new & seeing a pattern

Hi Ladies,

Let me introduce myself (and situation) as it looks like I may be joining you. My name is Melissa. I'm 22 year-old and I have two children. My dd (Emily is 2 & 1/2) and my ds (Nikolas) is 5 months. My daughter has always had some "off" behaviors and just recently I began to make an alarming connection. I think my guard really went into full effect at a family picnic when my dd was 1 & 1/2. She was watching a pin wheel spin. Her fully autistic 2nd cousin was watching it from the other side. Neither child showed any recognition of the other. Her cousin was frantic when the pin wheel stopped. He pushed the pin wheel (and it was a big wooden, garden, outside one - the size of Emily) smack hard into her face. She didn't flinch... she didn't even look up. The more and more I compared the two seemingly different children, there more that I saw what I didn't like nor wanted to admit. I thought I had no reason to worry. Emily talks and is very bright and has a HUGE vocabulary. However there is the undeniable fact that she is a ritualistic as can be.. Hates change, has sensory issues, lines up her toys to extremes, and she stims. She seems deaf at times. She hits and pinches herself (and not during a temper tantrum). I always thought of her as my little entertaining comdien. When we have company over Emily spins and spins and spins (and oh yes) and SPINS in circles. She shakes her head rapidly side to side almost like a seisure or something. She's never cared to be kissed or helded or hugged.

So now we've entered the beginging stages. She's recently been enrolled in an early intervention program. So far she'll be under going OT definately and she'll be evaluated to see what other areas need help. My guess is speech will be next (she speaks well, but there's a lot of jargon and extra babble in her sentences and I've been seeing more and more of it). I suppose I'm lucky that she's getting the help she needs and we've caught it early. I don't know how long it will be before and if she's diagnoised.

She doesn't seem to have too many food issues (although she does lick her toys, lol). She actually eats as much as an adult even though she's tiny. She loves fruit, hot dogs, cheese, and pudding. She hates all kinds of meat, but hot dogs, but does so well with everything else - who's complaining. I know how she hates change so I keep a slightly ridgid schedule so she sleeps wonderfully.

I'm really glad to have found this board. I'm sure I'll be posting tons and tons of questions as I am rather new at this. One question I already have is how many of you medicate your children? and do you have to? I'd rather not put Emily on medications since she is doing rather well, but I don't know what the future holds.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you,

Melissa