parents of dcs with Autism - PLEASE tell me what you think++++++++++

[kalo12]

my ds is 7.5 months, he flaps his arms and hand twirls when lying on his back or sitting in a chair - legs tensed out arms tensed out. he does it all the time.

He doesn't babble but he does maje aaahh sounds which are mainly throat and monotone.

he doesn't respond to his name or look at things i name or point out.

he doesn't crawl, only just started sitting up last couple of weeks.

when he rolls over he doesn't corkscrew but lifts his head tense and uses his legs to flip. Always doing stomach crunces.

other than that he smiles alot, is very active.
poor sleeper, refuses solids , allergic to dairy

Please tell me if you think this could be autism.

Many thanks

[TotalChaos]

DS has language delay, supposedly probably not autism, so I am not as knowledgable as some other ladies on here

you would expect respond to name by 12 months, and following points by 18 months. 7.5 months is also too early to worry about crawling.

babbling - still probably a little early to worry - would speak to HV at 8 month check about this. if very delayed could be some sort of dyspraxia rather than autism (problem with making mouth movements)

hand movements/rolling over movements - only thing in your post that would concern me - but could be some sort of mild physical problem, doesn't scream autism to me.

so basically there are a few things worth looking into, but I wouldn't panic too much at this stage.

[misscutandstick]

im no expert, but i think all that is absolutely reasonable for 7 and a half months. I think at this point its just a waiting game - but i really do think that all that you have said is quite normal - apart from the milk problems, but many babies have milk problems, and dont have any other problems at all.

Does he like you to 'chat to him' and he look intent and enjoy it, occasionally trying to join in? Pointing doesnt really make sense usually until at the earliest about 10mths - 12mths, so im not concerned about that. I think that sitting up unaided is usually around 6-8mths, but professionals arent worried unless its at least 12mths. Again crawling can happen anytime up to around a year or so, before there are concerns.

I know it doesnt put your mind at ease - but 7.5mths is way too early to know for sure. I think (tho im not certain) around 18mths is the general accepted earliest it can be detected.

[jimjamshaslefttheyurt]

I think it's too young to tell.

I was obsessed with rolling (have you been reading the teitelbaum stuff) and ds2 I think did it wrong - I remember going cold when he did it the 'autistic' way but is fine (he's 6 now, not remotely spectrummy although he is clumsy).

I'd keep an eye on him. I always set a 'target' which was generally 'pointing to objects of interest by 18 months' then tried my best not to analyse anything inbetween. All those other things you mention could be something or could be nothing. It's only as they get older that you can tell.

I think you'll also have a hard time getting a pro to take you seriously now which is why there's no point persuing it.

Although I did tell my HV that if the boys weren't pointing by 18 months I would want them to be referred.

[cyberseraphim]

I think it's too early for anything but guessing. Are you comparing him with other babies and seeing differences? My non ASD son did not babble much but his speech is fine. Does he look to you for help? Does he reach his arms out to you ?

[kalo12]

i know that the professionals won't take me seriously, thats why I need to do a sraw poll on here.
I know early intervention is crucial for the outcomes too.

I suppose it is the hand flapping/twisting that has really thrown alarm bells and now I am neurotically looking at everything else.

Miscutandstick - no he doesn't like to chat , he was really snuggly at 4/5 months and that has stopped. He carresses my face when feeding and laughs when i play with him, but doesn't seem to want to communicate, but on the other hand not really sure what I'm expecting.

Really I'm just trying to see if other parents have experienced these things and in hindsight can say whether it was later diagnosed as autism

[kalo12]

bumping

[Peachy]

he's too young to know yet- lots of time

I have two spectrum kids and and NT one and also a almost 6 monther: each one ahs been different at this age.

relax a bit, try to enjoy him. If you're worried chat at your next HV check.

[Buckets]

Early intervention usually just means before school. My DS is 3, has DX of AS and the only intervention he has is a one-to-one at pre-school and a bit of SALT so not sure what you have in mind for a baby. Anything you do now would get "can't hurt to try" from health profs. Eg if it would make you feel like you're doing something, I'm taking Mumomega fish oils as I'm breastfeeding my DS2 and omega oils are supposed to be good for brain development. Could all be pointless though.
Good luck.

[Peachy]

Me too Buckets- fish oils, am dairy free (baby and me intol anyway), BF, etc etc etc

trigger avoidance

is all that anyone can do

[Buckets]

As Peachy says they are all different anyway. My DS was very content, only cried when hungry or hurt, a great sleeper, happy although only laughed at a few things (eg Pocoyo) - very easy baby. Others are a complete nightmare!

[lou031205]

My 13 month old still does the flapping/ twisting thing. I think she likes the sensation. She does it with her feet too. I have no worries

[MannyMoeAndJack]

Your ds is still very young....but out of interest, what are your instincts telling you??

My ds was dx ASD when he was 3.5yrs but I had suspicions that he was 'different' (without knowing why or being able to put my finger on it) from as young as 3mths old. As time passed, more 'evidence' accumulated, lack of pointing, no speech, no sharing, etc. In my ds's case, my instincts were right all along so i think you should trust yours, whatever they are telling you.

[cyberseraphim]

I noticed the first 'difference' at 3 months too but did not immediately think 'autism' but if I'd had more experience of NT babies I probably would have had more concerns - as it was , it was a steady drip drip of abnormalities.

[Philomytha]

I don't think my DS ever did any of those physical things, though he wasn't terribly interested in what I tried to draw his attention to. About the only things I can recall from his first year that might have been warning signs are that he didn't stare into my eyes when bfing and that he didn't try to imitate faces I made at him.

If you're interested in 'it can't hurt to try this' things, I've just been reading a book about Floortime therapy which has stuff about how to encourage a normal developmental pathway from a very early age. They have a website www.floortime.org that describes a lot of it.

[cyberseraphim]

We are doing 'Floortime' style therapy at our local hospital. It is amazing We have seen significant developments after just three weeks. In some ways, I wish I'd done it earlier but in other respects, he is at good stage in his development now now to benefit from it - He is 4.6

[kalo12]

thanks everybody

cyberseraphim, and everyone what did make you think? what were the earliest signs and when?

[hecate]

I don't know. Does he look at you? Is he more interested in faces than other things?

FWIW, both mine have autism and were totally different as babies.

If you go down tothe bit called The Need To Know and then scroll down further to He's Got What Now, you'll read a bit about mine.

[Philomytha]

Ooh, that's interesting cyber. I've just been reading about it these past few days, and I like the sound of it. What kind of developments did you see (if you don't mind me asking)?

What first made me realise something wasn't right was that DS hadn't said a word by 18 months. At his 2yo development check the HV looked solemn and told me I had a very 'special' child and referred us for more assessment.

[MannyMoeAndJack]

I saw the differences when my ds was alongside his peers during playtime. The other babies would search for their mums if they left the room, they would become upset if they didn't return, they would play games with their mums, they were interested in the world around them ('oh wow, look at the digger/train/plane' - and they would indeed look), they could understand the spoken word, they would follow points, they would point, etc, etc. Many, many clues in even a very young baby can be spotted, particularly if you know what to look for - but if you don't know what to look for, then your instincts will inevitably guide you. I didn't know much at all about autism when my ds was a baby but my gut instinct told me that my ds was somehow different from all his peers.

[misscutandstick]

i think i realised something wasnt tight at 18mths when DS5 hadnt actually developed at all in 10mths - in fact in speech/language/communication he had actually gone backwards! (at 12mths he could sign and say a few words, then at 18mths months - it had dissapeared). When at a toddler play area, a little girl who was physically half his height, but the same age and was a bundle of fun and noise with her gran, well it kind of slapped me in the face that something wasnt right.

[kalo12]

oh gosh hecate, i'm scared

[kalo12]

miscutandstick - so at 8 months was he making eye contact, smiling, cuddling ?

My ds also get really upset and cries a very sad cry if another baby cries near him, or when they shreik

[kalo12]

what should I do? should I avoid the MMR? what would i need to do if I decided I wanted not to have it - would my ds have it older, is there a safer vaccine, would I not be able to put him in nursey?

[MannyMoeAndJack]

My ds would make eye contact at 8mths but the quality of it was different to that of an NT 8mth old. He was very smiley (still is!) and quite cuddly (on his terms) but not really in the comfort-seeking way of NT babies IYSWIM.

[kalo12]

did anyone try cranio oesteopathy or using probiotics?

what does NT stand for btw? i'm guessing Normal.....