Should I be concerned?

[worriedw]

Ever since I can remember DS has freaked out at loud sudden noises - hand dryers, loud car / motorbike revving, sellotape being pulled out etc

He has also been very distressed when in large groups of people and sobs when people come up to him to say hello. He is fine at baby groups and at hartbeeps but in social situations like a BBQ with lots of people he looks terrified and cries constantly.

He doesn't wave, point or clap. He makes babbling noises like dada, he can crawl (commando) and pull himself to stand, he makes good eye contact and is very smiley and easy to make laugh. But he can be super fussy and the slightest thing can set him off into meltdown. He has also recently become extremely difficult to put down to sleep. He used to go off fairly easily but now will cry for hours.

He has just turned 10 months old. My worry is that these sensitivities could indicate autism? Or maybe he is just a sensitive baby and it's his personality?

All sounds perfectly normal to me to be honest. My DS hated loud noises, to the point that one of us had to take him out while the other one hoovered. He's a well adjusted and popular teen. He also wasn't crawling or walking at that age. If you are worried, it's probably a good idea to talk to your HV.

Lots of babies and young children don't like loud noises (DD1 still hates hand driers and she's 7!) and both of mine have gone through stages of suddenly being more clingy/hard to get off to sleep, so I really wouldn't worry too much about this.

He has started sobbing uncontrollably recently whenever his 10 month old cousin shouts or squeals. I'm so worried this isn't normal?? Maybe he's got extra sensitive hearing?

He sounds absolutely fine to me. Sudden loud noises are horrible! It's completely rational to be alarmed by them, especially if you are a little baby.

My daughter was like that. She is still scared of loud noises but she is 4 now and is a little chatterbox. She's very confident except in large groups she can be a bit shy sometimes but not around people she knows. She used to cry if someone spoke to her and she would hug into me. Even her auntys and uncle. She would get really upset when her cousin would screech and be really loud. I started her at nursery when she was 2 just for 4 hrs a week and it did wonders for her. She really came out of her she'll and like I say she's super confident now. I wouldn't worry about it.