Poor name response in 8 month old

[UnderThePink1983]

My 8.5 month old DS has very inconsistent name response. He will turn if I call him on occasion but if he is distracted by other things (which is most of the time - he’s a very alert and active baby) he will ignore me completely. I assumed this was pretty typical but Dr Google has warned this is a big red flag for social communication disorders like autism. I’m pretty sure when he does turn he’s responding to my voice rather than knowing this name is related to him iyswim.

This issue coupled with variable eye contact (good from a distance, crap from close up) and being quite a stiff and uncuddly baby has got me very scared.

Would love some help rationalising some of these feelings if anyone has any insights? Thank you.

(Oh forgot to say that I have no concerns with his hearing generally at all)

I have a 12mo and I’d say it’s only over the last month or so that he responds every time to his name, I’d have thought 8mo was young for that. He’s only starting to become less stiff and more cuddly now, although if he’s like my other son he’ll not start wanting cuddles until he’s 11 🤔

It’s very easy to say, but he’s so little don’t stress yourself with most certainly nothing

My kids are 7 and 2 and still ignore me when I call them lol.

At 8 months I wouldn’t be concerned he will just be more interested in whatever is going on around him.

If you have particular worries though ask your health visitor. They will tell you what age they would have concerns

Thank you both, it’s helpful to know that your kids weren’t immediately responding at that age either. Everything I’ve read says 5-7 months for name response but maybe that isn’t expected to be consistent yet!

Ahh some cuddles would be nice PenApple - maybe when he’s a toddler :)

My 10 month old will only respond to his name if he's not interested in something else but is a very sociable baby... as in wants to hug the postman when I answer the door etc.

Interestingly my eldest who is diagnosed with ASD responded really well to her name as a baby but now you call and call and call her name and nothing. Google is a nightmare.

Google is a total nightmare, especially for those prone to anxiety!

My DS definitely responds less often than other babies but hopefully still time for him to improve before considered problematic.

I’d say 8 months is about right fir occasional name response.

By 10 years it’s completely non-existant

My 10 month old has only in the last month or so reliably “answered” to her name- she is still very very prone to distraction.

I also read on the likes of baby centre about babies recognising their name from 5 months as well and it did cause me some worry, but looking back if I saw a five month old unarguably answer to their name I’d be very impressed!

Feeling so relieved, thank you.

The milestones on babycenter are terrifying. The US ones sets everything so early. Need to stay away from it. Mumsnet much more sensible.

I wasn’t concerned at all about DS’s hearing but he did have glue ear. Whilst he could hear ‘noises’ he couldn’t hear clearly. Definitely ask for a hearing test. It won’t hurt and if it is glue ear the ‘watch and wait’ period is so long it had such a huge negative effect on DS’s development so always good to get a test early.

How is he

@UnderThePink1983 I am wondering how your baby is doing now? In a similar boat with name response and lack of cuddles. Looking for some hopeful stories

@Rosecoast17 oh my goodness! This is an old thread. This uncuddly baby with poor name response (which was actually probably total normal but I had raging post natal anxiety) is a very typical, super cuddly and affectionate and gorgeous nearly 8 year old. Zero developmental delays and giver of copious hugs!

@UnderThePink1983 thank you for updating this post, so reassuring! My little girl is similar but not doing loads of babbling at 8 months (very vocal just not obvious babbling). I just came across the babycenter post about milestones which was pretty worrying!!