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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Does this sound like my son is autistic? 19 months old! Help please.

89 replies

momof3boys5 · 26/05/2021 21:38

My son is 19 months old. He says around 10 words right now, but he does babble all day long. I’m slightly concerned at the lack of speech but he’s my first born so unsure how speech develops in this age, but by what I’ve read it seems ok to have around 10 words right now. I’ve been on the Mchat screening for autism as I’ve seen a few people recommend it and after answering all the questions he scored a 0 which is the lowest risk. He points to show me things, to what he wants, he gives me eye contact, he’s affectionate, he’ll role play answering a phone, or he’ll watch me hoover and grab his little hoover and clean to. He’s smily, expressive. Loves other children.

⁃	Lays on the floor sometimes to push cars around. I’ve read somewhere this can mean autism? Something about the way a child views a toy. He only does this occasionally. But will move onto his front and says brum as he pushes them.
⁃	Last few days he randomly walks on his tip toes, happens for about 5 seconds and then he won’t do it again. He’s never done it before? Don’t know why he’s doing it now all of a sudden. He’s been walking since 11 months. 
⁃	Has started to line things up. Is this a schema that all children go through, or is lining things up a link to autism? He lines his  cars and dinosaurs up the most.
⁃	At nursery he will join in with the other kids but plays along side the other children/alone a lot of the time, but apparently children his age play along side each other. He only goes 1 day a week, so it’s still all new for him. He was 6 months old when lockdown began so didn’t have a lot of socialising and he’s almost 2 now, he does brilliantly with how little he was able to socialise with other children.

Is he just a toddler being a toddler or is it something I should be concerned about? Members of my family keep making comments and it makes me so anxious. Advice please, feeling super worried and just need some advice.

OP posts:

Feelingbad2 · 26/05/2021 22:26

19 month old children are not capable of playing with other children yet. Lining up is very normal, most probably a schema as you say. He sounds perfectly normal x

weebarra · 26/05/2021 22:23

No, he sounds fine.
DS2 has autism and doesn't line things up, or tippy toe walk. He has a fantastic vocabulary.
Absolutely your boy is within normal parameters.

MissingTheMoonlight · 26/05/2021 22:23

Sounds just like my 18mo and I have no concerns for him.
He loves lining his trucks up on our sofa.
He walks on tiptoe when trying to get a better view of the counter tops or table top.

Bhappy12 · 26/05/2021 22:22

My son is the same age, he hasn't said a word yet (and barely babbles). The speech and language therapist (and all his others) are happy that although he isn't talking, he is communicating and seeking communication in pointing, passing objects, giving affection etc - they seemed to use this as a basis to rule out autism (at least severe autism).

It sounds like your son is seeking out communication and connection and so I wouldn't worry about autism to be honest. It can be so hard when families get involved but their comments definitely aren't helpful of they're causing you anxiety and you need to tell them this.

Rizzoli123 · 26/05/2021 22:15

My son was the same. We were worried as by three he wouldn't speak clearly or say many words. I found a parents group called tiny talk and they they did sign language as well as singing. I explained to the leader I wasnt worried about him signing just the fact that we wanted his speech to develop. Within a week we had 5 more words and in 3 months we had 40 or more words and now I can't keep him quiet. My advice would be to try and find a similar class or a speech based class and see what happens.

AutoIncorrect · 26/05/2021 22:15

He sounds like a 19 month old. Do the people making comments have toddlers who are members of Mensa?

ChampionOfTheSun · 26/05/2021 22:12

Sorry posted too soon, (wriggly toddler) and I think its normal for him to want to play alone as well, again, pretty sure solitary play is normally observed until around 2 and he's not there yet!

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 22:12

My almost 3 year old, who’s clearly neuro-typical, loves running on tip toes. I have no idea why, it’s just a thing he does.

AntiSocialDistancer · 26/05/2021 22:11

@SnarkyBag

My son has ASD and doesn’t tip toe walk or line things up. The lining things up thing is a bit more complex than that in ASD and If it were related to autism you would probably be seeing a lot more repetitive play styles of behaviour and other issues. Nothing you’ve posted would raise a flag IMO for ASD. What your describing can be associated traits but also when seen in isolation are quite typical developmentally appropriate behaviours.

This entirely. My son has ASD and exhibits very few of the "known classic" traits that would lead you to presume ASD.

ChampionOfTheSun · 26/05/2021 22:10

I think if I remember rightly from my childcare course children play alongside other children, not with them (parallel play) until around 3, so I'm sure that part is absolutely normal.

Pinkflipflop85 · 26/05/2021 22:09

You have described a neuro typical toddler.

Lining things up is a schema.

Walking on tiptoes...he has probably just realised he can!

TheKeatingFive · 26/05/2021 22:08

Absolutely nothing concerning there.

Things like lining up toys are activities most children do to some degree. It would be concerning if the child does nothing else in the way of play or continues to do this when much older, but as an occasional toddler pass time, not worrying in the slightest.

Pivotthesofa · 26/05/2021 22:08

My 17 month old only has two words, doesn't point to his nose etc yet when you ask him too but plays with cars, shape sorters, stacks blocks etc and points to show you things and what he wants.
I have no concerns. I think communication may be delayed for some lockdown babies especially those who haven't been to nursery etc.

Pollypudding · 26/05/2021 22:04

Have you seen this website- loads of great advice and activities for helping with your child’s communication www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people

Sh05 · 26/05/2021 22:02

Yup sounds normal. My DD is 19 months and besides the fact that she's picked up loads more words sounds pretty much the same as your little one. She is the youngest of 5 though so has alot of people to learn from. She's started pulling herself onto her tippy toes as well, likes to follow older sister around but also likes to just get on with her own playing alongside her.

orangejuicer · 26/05/2021 22:01

Sounds like a typical toddler to me. Try not to fret.

Wolfiefan · 26/05/2021 21:59

My eldest was an obsessive liner up of things. Not autistic. It’s just something he liked doing.
At that age playing next to instead of with is very normal.
I was a tip toe walker. Because I get cold feet!

partofyoupoursoutofme · 26/05/2021 21:59

Ah love I know what it's like to feel so anxious about development, it's awful and all consuming. I think you might benefit from a chat with your gp about anxiety, because nothing you have listed should be of concern. Your child sounds happy and healthy.

It sounds like you have fixated on autism as the scariest thing that can happen. There are many other conditions that affect children, do you look for signs of them or do you just worry about autism?

Try and access some professional help, to get reassurance that your son is doing well. You don't want to miss these precious months and years worrying unnecessarily

SnarkyBag · 26/05/2021 21:56

My son has ASD and doesn’t tip toe walk or line things up. The lining things up thing is a bit more complex than that in ASD and If it were related to autism you would probably be seeing a lot more repetitive play styles of behaviour and other issues.
Nothing you’ve posted would raise a flag IMO for ASD. What your describing can be associated traits but also when seen in isolation are quite typical developmentally appropriate behaviours.

Happycat1212 · 26/05/2021 21:56

Neither of my autistic children line things up

beepbeepbonk · 26/05/2021 21:54

Neither of mine scored 0 on the Mchat. Eldest I have concerns but GP won't refer, youngest is almost certainly NT.

Moonshine11 · 26/05/2021 21:53

Tip toe walking would need to be 24/7 to be flagged. My HV said this to me last week!
He sounds great op

KatherineOfGaunt · 26/05/2021 21:52

My toddler loves to line up his trucks in a row or his bath toys on the edge of the bath. I really don't think he's autistic and I'm not concerned.

Original poster

momof3boys5 · 26/05/2021 21:51

Autism runs in the family so it's something that's in the back of my mind. I think everything is fine and then family members make comments and it makes me second guess things and then I think well maybe something is amiss if they keep making comments about him and the way he is. It's hard not to question things.

OP posts:

Original poster

momof3boys5 · 26/05/2021 21:49

I presumed lining things up was an sign of autism, same as tip toe walking and playing alone rather than with company. Are they not symptoms then?

OP posts:

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