Worried about Autism at early age: hand twisting, etc.

[mommysandrine]

Hello,

I'm worried about my very young son Ethan, who is 5 months old. My husband is beginning to become concerned, but is probably worried more about me, as my mood is going up and down by the hour based on how my son is currently behaving. I'm obsessively searching the Internet for early warning signs and early treatment options...but almost none of the material pertains to one so young as my son so I'm feeling rather stuck for now. The more I read and the older Ethan gets, though, the more convinced I am that something is wrong. My heart aches, and I really need some support.

Ethan is capable of engaging in interaction for minutes at a time, and he's advanced in terms of motor skills (sits up unaided already, etc.) However, he's showing some signs which worry me very much. I'm most worried about not being able to keep his attention without extra effort, and the way he's "crawling" early with his legs but pushing his face against the floor while making noises. I'm also worried about the way he scratches things and puts his thumb against things, twisting his hand around as he does so.

Other things: 1.) Often it's hard to get or keep his attention unless I am making silly faces or sounds, or eating, talking on the phone, or brushing my teeth; 2) He is doing lots of things that seems to be stimulating his sense of touch to a strange degree: pushing his thumb against something and rotating his wrist around it or popping his knuckle back and forth, crawling with his legs while pushing his face against the floor and making noises, "hitting" things alot and pushing off against things with his legs, including me sometimes while breastfeeding; 3) He rarely is still...constantly in motion; 4) He is totally attracted to "things" of all kinds: books, cameras, toothbrushes, etc. If I am holding him he will often lean over and reach out his arms towards something several feet away. Everyone is commenting how smart he must be as he is so engaged with the word at 5 months old...but I'm scared; 5) He's not making any consonant sounds, he does little "talking" to me but lots towards "things", he's not a good sleeper (lots of short naps), he had a "week suck" when he was born, and his head is in the 25th percentile.

I'm trying to stay away from the Internet, but I just can't. I think I have bookmarked every page out there having to do with causes and symptoms, and have now moved on to treatment...though no one's talking about 5-month olds. If he has any kind of developmental issue, I want to get him help ASAP. On the bright side, at least I'll have found it early. I don't think I would have noticed much odd had I not been I was keeping my eye out for it because I had been worried about the stress I was under during my pregnancy, the influenza shot I had, and the filling I lost while pregnant. I know there's a lot of quackery out there regarding autism, but I'm still worried.

I'd love to hear from parents whose kids once did what my son's doing (and hear whether they went on to have development issues or not) and others who have similar concerns, advice, or information.

Thanks in advance.

Just wanted to thank you all for all your kind and helpful posts. I keep posting and then disappearing because I'm a bit embarrassed about my level of worry, which seems to come and go in a pattern I can't quite figure out.

My son is doing very well. His language is coming along nicely. He interacts well with people he knows well, though shuts down around those he doesn't.

He still loves lights and fans and stairs and doors, can spot airplains I can barely see myself, and is obsessed with vacuum cleaners. And I do mean obsessed; He mentions them in his sleep, and pretends anything and everything is a vacuum cleaner (cords, the tail of his stuffed cow, wedge-shaped legos) while he says "MMMMMMM" and makes vacuuming motions. Clearly he has pretend play, and he likes us to join in his vacuuming, so he's got some good social skills, as well.

I think it's most likely that he's just got an early mechanical/shy bent and a quirkly personality that could be consistent with the tiniest dash of aspergers, but I still do worry from time to time, I have to admit. If my son does has a dash of Asperger's, but it doesn't impact his life terribly at this point, do I just sit back and wait and see?

People have mentioned I haven't said anything about problems. True. There are no problems of the kind that impact MY life at this point. He's quite fun to be with. The main "problem" is that he's so put off by those he doesn't know well, which makes me think he may have problems in the future, but it's really not an issue yet as he spends most of his time with people he knows. I also think he is a bit more tantrumy, sleepless, and hyper than most, but as a first time mum I just can't be sure.

As for having him assessed, I had him assessed early on and the first person I saw said "sensory issues" (craves sensory input) but the therapist disagreed that anything was different about him at all. I'm afraid to bring him to be assessed again until there are actually clear signs of anything being wrong, as it may be a waste of a large amount of money that I should save for later should something more clearly be wrong. I mean, if I'm telling you folks everything and you're all saying it doesn't sound like there's anything wrong, it seems best to keep and eye on it and try not to worry, and ask again here if something strange pops up in the future. Right?

mommysandrine, it really doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about with your ds. My ds is also shy around new people, it must be a common reaction for a lot of children.

I just think that everyone's personality has quirks which others might find a bit strange. I remember as a child if anyone touched me on my right arm, I would touch myself on my left arm, just to be "equal", and I was really good at saying words backwards and remembering telephone numbers.

What I'm trying to say is that if we look closely we all have some behaviours which are unusual to others. It's just what makes us all unique. From what you say your ds will do fine as he grows up.

My ds is obsessed with rockets and helicopters and he too can spot aeroplanes which are barely visible to us. There are lots of things he does which we think odd, but so do all kids, and we just laugh.

why would you worry if he was a little bit on the aspie side if he didn't have any problems? If he was struggling or finding life difficult in the way that children with autism do you would/will know about it. It's not fun, a lot of the time its hell (for the child- let alone anyone else). If he's happy, enjoy that and enjoy him.

sorry I was a bit stroppy last night, but ds3 is at a high risk of autism. He doesn't concern me yet, but if he was behaving as your son is I would be overjoyed, please stop worrying- being an individual is not a problem.

BTW- the stuff you wrote about sensory seeking earlier was interesting as I had noticed ds3 was like this (sounds just like your ds actually). Some sensory stuff can go with being a section baby. Did they recommend any exeercises? autistic ds1 was/is very tactile defensive btw.

what are sensory issues if you don't mind me asking? My ds also a c section baby. He is now at nearly twelve months using his index [is that right? the pointing one] finger to touch things and to touch my face. Is this a good sign for pointing jimjams? And he is starting to copy things i do so i feel much better. And he is very jolly and chatty. He likes to scratch every surface, is this a sensory issue? Don't mean to hijack, just interested in the issues here!

sounds good to me ruty. ds3 scratches everything as well, and buries himself in sand etc. the opposite of ds1 who used to withdraw his hands from textures and wouldn't touch sand. an ot told me section babies sometimes had sensory issues (after observing ds2 for a while )

thanks jimjams. Mind you, he's got no proper words yet, but i guess its early days...

Thanks, Jimjams, saadia, and Bethron!

Jimjams, I can understand it would be terribly hard worrying about ds3, and it doesn't help to have worried folks like me popping up all the time who are potentially worried over not-so-much. I hope ds3's development causes your worries to fade over time.

My ds is still very sensory seeking. No, not a section baby. We still night nurse (much more common in the states, I believe), and it's sometimes more like a rodeo than a calming experience for either one of us...I need to wean but can't bear the tantrums. He is a bear to get to sleep, and wakes often. I hear there's a wide range of preference for vestibular input, and I was a bit of a daredevil, so maybe he's just like me.

just wanted to but in and say, for benefit of mommysandrine, that I night-nursed my dd until she was nearly 18 months. I was REALLY over it during the last six months but could not bear the tantrums, as you say.
Finally I just got so damned tired that I totally weaned her. It was the only way I could get her to stop night-waking. It was a shame because if only she had slept through, I would have loved to have kept nursing - maybe just one or two feeds a day. But like I say she seemed unable to learn to sleep through until I weaned her. I did this on the advice of my paediatrician, who said that if a baby was well over one year, then it was okay - in fact, probably easier - to abruptly wean (rather than wind in down gradually, as one is advised to by most breast-feeding experts).
I don't know how old your son is, but if the night-wakes are really wearing you out and depressing you then maybe you should consider totally weaning him? I felt much more rested and positive once the initial sadness over weaning had passed, I must say.

Mummysandrine,
I'm so curious about how your baby eventually turned out please. Your description above perfectly fits for my 6 month old baby and I have been so worried. Did you do anything to correct the situation? Did he outgrow it or became more serious? I know this is a very old thread, but this is what I need exactly. Other people with similar situation and solutions too can comment.Thank you.

I would really like an update my son presses his thumb on everything flicks his fingers and his wrists and scratches at things pleases update

Would be interested to know the outcome as my LO does the same things? Any other people have the same things with their little ones?

I would also love an update on the outcome of this one - my LO is displaying very similar traits especially pressing her thumb against things and twisting her wrist.

My son is 8 months old and he is doing alot of the things you mentioned your sin was the hand twisting scratching on everything and same can't keep his attention I was wondering how your son is doing and if those are warning signs of autism?

My daughter is showing these signs too... hand twisting, moving non stop.. legs arms... I find it hard to get her attention when I call her. I can’t stop crying thinking there is something wrong as every time I google something it all points to autism. Even her colic and constipation! She doesnt babble.. just shrieks and goes mmmmmm mmmmmm. She blows raspberries non stop and it said that was an indicator?!?

I know this is an old thread but has anyone got any updates on their children? My 6 month old is exactly the same, he has all of these behaviours and I’m so worried about him. It’s making me so anxious and upset.

Hello,

Anyone has an update on their child as my 8 months old baby is just like the OP.
She always need to scratch things, rubbing her fingers, flick her fingers, humming, blowing raspeberries. Thanks

I had to comment. People wake up-ALL babies do what op described! As I was reading the thread I initially thought OP was actually joking. Although then obviously realised the thread is serious. The behaviour described is perfectly normal for a 5 month old BABY. It's a baby! Really not sure what people expect for babies to behave like!

What did you expect a 5 month old to op? That's completely normal. He sounds like he's going to be a very smart little boy. My son did all those things and he also was early in his motor skills. Now he's 19 months and he's very very advanced and smart. Try not to worry too much. Keep encouraging him to touch different things, materials, objects. It's all great for his development!

This thread is 14 years old. Literally

I know this post is from nearly 15 years ago. But I was searching the internet and I found this post and everything you’re stating are red flags that have had me worried about my daughter. The two sting of the wrist when she has something in her hand, crawling pushing with her feet while her head is pushed up against the surface. And she also scratches things a lot with her index finger. She’s in the low percentile for height and weight. She babbles, but not particularly at me or people as in having a conversation. She babbles mostly at toys.

She makes eye contact and she smiles normally. And loves watching her brother play and reaches out for him and toys.

I’m curious to know what ended up happening with your son, Ethan. I hope everything ended up perfectly fine and that he grew up to be healthy child. I really hope I’m just overthinking this whole situation. And I’m hoping you see this message and are able to respond.

My lo is 5 month and displaying similar signs
Too.. can anyone shed some light ?

To the recent posters who are concerned, remember, the op mainly got the advise that these were normal things babies do.

Babies learn constantly from the moment they are born, ok they stare at leaves...but they've never seen a leaf before! They move in a funny way....they are learning by practice etc. Just like anything they get it eventually! Nothing the op said was concerning. I feel sad for the op and others like her that spend so much time obsessing about things their babies do. Your babies are babies, what they do might not seem normal but doesn't mean that they aren't normal. Stop comparing them to others, all babies are different. Just enjoy their quirks and let them grow and learn their own ways.

Give it a few years before looking for signs!

Am also a worried mum, my baby of six months won't reach out for objects, although he looks interested when you give him, he would get it and he can't sit on his own