Need Autism Advice

My sister has twins and her son has always exhibited some "quirky" behaviors from very early on. He is now three and he has an autism spectrum disorder. Fortunately, he is on the high functioning side, but he still requires therapy. I saw that you live in Joshua (I livei n Crowley) and my suggestion would be to get him evaluated at the Child Study Center. If you have a strong suspicion I would skip ECI and have him evaluated directly at the Child Study Center. ECI can help you out once you have a more definitive idea of what you are dealing with. There are so many resources out there, but that is where I would start. Once you begin to understand how the autistic child thinks, you begin to understand why they react in the ways that they do. Get him evaluated now and if there is an issue, there are SO many resources out there to help you. Good luck and I will pray for your family.

Try www.featnt.org

Families for Effective Autism Treatment is a non profit located in North Richland Hills. They provide education, advocacy, and support to families affected by autism. They have a library full of related literature and lots of nice, helpful moms.

I don't have an autistic child; but, tell them the gal who painted the mural in the snack room referred you.

In fort worth there was a place called the child study center. It may not be there now, but you could try it. Your pediatrician may or may not be able to make a good diagnosis because of the limited time there is to observe your child. This happened to me and my son, who has asperger's syndrome. You should be diligent though because as someone has already pointed out, it's vital that you start to treat it early. It can make a huge difference in alot of your child's experience of life. The schools in my area (a large one) really dropped the ball for the most part, and i finally took him out and started to homeschool him. Most had no understanding of what they were dealing with and didn't care to investigate. He really suffered and you can do alot to protect your child from the same kind of experiendes.
You've started out very well. If i were you i'd google autism sites for support groups and doctors/clinics in your area, and see if i could get more info, join or make an appointment, depending on your results.
Remember this, and it's important: this is in no way your fault. There was nothing you did wrong, or did and shouldn't have. You are i'm sure a loving and caring mother, and autism is genetic. It's a fact. So do the best you can as quick as you can figure out the next move to make, and i'll pray for you. It's not easy, but there are some wonderful advantages that sometimes come with autism. Albert einstein is thought to have had asperger's, so were alot of other people who were innovative in their chosen field. I'd like to say more to you if you are worried, and if it turns out you're correct about your son. Save my address and contact me if you feel a yen. W.

T., My heart goes out to you and your family and the journey you (might)be about to start. I have a 15 year old son that has PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder) which is a form of Autism. My advise to you is to take him to the pediatrician and ask to have him evaluated. He will more than likely send you to another doctor (child psychologist). Your son may be a little young to be tested, the average age for diagnosis is around 3. However, early diagnosis and intervention is vital. What makes you think he has autism? Feel free to email me whenever you want to. God Bless ~ T.

I would check with your pediatrician about where to go from here. She may send you to ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) for a full assessment and diagnosis. They will most likely be the ones doing his treatment if he is autistic.