It seems to be delayed milestones. It needs to be addressed asap otherwise it may get complicated. Delayed speech can be due to various chromosomal abnormalities, psychological issues or biochemical changes. Wait till 22nd month...he should speak at least a word. Later you can take a call. Meet the expert Psychologist asap.

Hi

Don’t jump into any diagnosis as of now. Let the mental health professionals do that if needed. Better to consult a child psychologist who are trained to help you with your child and the related concerns.

Hi, There are centres for autism detection and further care.You can take your kid there.You should monitor his actions and activities other than speech like sensitivity to sounds,reaching for an object,Respending while calling, social smile etc.

On your specific question 'Is it necessary for an autistic child to have sensory issues along with speech delay?' my answer would be 'yes'. Autism is mentioned as Autism Spectrum Disorder these days. What it means broadly is that symptoms of autism can vary in broad bandwidths. With this, even while I tend to agree with your son's pediatrician, I would suggest you to get his condition assessed for autism through a good autism centre in your area and also get his hearing assessed by an audiologist. You may consult a speech therapist too, to evaluate his speech development. I am not suggesting that your son has such problems, but it will be helpful for you to rule out any such possibility for keeping your peace of mind. His eye contact and name-response are positive signs which can make you confident that he is not autistic. Yet, please remember, it is always better to start therapies early in the cases of those children who are genuinely autistic.

Get him checked by a qualified and licensed speech therapist. If needed, get him assessed by a RCI licensed clinical psychologist

It's understandable that you're concerned about your son's speech development. It's positive that he has good eye contact and responds to his name, but it's also natural to worry. Every child develops at their own pace, and while speech delays can be a concern, it doesn't necessarily indicate autism. It's encouraging that you've consulted with your pediatrician, and it's wise to follow their advice to give your son more time. However, if your concerns persist, seeking a second opinion or consulting with a pediatric speech therapist may provide additional insights. Not all children with speech delays have sensory issues or autism. Each child is unique, and developmental milestones can vary. It's essential to continue monitoring your son's progress and fostering a supportive environment.

Since the awareness about several psychiatric and neurological disorders is increasing, it's therefore likely to have such concerns in parents. In order to reduce your anxiety you can visit a clinical psychologist to get evaluation done. But it's important to keep the environment at home as normal as possible and don't be anxious by thinking the worst.

It's better to get opinion from Speech and hearing experts. Early diagnosis and early intervention is helpful for the child's future. It may not be ASD, but many cases we are seeing some Autistic features in kids. With little effort we can bring them to normal especially in early diagnosis.