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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think my baby is a bit unusual?

50 replies

Teachtolive · 06/10/2018 12:39

Dd2 is nearly one. She can pull herself up but doesn't walk, she babbled but doesn't talk. But the thing that I'm finding weird is that she seems to have sensory issues. Hates getting dressed or undressed, hates to have her face washed (Although doesn't mind the bath at all). For both of these she will wail like I'm hurting her (im very careful to be gentle.) The strangest thing though is she seems to like to bite material! If I'm cuddling her to sleep she chews my jumper. She has a teddy with a fluffy tail and she loves to pull it between her teeth and lick it. She'll grab a handful of my hair and try to stuff it in her mouth! Is this normal?? Her older sister did nothing like this.

OP posts:

Everyoneiswingingit · 06/10/2018 13:25

It's your job OP. If you worked with patients with brain tumours you would attribute headaches etc to that possibility. It's only natural and out of concern for your child,

theWarOnPeace · 06/10/2018 13:26

Totally normal! I have autistic and non-autistic children, all did everything you describe. Think how many kids have comforters, dummies, muslins etc etc etc babies like chewing and clinging onto stuff. Totally normal not to speak before 1 or even 2, and the pulling up but not walking is again, completely normal. Each of mine walked in a totally different way and order. My middle son made no attempts, then one day just ran across the carpet! One was a super puller-upper, crawler, climber, walked the latest. Don’t worry yourself, get to some baby groups and stuff and you’ll see how very different and yet very similar they all are.

kaytee87 · 06/10/2018 13:26

I must have just been lucky with her sister. She never ate anything she wasn't supposed to. If she came across little things on the floor she would hand them to me!

if my DS finds something on the floor he knows he shouldn't have, he runs away shouting 'Nooooo Mummeeee' because he knows I'll take it off him.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 06/10/2018 13:28

Mine does that too katyee! So funny. At some point they'll realise it's actually a very useful way to alert us to the fact they've found something bad.

Micke · 06/10/2018 13:29

Normal. My kids are both older now, and they still want nothing more than to wipe their faces on me (in the manner of a cat wiping their scent glands on you) - the softer the top the better. DS2 particularly just wants to stroke (and until I broke him of the habit, lick/suck my arm) my skin or soft clothes.

They'll wail in dismay at the idea of getting in the bath/shower, then love it once they're there, DS1 is amenable, but DS2 feels that making him get dressed/undressed/changed is impinging on his right to wear what he wants/be left alone to do as he pleases.

Kids eh. Who'd have them.

Singlenotsingle · 06/10/2018 13:29

Kids just don't like having their faces washed. Or having to do anything they don't want to. If she hasn't got a dummy, she will still have the need to sick and chew so you'll find all sorts of rubbish in her mouth.

kaytee87 · 06/10/2018 13:30

@LRDtheFeministDragon I know! It's brilliant, he also tells himself off before he does something he knows is naughty so I always know

Singlenotsingle · 06/10/2018 13:31

Suck not sick, (although she may be sick as well!)

LRDtheFeministDragon · 06/10/2018 13:32

Oh, bless him, that's so cute.

Mine doesn't but sometimes when she thinks she is being naughty she giggles madly so I realise anyway.

kaytee87 · 06/10/2018 13:33

Oh yes the giggles! DS thinks naughty and funny are the same thing basically

DrJo1 · 06/10/2018 13:34

If you are worried that your daughter might be showing some signs of abnormal development I would advise you to see your GP and request a referral to a Consultant Paediatrician. Unfortunately it takes an average of 6 months, if not longer to get an appointment with a Consultant who would be able to diagnose Autism so if her name is on the list you will have the security of knowing that you have started the referral process. During this period of time she will continue to develop and you will be able to decide whether you need to attend the appointment when it comes.
All the evidence for maximising positive outcomes for people on the Autistic spectrum points to the fact that early intervention, ideally as soon as any symptoms manifest themselves is the best way forwards.
As a doctor and the mother of a child with Autism I would advise not leaving anything to chance. Arranging an appointment costs nothing and with time things will become clearer. Good luck.

Happygummibear · 06/10/2018 13:37

If yours is weird then so is mine.....

Bites whatever she can find.. has tried sand several times... picked her up from nursery in the middle of eating paint. You would think she is being murdered when I wipe her face and hands...

Only in the last few month's (almost 14 now) she has said a few words... about 4 or 5 words.

ethelfleda · 06/10/2018 13:46

My nearly one year old is pretty much the same.

Although he says mamma and dadda and does cruise around the furniture. I’m not worried.

Spotify · 06/10/2018 13:47

Sounds very normal. Mum of 3. My 5 year old still hates getting dressed and washed. Mine have suffered with pretty bad eczema too. Any skin issues with yours?

Isadora2007 · 06/10/2018 13:49

Does she point at things?

ethelfleda · 06/10/2018 13:49

One was a super puller-upper, crawler, climber, walked the latest

This is my DS I think. Was crawling and pulling himself up by 7 months old! Can climb everything but seems to have no interest in walking. He has just turned 11 months.

Original poster

Teachtolive · 06/10/2018 14:06

This is why I love mumsnet, I'm climbing down already. Thanks everyone :)

Initially she was very straight faced, wouldn't smile or look interested in anything but that changed around 8 months and suddenly she was all smiles and giggles, still is.

spotify she has tiny pimples on her cheeks, I was putting it down to teething, or maybe mild baby acne. It doesn't seem to be sensitive to any other kind of touching, just washing.

isadora no, she doesn't point. She'll reach for things though. What's the connection with pointing and autism? I've never come across that before

OP posts:

Original poster

Teachtolive · 06/10/2018 14:08

DrJo1 thank you for the advice, I'll bear that in mind :)

Also thanks to those of you who gave lists of the unorthodox consumables, I'm laughing my ass off at "mums clean knickers!"

OP posts:

2doubles · 06/10/2018 14:35

Nothing you've listed sounds unusual. I remember the sheer dread I used to feel when I had to clean my DDs face, she hated it but like your DD she liked being in the bath. And also, everything went into her mouth.

Caterina99 · 06/10/2018 14:44

DD is nearly 1. Sounds exactly the same! DS is 3 and he was similar too, although he was walking by now

Shednik · 06/10/2018 16:21

All babies are sensory seeking. And many dislike being dressed. It sounds very normal for her age. I have four dc, one with autism, and the first obvious difference was that the others grew out of chewing and having meltdowns but he didn't. The difference wasn't obvious until he was about 4 though because all babies and toddlers do these things.

WaxOnFeckOff · 06/10/2018 16:48

Just remembered my niece (now 40!) used to like rubbing buttons on her lips so would raid her drawers and find things with buttons on and take them to bed and discard everything else on the floor. My SIL who was very crafty, make her a lovely piece of fabric with all sorts of buttons on it to wean her off the drawer raids but she immediately rejected it. She eventually grew out of the button thing. She never sucked on them, just rubbed them on her lips.

Micke · 06/10/2018 20:31

spotify she has tiny pimples on her cheeks, I was putting it down to teething, or maybe mild baby acne. It doesn't seem to be sensitive to any other kind of touching, just washing

My DS2 (and DP) is sensitive to a preservative used in a lot of products - Methyliso.. something.. zolinone.

wipes or bubble bath with it in sting him - when he was a baby, one wipe of his bum with a wipe with this would actually leave his skin sore enough to bleed. Once I had started putting him in a bath - he was just knee deep when he started screaming that it burned so I pulled him out - temperature was fine, but when I looked at the bubble bath, it had this preservative in - I don't know how you're washing her face, but perhaps that's worth a look!

DS1 didn't point, was cruising and walking super early (8.5 months independent walking across the room - could walk around the park a month later! He wanted the TV remote we always kept on the coffee table I think :) - he wasn't speaking until 2, and I still remember his first sentence at nearly 3! We're pretty sure he's dyspraxic (too young for positive diagnosis), but he's been assessed and isn't autistic/ASD, all of which just requires minor adjustments - and now talks the hind leg off a donkey - so yes, follow your suspicions (this is why I had him assessed - I could tell that compared to his little brother, he just wasn't as co-ordinated as he should be - among other things), but don't worry it all sounds normal.

BertieBotts · 06/10/2018 20:35

I used to chew my bed frame - I'm not autistic (though I do have mild ADHD :))

Micke · 06/10/2018 20:36

Sorry I've just re-read - I didn't mean ASD/Autism requires minor adjustments - that's obviously dependent on the child - I meant that DS's dyspraxia just needs minor adjustments (in the grand scheme, velcro shoes, elasticated waists, and giving him time and practice to learn to write/go down slides/do up buttons is not a big deal)

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