Hello my name is Crystal and my son is 3 with PDDNOS (Pervasive Developemental Disorder-Not One Specified) long way of saying he may be on the autisitic spectrum but we don't know for sure.  Because he can't communicate it's hard to test for.  He definately has vestibular and propioseptive issues & is going to occupational therapy once a week to help with those. He also has speech Apraxia.  Which means he has all the motor movements of his mouth functioning properly and he understands you perfectly, but can't seem to be able to talk back.  His brain won't seem to make the connection properly for him to turn his thoughts into clear understandable words.  Some come out correctly but it usually sounds like gibberish.  I know he's frustrated and wants to make his needs known as well as make friends but he just can't seem to.  We do sign a little ASL (American Sign Language) to help with that. He is also in Speech Therapy once a week for that.  I meet moms with kids his age who either have more serious problems so they can't really play or don't have any "issues" at all so they feel uncomfortable with letting my son play with theirs. Almost like he would "dumb them down".  He needs to be around proper speech in order to at least try to mimmick it.   He seems "normal" for that words worth, but he just can't communicate with the other children.

Is there anyone out there having this problem?  I wish I had someone to talk to about it.  I've been pretty isolated with being a stay at home mom and although I'm taking him to daycare three days a week for socialization he has to remain in the twos room because he can't make his needs known with the few words he has. And I miss friendship.  The one girlfriend I had moved to above Atlanta and has no kids anyway.  Play groups are hard to find that want a special needs kid in them but is not all specail needs kids and he is perfectly "normal" but for speech.  I'm trying to find a friend for me and him. 

Hi Crystal-I just joined this site and I realize it is nationawide so I wanted to suggest you post the same topic but with your city state in the title.

I am in Austin, Texas. Somehow I thought the Special Needs group was in Austin.

I just wanted to say that i also felt horribly isolated when my son was born because i had post partum anxiety and depression and also had zero friends with kids when I gave birth. 

I see you posted this in 2011 so I hope you have gotten involved with some groups in you area. Hanging with other Mom's is so important when your kids are little.

Laura