When was your LO assessed / diagnosed?

I was told to wait until my little girls 2 year check, she's not long had that and the health visitor is coming for a home visit tomorrow and then start the ball rolling on a diagnosis, I've definitely known from very early on and expressed concerns at around 1½ to a doctor and they told me they don't start until after 2 but I know it's different for different areas in the UK xx

Unfortunately unless they are extremly noticeable after 3 is common. My daughter started the pathway at 2 as she was extremly noticeable and globally delayed in everything... they had to delay diagnosing for atleast 6 months as I had to move her nursery due to neglect and abuse from the nursery so they wanted to check if her needs were due to neglect or due to autism. After 6 months of new setting she was becoming more and more obvious and we had an appointment and was diagnosed in that appointment. What's the q chat?? We used gars 3 - as far as I'm aware that's what they use around the country (UK)

Assessed a few weeks before his 2nd birthday, official diagnosis given a few weeks before his 3rd birthday. For my son it was very obvious

My son was diagnosed ten years ago at the age of 3. We had supporting evidence from his school nursery which had an sen provision attached. The paediatrician actually mentioned that they prefer to wait as some traits they can grow out of. There was a clear difference between my son and the kids in the sen base at that age and most had already been diagnosed. Ehcps in place and sen provision was already organised ie non verbal, little awareness of things around them. Not to say my son was any less challenging he just didn’t meet the levels needed to get an EHCP which took us two appeals to get.

@Jade - thanks, Dr told me to contact my HV today to get the 2yr appointment booked in even though they usually do automatically, due to the circumstances, so that's positive to hear they were able to help you 😊

@Cherrie - okay thanks for the info, I don't think my Daughter is too noticeable, she has speech delay so they want to check her hearing first but there are many other things which we went through so the Dr does still want to see my after the 2yr HV check and the Hearing Test so shall see what happens. I can't even remember how I found it but it was something to do with the Autism Research Centre @ University of Cambridge - I haven't even heard of Gars 3 but will look into as want to get as much info / research as possible. Thanks for your comment xx

Thanks @Melody

Thanks @Karen

My oldest was diagnosed at three but they watched her for about a year, she's 10 now! and then my youngest was diagnosed at 2 1/2 and I feel like I'm starting all over again

I knew early about my son aswell- at his 18 month check up his dr recommended it but I was also in denial and thought maybe it was just his personality- we waited until he was 3.

No that’s not true they say that just to try and fob you off! We’ve battled for our son since he was 18 months old he’s 2.5 and just had his official diagnosis. Unfortunately you have to keep pushing them or they’ll just ignore you

@Crystal thank you

@Jenny thank you

@Sam I did think that might be the case which is why I came on here to double check. I think I'm doing the right thing starting it now anyway and will just see what they say. If they try and put a stop to anything or ask me to wait I will push because it seems it takes ages for a diagnosis anyway. Thank you x

I started the ball rolling for autism at 18 months old with a GP and health visitor. We applied for an EHCP when he was 3, then he was assessed at 4 years and then again at 5 years, no diagnosis yet as they said it wouldn't make a difference to anything right now

@Holly that’s exactly how we started 😊 contacted the HV and they moved his 2 year check forward

@Natalie how would a diagnosis not make a difference?