Non autistic younger sibling.

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I have 2 children they are 2 years and 7 day apart. My oldest child is 3 1/2 and is autistic. My 18 month old is not. While we struggle along with keeping my older child on the right track and figuring out is particular quirks, my 18 month old is learning them. He has started doing similar things though we know its because he's mimicing his brother. For example my 3 year old will not eat any sort of sauce such as spaghetti sauce or ketchup. My 18 month old has noticed his brother gets his noodles with no sauce and his nuggets with no ketchup so he wants the same thing. The problem has started that my older child is a climber he always has been and we eventually allowed him to climb on a couple things like my entertainment center (the tv is hanging) and he sits up there for hours and just plays with his trains. However the 18 month old has started trying to do it too and now has mastered it and can climb not only this but can get over ANY baby gate we have. We replaced them with plywood and hinges and he can literally scale it. He does other things too like dumps his food when he sees his brother do it. Or my least favorite my older child spits when he's upset and now the baby does it too. I am trying to figure out how to keep them from doing these things but its very hard because the older child does not understand discipline yet. And no we havent gotten him into ABA or occupational therapy yet we're on dozens of waiting lists. Help me please I'm loosing my mind!!

I don't have much experience with this topic, but I'd advise you to move it to "Parents' Discussion"--that forum is frequented by a lot more mothers/fathers.

But it's your choice.