Would you push for autism assessment?

hi! I have a toddler with what seems to be an expressive speech delay, who is awaiting assessment for that. He is 3.5. He’s never been to daycare, so my speech referral is a self referral. I’m wondering if this will open up the door to autism assessment? Because… there has been more than one instance where an adult parent of an autistic child has started a convo assuming my son is diagnosed autistic. Whether it be a nod with quick words about autism parenting, or a more in depth convo where they refer me to their Ped, or ABA. At this point, no doctors have ever mentioned autism. I’m not opposed to raising him for who he is. We already to that! I have been “waiting until three” for assessment per recommendations from speech therapists without assessment, sort of getting brushed off because he’s not old enough to diagnose. I obviously noticed that he’s different because I was a nanny in a preschool teacher myself. I joined this thread in the last month because I was just wondering what autism parenting could be like. It’s very common to wonder if your child’s speech delay is a marker of autism or just a speech delay. We are close to our first speech assessment, so I will know more soon. He has always lined up cars, that never worried me or seemed concerning. He has low sleep needs. I am not an expert in autism or doing a ton of independent research because the spectrum is so varying that I become overwhelmed! Today he did his very first group sport practice that has parent participation. At the end of the class the teacher herself fully assumed my son was on the spectrum and I was caught off card when she asked if there’s any words she needs to use to better help him, and said two of her three children are autistic so she “gets it.” My partner was beside me and as we left asked about it as well. TLDR; did anyone “find out” their child was autistic, before diagnosis, from other autistic adults or parents of autistic children?