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Original poster

Autism in babies…

165 replies

PillowTrout · 17/03/2024 19:38

My DC is diagnosed autistic and ADHD. Since then, I’ve become very interested in researching neurodiversity and have made friends with many parents of SEN children.

One thing I find interesting is symptoms in infancy. Most health professionals agree that you cannot reliably recognise or diagnose ASD or ADHD until around age 2. I have always maintained that I didn’t notice any symptoms until my DC started primary school, however, since talking to many parents I have found that most of our children exhibited one of the following extremes as babies:

  • Extreme passivity as infants. Being too ‘good’. Happy to be left alone for long periods, not crying much, often sleeping through the night from an early age. Appearing very content, but with hindsight, a symptom of not being particularly bothered about interaction. Not particularly bothered about being left with new people, just generally appears very laid back.

OR

  • Extremely unsettled as infants. Crying excessively, very clingy, not sleeping well or at all, sensory issues clear since birth. Often not feeding well. Just being generally very hard work. Often described as being very difficult to pacify.

I haven’t met many SEN parents that report average development or behaviours in infancy. It always seems to be extremes of behaviour, although at the time, it wouldn’t be recognised as too abnormal - just a particularly difficult or easy baby. It’s only with hindsight that these are noticed.

Another observation is milestones reached late, or too early. The too early group I find especially interesting as I feel this is under reported. Those in the early group put this down to their DC just being ahead, or strong, or intelligent. It’s certainly true for my DC - they were crawling by 5 months, walking by 11 months, and talking fluently by 18 months. I always assumed that because they didn’t meet milestones late, they were fine and couldn’t possibly be autistic… but this extreme of being so early on certain milestones I see in hindsight could also indicate ‘abnormal’ development.

Interested how many people identify with anything I have observed.

OP posts:
Calamitousness · 17/03/2024 20:04

Yep. Spot on. My eldest was the easiest baby. Slept incredibly well, early on. Met all milestones early. I remember on his first birthday (walking well at 11 months) he ran out ( I mean ran ) the back door and jumped over five steps to land in the paddling pool which was full because it was a lovely day. Good birthday outfit soaked. Diagnosed at 9 after knowing there was something different but not what it was.

Watsername · 17/03/2024 20:03

DS1 was extremely unsettled and cried all the time, took years to sleep through the night. He was an exceptionally early talker, but not physically advanced.

DS2 was fairly chilled (not passive), physically strong and an early talker (but a couple of months behind his brother).

Sdpbody · 17/03/2024 20:01

I told my HV that my DD had autism at her 9 month check.

I was told there was no chance.

I do think she will eventually be diagnosed with autism.

KalaMush · 17/03/2024 20:00

I have three DC, and two of them displayed some of the signs mentioned in your OP (DD was a very laid back baby and DS1 met milestones v early). All three are NT.

I'm not saying you're wrong that ND babies are like this, but it's just too difficult to differentiate at this age.

Amara123 · 17/03/2024 20:00

My child and nephew are both autistic. When they were babies we would have described them as challenging and too good respectively. Other family members commented on it loads at the time.
Definitely agree, my son was impossible to settle and has real sensory issues now. The too good baby struggles with speech, was non verbal until 3 .

Spitalfieldrose · 17/03/2024 20:00

My DD didn’t sleep for more than 2 hours. I literally didn’t get a sleep for 5 years. Apparently very common in young autistic children. I wish someone had told me!

NewYorkDilemma · 17/03/2024 19:59

My friend works in an ASD service and assesses children day in day out and when we were chatting about it in babies she said in her experience it's VERY rare for there to be no symptoms before the age of two-it's only the occasional child who doesn't show anything until 2. Interestingly she said exactly the same as you, that as babies they're either really chilled (which is about them essentially not communicating their needs) or really really fussy xx

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 17/03/2024 19:58

mine was walking down the street by 10 months. Talking abstract concepts with complete sentences by the time her brother was born, so, by 17 months. excelled academically but didn't really have friends, significant mental health crisis by 13, diagnosed ASD 14. So, yes, early milestones in our house.

DyddDewiSant · 17/03/2024 19:57

DS was diagnosed at 3 with global delay, ASD.

He was a terrible sleeper, wouldn't settle, night terrors, couldn't sleep more than a few hours.
Walking at 10 month.
Refused to crawl
Very large head circumference in relation to body,
No speech but babbled.
Very clingy.

fightingthedogforadonut · 17/03/2024 19:55

My DS was in the 'passive' camp. I remember he didn't cry for first heel-prick test or vaccination, which should have been a red flag as it turns out he lacks tactile sensitivity due to poor sensory processing. He also showed signs of light sensitivity very early - would stare at ceiling lights for hours as a baby and couldn't sleep at all unless the room was as black as a cave.

Slightly late (but not alarmingly so) with other milestones - crawling at 12 months, walking at 15 months.

I started suspecting autism at about a year. He was diagnosed at 3.

Original poster
PillowTrout · 17/03/2024 19:51

@Sparklesocks I do understand that. Many autistic behaviours can be exhibited by babies who later grow out of it. However, I haven’t met many parents of NT children who describe their babies as being either ‘extremely good / passive’ or ‘extremely hard work’. It normally always falls somewhere in the middle. I’m wondering if these extremes of behaviour could indicate neurodiversity in these infants.

OP posts:
elliejjtiny · 17/03/2024 19:51

I have 4 dc with autism. Dc1 would happily go to anyone and wasn't bothered if I was there or not. He never slept. Dc2 didn't have any symptoms until he was one, and he used to shake his head repeatedly. Dc3 didn't have symptoms until he was 2. Dc5 I knew from birth as he used to scream all the time and he didn't smile until he was 5 months old.

Littlepip02 · 17/03/2024 19:50

My son has ASD, he is 3 now but he was extremely unsettled as a baby, it was actually horrific and I hate thinking back to that time, autism first entered my mind at around 7/8 months!

He was within the average ranges for meeting all the physical milestones though

Original poster
PillowTrout · 17/03/2024 19:44

Oh - and when I say my DC was walking at 11 months - I mean confident walking, not wobbly steps.

OP posts:
Sparklesocks · 17/03/2024 19:42

I’m sure there are patterns and signs which are common in babies who later are recognised as autistic, but the problem is a lot of babies display those regardless of neurodivergence, so you couldn’t really determine if they were early indicators or just babies being babies.