Does my cousin have SPD?

This is a difficult subject for me to describe due to the fact my cousin lives 400miles away from myself. However I am a nurse and my cousins condition has gradually been deteriorating and myself and her immediate family are at a loose end as to what condition she actually has...




Firstly:
When she was born, physically she has a wide gap in between her eyes and nose, her mouth is big and her lips also. As a toddler, she was hyper active, repetitive and very emotional at times. #she could talk well, play with others and always wanted to be included with play, however her attitude towards all of these was always eccentric and over expressed. If she fell over, accidentally cut herself or if one of her brothers started an argument, she would cry hysterically. As she grew up, she was put into main stream school, however her mental and psychological disabilities were becoming more apparent when compared to her peers. Her coordination and spacial awareness became erratic, she found it difficult to proceed with something without hesitating (for eg: standing to get out of a boat, not remembering how to put one foot out, then unfortunately stumbling out because she couldn't understand how to step up and out.) Her feet are flat to the ground, her hands are wide and her fingers have larger than average spaces in between them.
Her literacy skills have never been great, she can read but finds it difficult to write, her spelling is not good and she copies things down, she would also repeat certain words others


would say.

Now as a teenager, her behaviour has deteriorated. She has now unfortunately been pulled out from school, due to this deterioration.

Her behaviour is manageable, she is not aggressive or difficult. She has lost her ability to speak face to face, she likes her own company and will want to spend more time on her own. She talks to herself when alone (so speech is still there) however, this conversation when listening through a door does not make sense. She likes her own time, will lock herself away and occasionally covers her ears when out whilst moving her lips as if shes talking to herself. She occasionally laughs for no reason and rarely gives eye contact. She does however understand what you say and will nodd when she wants to make a decision.

She was diagnosed during primary school with global developmental delay and dyspraxia.
I am now thinking autism (which we have been thinking for some time) and maybe some form of SPD and Regulatory disorder. The professionals are talking Coffin-Lowry Syndrome (a genetic disorder). Our inability to enable her to communicate effectively with us is proving difficult, we want her to make her own decisions like she used to and to play and want to be involved with daily activities. I have also initiated the idea of PECS to see if this helps her to communicate.

Not sure if anyone can help? I am unsure whether the healthcare professions genuinely understand our frustration. Would be great to hear if others have come across these symptoms and if so, what diagnosis was given.

THANKSSSS

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