My 2-year-old son is the happiest, sweetest little boy. He was diagnosed with autism about 6 months ago by a pediatric neurologist, who we saw because he has zero communication skills (verbal or otherwise). He is almost always remarkably happy, and we love that about him. However, as you may imagine, it's impossible to discipline him, because he doesn't understand when you are disappointed or say "no" firmly. He thinks it's funny. Everything is funny. I am not sure yet but if he can go through his entire life successfully and mostly independently, and maintain the ability to enjoy literally every waking moment so greatly, I would go so far as to say I envy his innate joy. If I could ask him, I wonder if he would want to feel disappointment or sadness the way I do.

Friendly advice: make sure that, if the time comes, you get a speech therapist sooner rather than later if the speech is delayed too much and the fact of not being able to communicate causes him distress. Early intervention helps so much, so it's great you have a diagnosis at this young age...

I can second that; my daughter used to get very upset interacting with other kids when she got into daycare (because of a delay in speech development). I would be playing with her for hours each day - it was all very repetitive and she was quite closed up within her own world, but then it all cleared up.

Yea, speech therapy is super super helpful. Six years of that was probably the most effective treatment I have ever received (and probably the only treatment that has turned out to be helpful 20 years later) and I was non-communicative until 3 1/2.

Is that to say if he bites or hits, and you indicate that the recipient of the bite is hurting and in pain, he does not recognize that pain?

He sounds awesome, why can't you discipline him in a way that doesn't require him giving up being happy?

I think op means that he doesn't realise he's being disciplined.

the only thing protecting him still