That you all for your input on the "social" issue - I will make another appointment and talk with his doctor.

NOT AT ALL! Mine is very social and loving and makes eye contact!!

Honestly, I've yet to meet an autistic child that doesn't WANT to socialize. I think it's more about their lack of inherent social instinct and empathy. Not to mention, many ASD kids have had bad experiences in the past that make them timid or even "shut-down".

I agree with everyone that old statement that autistic children are not social and do not bond with others is not true. A child can be social and still be autistic, my son falls into that catagory, and he has an autism diagnosis. If you do not have a developmental Ped then make an appointment with a neurologist to make the diagnosis for you. As you may already know most services depend on the diagnosis so if you do not have the propper one you are not going to get services.

No - my daughter is social, too. Her sensory problems include sensation seeking - so she seeks out hugs and contact, which is a little different from what you'd expect with a classic ASD kid. However, she isn't aware of boundaries -she wants to hug or kiss all her teachers and aids and even substitutes. So while she is social, it is still awkward and inappropriate for social norms. Her peers are tolerant of her and she seems to get along with them, but you can see them get frustrated with her when they don't get her echolalia or share her interests. She is oblivious to the fact that her peers become annoyed with her and just keeps being happy and engaging with them. She likes people but she doesn't understand social nuances or relate to her same age peers on a deep level. I definitely think the social aspect of autism is highly variable from child to child.