Signs of autism

[Thedandyanddude]

Hi

I'm just wondering are these things a sign of autism in a toddler:

•throwing head back
•gagging on food
•reflux
•unsteady on feet after learning to walk
•loving and being mesmerized by certain patterns

Thanks all

No, they aren't.

Not to say a toddler with autism couldn't do / have any of them, but they aren't things that would make one think a child might have autism, no.

No, I wouldn’t think autism. Have two kids with autism, and I’m autistic myself.
Enjoy your child for now.

No they're not.

Why are you asking?

I don’t think so, sounds like normal toddler to me

No, that sounds like a normal toddler.

My son is diagnosed with autism, signs we noticed in him from the age of 12 months were fixations with certain toys, refusing to play with anything else, stacking and positioning of things, self isolating, didn't want to join in at nursery/baby groups, struggled with textures of foods, regular stimming, photographic memory and the most obvious in our case was the lack of verbal communication, he was writing full sentences by the age of 2 and used every available alternative to verbal communication.

No they're normal toddler behaviours!

Autism is a social/communication disorder- is your child showing delays in these areas? My nearly 4 year old is globally delayed (on the ASD pathway) and is unsteady on feet, also gags on food as is highly sensory adverse. But also speech delays and spends more time lining things up than recognising people around so there is a bigger picture.

My autistic DS17 didn’t have any of those, he tiptoe walked a lot but was very steady. I wasn’t very clued up on autism at the time, and it was when he started nursery at almost 3 that they noticed things. I had only noticed a delay in his speech and language. He was my first, if he’d been my third I think I’d have noticed a lot more.

Thank you for the feedback. I was told by a professional involved with the child that they've noticed signs they may possibly be autistic and these were the main ones I can remember, after lots of other things were said.

My DS is autistic, he's 21 now but his first notable symptoms as a toddler were:

• Speech delay / not talking as well as kids a year below him (at 3 he could do a few words together at best, younger kids were talking in full sentences).
• Lining things up in a perfect straight line all the time.
• Not being willing / able to sit down with other kids at nursery for things like story time.
• Only interested in playing alone, wasn’t really interested in or able to interact with other kids.
• Lack of eye contact.
• Poor sleeper.
• Struggled to toilet train.

Can’t say he had any of the symptoms you list and as someone that works with those with learning disabilities and autism, none of them make me automatically think autism either. Thats not to say he doesn’t have something or that those with autism can’t have any of these traits but they aren’t really key features of autism itself which is a social communication difficulty defined by a triad of impairments (social communication, social imagination and social interaction). How is he socially? Can he communicate well?

If a professional said this, and they rarely even help guide anyone here, instead they deny it. So if a professional said this, I'd personally listen. I'd really explore whether it might be a possibility.

Sometimes it really isn't clearly apparent until more time has gone by with age.

If this professional feels this way, I'd ask them what they recommend going forward based on their suspicions? Just saying this then running off isn't helpful to you.

I can't tell you based on what you said above as that could be any child. I feel the professional has witnessed much more to come to saying that to you.

It's possible of course they haven't got a clue. They tend to be pretty cautious about ever mentioning this without alot of suspicion generally ime though.