So just how autistic is Eva?

One of the things we're struggling with right now is determining where exactly on the autism spectrum Eva falls. When we asked the team at Mitchel's Place (where we got the diagnosis) they kinda fumbled around the question and said Eva was "somewhere in the middle." Kinda vague, eh? I suppose it was simply a catch all to cover their rear ends. Technically EVERY autistic kid is somewhere in the middle...unless he or she is the most autistic kid in the history of the ultraverse.

One of the books I'm currently reading is Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, by Ellen Notbohm. At the beginning of the book Notbohm gives a very brief run down of all ten things, then one-by-one addresses them in subsequent chapters. As I was reading the run down of the ten things there were several I have yet to see displayed in Eva.

She is not, by any means, a picky eater. She will often try whatever we put in front of her. She may not like it, but as long as she tries it we're happy. Even if she spits it out.

She does not have an aversion to different textures. She loves finger painting, playing in the dirt & mud, will sit in and play with sand, and plays with playdoh and clay. She also is completely comfortable walking barefoot on any surface - carpet, hardwoods, grass, sand, pebbles, concrete, etc. While she did go through a very brief time walking on her tip toes, she does not do it anymore.

She does not have a reaction to loud noises. She has even helped my wife push the vacuum cleaner. (Don't worry guys, my wife only vacuums AFTER she makes my sandwich). I also haven't encountered any situations where things may be inaudible to me, but bother her...like buzzing fluorescent lights. She can eat in a loud restaurants without any problem.

She does not have any real noticeable stimming behaviors (rocking, hand flapping, etc.). Like the tip toe walking, she did once flap her arms when excited, but it only lasted a week or two.

The signs of autism Eva does show include a severe lack in verbal skills. She was recently evaluated to be in the 15-18 month range verbally even though she's 34 months old. She does not play with same-aged peers and she really doesn't even acknowledge her 11 month old sister.

Eva is currently seeing two therapists, and both were surprised she received an ASD diagnosis. They both believe that Eva is in the high functioning category, but we are not using that as an excuse to take her diagnosis lightly. We're pressing forward as if she has full blown ASD.