I do need encouragement..

[alero]

Hello,

This is still new and depressing to me, I noticed that my two years old daughter had difficulties expressing herself not that she can't talk. She sings very well, have a lot of words and very brilliant. She could count and recognised the alphabets, the numbers (1-100) and the colors, say the phonic sounds and have several words each alphabet stands for since she was 16 months. She also have a good memory can read a book back to you after hearing you read to her just once (she loves reading to herself). She does all this but can not tell me she needs to drink water or she's hungry. I was confused and discussed this with her pediatrician on her two years evaluation. She suggested speech therapy when she's three years. She's three now and started speech therapy three months ago, am surprised when the same pediatrician said that is likely she had autism. She's been placed on the waiting list to be fully diagnosed. Am really devastated and I don't know what the future holds for her.

[Anxiouspony12]

Hi alero. I read your post with interest as a singer. Your plight with your daughter has touched my heart and rings a bell with me. My parents told me that when I first started to speak that only they could understand me nobody else could. But they had recordings of me singing. And I could sing perfectly and remember all words just like your daughter at the same age. And my mother taught me how to read before I went to school. I have been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and am untreated as therapist's in England are loath to give stimulant medications so my hope lies with my neurologist who I am seeing in the new year to undergo sleep clinic to determine why I suffer night terrors sleep paralysis and if I also have narcolepsy. And he told me ADHD is a sleep disorder and that is why they treat it with stimulants. I hope that you can get treatment and understanding for your daughters autism and that she makes good progress.

[alero in reply to Anxiouspony12]

Thank you, am glad you are doing better. The fact that I don’t know when she will be able to express herself or be get a bit ok is heartening. Enjoy your holidays!

[Anxiouspony12 in reply to alero]

Thank you Alero. I hope you enjoy your holidays too!😊

[FXP_OK]

Hi Alero, please dont feel depressed. There really isn't anything to be depressed about. Your daughter sounds like she is (possibly) high functioning autistic like my son. He is super clever, very funny, a truly wonderful boy. I wouldn't change him for any money. Yes he' is quirky and sometimes he lacks social grace, but he is learning these things. Revel in the positives. Your daughter will sense your worry. Just love her for who she is. Give her a safe non-judgmental foundation and she will be the best person she can be. If you have questions you will get help and support here. Chin up. There's lots to be positive about!

[alero in reply to FXP_OK]

Thank you so much. I will try to look at the positive.

[caringmum11]

I would see the fact That your daughter is going to be assessed as a huge positive. Yes she may have ASD and yes Most likely height functioning - but the one Thing here that will make all the difference to her life is this will be discovered early and the interventions needed will be put in place. There are thousands of adults out there who were never diagnosed and due to This really struggled through life developing other mental health conditions on the way As they desperately tried to fit it and understand the world around them. My 28 year old son is one of them and trust me It is far better to know early than at 28 when everything has already gone wrong. I knew there were problems but no one would take me seriously, but nowadays this would not happen. So my message is be happy that your daughter is going to assessed it is a good thing - she will be fine and you Will learn a lot too. It really is not a reason to be down and in Time you will see this, she will receive all the support she needs and will Most likely develop well - if a little quirky which in its self is an endearing trait. This early intervention is the key to the door for your daughter - hold her hand and smile as you walk through it. Good luck x

[alero]

Thanks

[emmasue]

As people have already said, try not to be depressed. Your daughter is still the lovely girl that she is. A diagnosis doesn't change that. My daughter was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 9 (my older son has it as well). When she was two, she wasn't speaking. She had a speech assessment and I was devastated that she couldn't recognise simple things. She had some speech therapy until she was in year 1. She went from not being able to pronounce most consonant sounds to being able to speak clearly. She still has understanding issues and she still gets confused. She didn't learn to read until she was in year 4 and she still struggles with maths concepts, though she enjoys maths. However she has a brilliant recall memory and can memorise everyone's lines in the school play! She is a bit immature for her age and struggles with friendships but she has grown and changed so much since that two year check. They do change, they do develop, it's not the end of the world. Good luck and I hope things go smoothly for you and your daughter. x

[alero in reply to emmasue]

Thank you so much, am real appreciate your kind words. I happy to hear your daughter is doing great!