Autism

[elinda3]

my husband's brother has a 4 yr old who seems relatively normal in many ways, but also has many things that seem very strange to me. Even though he is 4, he can't speak in sentences. He can piece together some words, but then it is mixed with babbling and most people can't usually understand what he is saying. He also has never made any bonds with other children. He has been going to daycare ever since he was born, and has grown up with all the same children and they are all his same age, but he has made no friends. he doesn't even call them by name, just "that boy". if children that he has never met come up to him, he just freezes and stares at them until they leave, and then he will go back to what he was doing. he also has a severe sensitivity to sound. any loud sound will send him into a crying fit like it really hurts him to hear it. he can't even go to the movie theater, because anytime the movie gets loud, he begins to scream. the parents have noticed many of these things and they always try to blame someone else for it. at first they said it was the daycare's fault and they moved him to a new one. they always complain about his behavior but never seemed concerned about fixing it. i guess they just think he isn't well behaved. if he was just bratty i would agree that he just needed more training, but the inability to play with other children and the severe aversion to loud sounds really makes me wonder if something else is wrong. could he have autism?

[UroDoc]

He should probable be evaluated for that possibility

[elinda3]

i feel like he should be tested too, but i would have no idea how to get that idea to his parents without them becoming extremely angry. they are the type to hold a grudge and i don't want to cause any upheaval in the family.

[elinda3]

my other concern is that of autism being genetic. if my nephew does have it, how concerned should i be about my future children getting it?