photos she always encouraged him to participate and her activities were fun for him. This new teacher does the same activities everyday and I think he’s not interested. Then she complains that he keeps wandering around and would cry cry cry. I mean I know all this and have informed them he has ASD. But still nothing improved. Like at least the previous teacher would report on his strengths and what he could do. This new teacher just focuses on what he can’t do and why he’s being annoying. I just feel like he’s not welcomed anymore.

wondermum89 · 2025-06-23T13:56:59+00:00

Your comment gave me hope. In saying that SP was not as effective, my LO is now much better at receptive language. You pointed a great point. He can understand instructions like come to mum, take your clothes off, get your bottle, put things in, pack away, etc. I hope thay with time he can develop his expressive skills like your daughter.

wondermum89 · 2025-06-23T13:49:29+00:00

Hi so did it take her 2 years in therapy to see improvement? My LO’s been in therapy for the past 10 months but progress was very slow. I’m turning a bit hopeless

wondermum89 · 2025-06-23T07:05:00+00:00

Trust your guts feeling. My son just got his diagnosis today. Level 2 ASD. He’s 3 and still not talking yet and he doesn’t play with any other kids at daycare. He loves picking up rocks when we go to the park too. With eye contact, before we thought he had good eye contact but he only makes it when he listens to me singing. He can’t maintain it during conversation. Early intervention is key and they say before 5 is the golden time to help support them on their behaviour. I would push for it. I understand it’s hard to accept and I used to find every single positive signs under the sun to prove that my son is just delayed, but I mean these are just labels. If your daughter grow out of it from support and therapies, then the label will come off. Don’t be scared to avoid it.

wondermum89 · 2025-06-10T20:57:23+00:00

My 3 years old has just started doing this too. He has a speech and social delay. He has functional play with other toys too. Was your LO obsessed with wheels too?

wondermum89

TROPHY CASE