No response to name, no eye contact, repetitive actions, rocking body front and back, love spinning wheels, and sensory issues.

These are what we saw in my 2 year old 3 years ago. Now he doesn't have all these issues any more after lots of therapy

How they charge and how much they charge for the therapy?

Every occupational therapy session around rm100. But OT is just a guideline for us. Parents need to do the therapy too at home.

Do you need to go everyday or its weekly session?

No response to name, no eye contact, repetitive actions, rocking body front and back, love spinning wheels, and sensory issues.

These are what we saw in my 2 year old 3 years ago. Now he doesn't have all these issues any more after lots of therapy

what do u mean by love spinning wheels?

my boy is 6 mo now, eversince birth he likes to look at the ceiling fan, the standing fan, clocks....

He loves to take his toy cars to spin the wheels.

And he like to look at fans too. Thats his case la. Doesn't mean love looking at fans = autism

my boy is 6 months old, like to look at ceiling fans. likes to kick his legs most of the time.

up till now, he is responsive to name, have eye contact.

ur kid since birth is dont have eye contact or in the beginning is ok, then after 1 year then suddenly no eye contact?

do advise.

thanks.

This thread is for people who have autism or parents who need help dealing with autistic child. Maybe can even have gathering among parents to exchange knowledge.

Support forum concept is really lacking in Malaysia. Parents are left to deal with their child's autism by themselves and had to pay exorbitant amount of money to hire professionals. Most of the information can already be shared among parents.


Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a group of developmental disorders. ASD includes a wide range, “a spectrum,” of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability.

People with ASD often have these characteristics:

Ongoing social problems that include difficulty communicating and interacting with others
Repetitive behaviors as well as limited interests or activities
Symptoms that typically are recognized in the first two years of life
Symptoms that hurt the individual’s ability to function socially, at school or work, or other areas of life
Some people are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. Treatments and services can improve a person’s symptoms and ability to function. Families with concerns should talk to their pediatrician about what they’ve observed and the possibility of ASD screening. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  around 1 in 68 children has been identified with some form of ASD.

What is the difference between Asperger’s syndrome and ASD?

In the past, Asperger’s syndrome and Autistic Disorder were separate disorders. They were listed as subcategories within the diagnosis of “Pervasive Developmental Disorders.” However, this separation has changed. The latest edition of the manual from the American Psychiatric Association, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), does not highlight subcategories of a larger disorder. The manual includes the range of characteristics and severity within one category. People whose symptoms were previously diagnosed as Asperger’s syndrome or Autistic Disorder are now included as part of the category called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Signs and Symptoms

Parents or doctors may first identify ASD behaviors in infants and toddlers. School staff may recognize these behaviors in older children. Not all people with ASD will show all of these behaviors, but most will show several. There are two main types of behaviors: “restricted / repetitive behaviors” and “social communication / interaction behaviors.”

Restrictive / repetitive behaviors may include:

Repeating certain behaviors or having unusual behaviors
Having overly focused interests, such as with moving objects or parts of objects
Having a lasting, intense interest in certain topics, such as numbers, details, or facts.
Social communication / interaction behaviors may include:

Getting upset by a slight change in a routine or being placed in a new or overly stimulating setting
Making little or inconsistent eye contact
Having a tendency to look at and listen to other people less often
Rarely sharing enjoyment of objects or activities by pointing or showing things to others
Responding in an unusual way when others show anger, distress, or affection
Failing to, or being slow to, respond to someone calling their name or other verbal attempts to gain attention
Having difficulties with the back and forth of conversations
Often talking at length about a favorite subject without noticing that others are not interested or without giving others a chance to respond
Repeating words or phrases that they hear, a behavior called echolalia
Using words that seem odd, out of place, or have a special meaning known only to those familiar with that person’s way of communicating
Having facial expressions, movements, and gestures that do not match what is being said
Having an unusual tone of voice that may sound sing-song or flat and robot-like
Having trouble understanding another person’s point of view or being unable to predict or understand other people’s actions.
People with ASD may have other difficulties, such as being very sensitive to light, noise, clothing, or temperature. They may also experience sleep problems, digestion problems, and irritability.

ASD is unique in that it is common for people with ASD to have many strengths and abilities in addition to challenges.

Strengths and abilities may include:

Having above-average intelligence – the CDC reports  46% of ASD children have above average intelligence
Being able to learn things in detail and remember information for long periods of time
Being strong visual and auditory learners
Exceling in math, science, music, or art.
Diagnosing ASD

Doctors diagnose ASD by looking at a child’s behavior and development. Young children with ASD can usually be reliably diagnosed by age two.

Older children and adolescents should be evaluated for ASD when a parent or teacher raises concerns based on watching the child socialize, communicate, and play.

Diagnosing ASD in adults is not easy. In adults, some ASD symptoms can overlap with symptoms of other mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, getting a correct diagnosis of ASD as an adult can help a person understand past difficulties, identify his or her strengths, and obtain the right kind of help.

Diagnosis in young children is often a two-stage process:

Stage 1: General Developmental Screening During Well-Child Checkups

Every child should receive well-child check-ups with a pediatrician or an early childhood health care provider. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends  specific ASD screening be done at the 18- and 24-month visits.

Earlier screening might be needed if a child is at high risk for ASD or developmental problems. Those at high risk include children who:

Have a sister, brother, or other family member with ASD
Have some ASD behaviors
Were born premature, or early, and at a low birth weight.
Parents’ experiences and concerns are very important in the screening process for young children. Sometimes the doctor will ask parents questions about the child’s behaviors and combine this information with his or her observations of the child. Read more  about screening instruments on the CDC website.

Children who show some developmental problems during this screening process will be referred for another stage of evaluation.

Stage 2: Additional Evaluation

This evaluation is with a team of doctors and other health professionals with a wide range of specialties who are experienced in diagnosing ASD. This team may include:

A developmental pediatrician—a doctor who has special training in child development
A child psychologist and/or child psychiatrist—a doctor who knows about brain development and behavior
A speech-language pathologist—a health professional who has special training in communication difficulties.
The evaluation may assess:

Cognitive level or thinking skills
Language abilities
Age-appropriate skills needed to complete daily activities independently, such as eating, dressing, and toileting.
Because ASD is a complex disorder that sometimes occurs along with other illnesses or learning disorders, the comprehensive evaluation may include:

Blood tests
Hearing test
The outcome of the evaluation will result in recommendations to help plan for treatment.

Diagnosis in older children and adolescents

Older children whose ASD symptoms are noticed after starting school are often first recognized and evaluated by the school’s special education team. The school’s team may refer these children to a health care professional.

Parents may talk with a pediatrician about their child’s social difficulties including problems with subtle communication. These subtle communication issues may include understanding tone of voice, facial expressions, or body language. Older children may have trouble understanding figures of speech, humor, or sarcasm. Parents may also find that their child has trouble forming friendships with peers. The pediatrician can refer the child for further evaluation and treatment.

Diagnosis in adults

Adults who notice the signs and symptoms of ASD should talk with a doctor and ask for a referral for an ASD evaluation. While testing for ASD in adults is still being refined, adults can be referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist with ASD expertise. The expert will ask about concerns, such as social interaction and communication challenges, sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests. Information about the adult’s developmental history will help in making an accurate diagnosis, so an ASD evaluation may include talking with parents or other family members.

Risk Factors

Scientists don’t know the exact causes of ASD, but research suggests that genes and environment play important roles.

Risk factors include:

Gender—boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ASD than girls
Having a sibling with ASD
Having older parents  (a mother who was 35 or older, and/or a father who was 40 or older when the baby was born)
Genetics—about 20% of children with ASD also have certain genetic conditions. Those conditions include Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis among others.
In recent years, the number of children identified with ASD has increased. Experts disagree about whether this shows a true increase in ASD since the guidelines for diagnosis have changed in recent years as well. Also, many more parents and doctors now know about the disorder, so parents are more likely to have their children screened, and more doctors are able to properly diagnose ASD, even in adulthood.

Treatments and Therapies

Early treatment for ASD and proper care can reduce individuals’ difficulties while helping them learn new skills and make the most of their strengths. The very wide range of issues facing those “on the spectrum” means that there is no single best treatment for ASD. Working closely with a doctor or health care professional is an important part of finding the right treatment program. There are many treatment options, social services, programs, and other resources that can help.

Here are some tips.

Keep a detailed notebook. Record conversations and meetings with health care providers and teachers. This information helps when its time to make decisions.
Record doctors' reports and evaluations in the notebook. This information may help an individual qualify for special programs.
Contact the local health department, school, or autism advocacy groups to learn about their special programs.
Talk with a pediatrician, school official, or physician to find a local autism expert who can help develop an intervention plan and find other local resources.
Find an autism support group. Sharing information and experiences can help individuals with ASD and/or their caregivers learn about options, make decisions, and reduce stress.
Medication

A doctor may use medication to treat some difficulties that are common with ASD. With medication, a person with ASD may have fewer problems with:

Irritability
Aggression
Repetitive behavior
Hyperactivity
Attention problems
Anxiety and depression

My son's case during his Sensory issues. We went everyday to a centre opened by a non qualified therapist, but she quite good in helping kids with sensory issues. And she managed to solve my son's sensory.

After that, now we're going once a week to a proper occupation therapist during weekends.

Last week my 5 yo son diagnosed as moderate autism by child psychologist after doing assessment .

We started bringing him to child psychologist when he was 2 yo.

Symptoms/signs at the time.
No eye contact
No response to name
Afraid of hairy toys/grass/sands/hair cut
Speech delay

We spent 1 year to overcome his sensory issues, and proceed to help him with his other development.

The worst is training his concentration, sitting down for table task, but we managed to train him and now he can sit down and concentrate in colouring, puzzles etc

Now he has response to our name calling, good eye contacts, able to talk to us but in 1/2/3 words only. His main issue is communication /connection to others.
He's now in a small group tadika which i'm thankful his teachers love him and tried to help him .

We have 1.5 years more to help him, at least get into normal school. But we're prepared if he needs to go special school. He's now on extensive occupational therapy and speech therapy.

My advice to parents, stop giving kids iPads/phones . It's really bad for the kids.

And, don't listen to older people saying it's normal la for speech delay. If you sense something wrong, just consult professional. Always start treatment early . I cannot imagine if 3 years ago we just ignore and never help him. It will be too late.

Btw if there's any WhatsApp sharing group , do inform me .

An update on my son who is now 6 years old. (standard 1 next year)

His communication improved a lot and now he is able to talk in sentences, play around with friends. but still weak in some understanding but he is improving everyday.

Academic wise, we are surprised he is very good in all subjects especially maths. his teachers are very impressed with his improvement.

We sent him to piano and art class, and surprisingly he do well there.

So to all parents , never give up and please start early intervention. the tiredness and money spent, is worth everything. 

Sharing my thoughts as well.

I have two boys, one is 6 and one is 3, the 6 years old is fairly normal, with a little day dreaming streak and inattentiveness, but otherwise he is pretty neurotypical.

My younger boy has been found with such symptoms from 2 years old:
- Does not respond to name
- Tip toes a lot
- Speech delay
- Minimal babbling
- Infrequent eye contact
- Hyperactivity
- Temper tantrums whenever he like it
- Wakes up few times a night for milk
- Cannot do what a normal 2 year old can do
- Missed milestones in terms of social
- Cannot mimic what adults do like comb hair
- General development delay

Our mistake is he does play a lot of gadgets from small especially at my in laws place, because he is very hyperactive, so to keep him quiet when grandparents cook and do other stuff, they give him tablet, so I would say tablet is a portion to blame for this, with my elder boy when we limit his gadget time his behavior and attention also improved a little.

So we brought the small boy to clinical psychologist at ADMC (all the other famous ones have long waiting list that goes up to years) so we went to who we could, initial assessment cost RM500+ already.

The psychologist recommend him to take up EIP (early intervention classes) and go for OT and SLT, but she could not give a diagnosis yet as he was not 3 years old yet at that time.
But with another older boy to compare, we could see he is definitely not typical behavior and social milestones.
When we bring him for normal checkup even the pediatrician expressed their concerns in terms of him not speaking yet and no simple words at 2 years old.
We had him tested for hearing in sunway medical which is normal.

We started OT from Feb 2019 (till now 8 months) and started SLT from June 2019 (till now 4 months) - and just started EIP in Sept 2019 (2nd month in

Now he has improved a lot and when we compare with the "before" symptoms although he still has a lot to learn:
- Responds to name most of the time (sometimes if bad mood will still ignore)
- No longer tip toes
- Still no speech, but SLT is teaching him to vocalize his needs, he uses hand gestures for certain wants
- A lot of babbling
- Regular eye contact
- Hyperactivity - Still hyper...
- Lesser temper tantrums - possibly because he can communicate with us using hand gestures
- Still wakes up once or twice and occasionally can sleep thru the nite
- Learned more things what a 3 year old can do, wear his own shoes, drink water, go to toilet to pee
- Very affectionate and cheeky, loves to seek attention when hurt himself, asking us to kiss the painful part
- Tries to wear toy spectacles like us, knows what it is for
- Can recognize ABCs and numbers, and colors

It has been a very expensive journey so far, and we've sold off my 2nd property to enable ourselves financially to fund his therapy, we certainly would like to see better support from the government, so at least there is a future for kids like him. Till now we have not gotten an official diagnosis, but we will again visit the clinical psychologist after a few months of EIP - to get a diagnosis, and if he is confirmed to be on the spectrum (actually I suspect he is more towards ADHD than ASD) then we can apply for the disability card which will enable us to get some governmental support.

Looking forward to share more and learn more here, thank you for reading.

Hi audreyreiko, It sounds so promising to see improvement, is EIP the place you do all your early intervention classes such as OT and SLT ? can you share what is the cost like ? and do you do your assessment there too ? and how much ?

When you mention very expensive journey, would you mind to share how much have you spend within how long duration ?