The opposite experience to us, I have a 3 year old diagnosed with classical autism, and we knew he was different from 6 weeks old. He is high functioning, happy, interacts with his immediate family, and he has been almost completely non-verbal most of his life (he tries to say a few words now). He has always been different, and I am willing to bet his autism had nothing to do with the common theories out now other than genetics (I am borderline autistic, and both sides of the family have autistic children). Vaccines: He was strange before any vaccines. Vitamin D: we were living in Brisbane for years before and after his birth so no lack of sunlight. Heavy Metals: not possible from our living standards.
Speaking of early intervention, we realised he was probably autistic at 1.5 but Australia basically told us to wait until he was 2, but we moved to Sweden in the meantime, we have been screaming at the government (in Sweden) for a year now and yes he is on the waiting list, maybe in September they can start working with him, not long before he turns 4. More than 2 years wait for an autistic toddler to get early intervention help.
Pay 40% tax most of your adult life and get no help from the government when you ask for it. Maybe if the system wasn't choking on freeloaders....
