I do not know of pediatricians, but I used to work for an organization called L.A.D.S.E. (LaGrange Area District of Special Education) and we did tons of work with autistic children, and the earlier the diagnosis the better. Last I heard the director of the program I worked for is now working for the Naperville SChool District. I heard this recently from a client of mine who used to work with her as well. Her name is Pam Leonard, and she also has an autisitc son. I don't know how old he is now though. She is a wonderful, compassionate woman, who will really push to do right by your child. It might be worth a shot calling the school district to see what options you have. I'm assuming it is your 2 1/2 year old, so he could do his pre school screening soon, and then they could go from there. E.C.E. takes three and up, so if it is determined he needs that kind of support, they will push for him to get education he needs. There could be other things going on that are not autism too; like learning disablilitys, auditory processing disorder, anatomical things, etc. (so hand in there, you will find out what you need to do for him, and you are being a great Mom by being so pro active for him).
The other thing I have heard parents talk about is gluten-free diets, and chiropractic care. I'll be honest here...I worked in a clinic as a para educator to autisitic children for two years. I have seen autistic kids do better with dietary changes, but most kids with ADHD do better with dietary changes, as do just about any children, because they are not being pumped full of perservatives, and the like. Make sure you have realistic views of what "improvement" means to you. I personally never witnessed a kid be "cured" or anything like that though either. Please do not misunderstand me, I do not mean put words in your mouth or anything like that, its just sometimes people will say what you want to hear just so they can make money off of you. ANyhow, that being said, I did see kids make improvements, maybe longer focus and better eye contact, less agression, etc. And hey, a healthy diet is never bad for anyone. Talk with an allergist about having him tested for food allergies, because if it is something like celieac disease, a lot of what ever it is that is going on could probably be cleared up easily. Weigh your options, do what feels right for you and your family...but if I were you, I'd maybe start with a simple pre school screening, voice your concerns and take it from there. Good luck, and take care.