At risk for ASD- 17 Months old
My son is 17 months old and was recently flagged as being at risk for ASD. Our doctor advised us to start speech therapy and enroll him in toddler classes so he can spend more time around other kids. I’m feeling really overwhelmed and emotional about all of this and honestly don’t know where to start.
Some things he does well:
>Great eye contact
>Responds to his name
>Claps and gives high fives
Some concerns:
>No joint attention
>Doesn’t bring toys to show me
>Doesn’t imitate actions/sounds
I know every child develops differently, but hearing “at risk for ASD” has shaken me. I want to help him in the best way possible without spiraling or feeling like I’m already behind.
For parents who’ve been through this:
>What helped your toddler the most at this age?
>Did speech therapy or toddler groups make a difference?
>How did you work on joint attention and imitation at home?
>Any advice for coping emotionally as a parent?
I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences or any encouragement. Feeling pretty alone right now.