I'm looking for some impartial advice about my son (7 months today). I appreciate he is far too young to be diagnosed with autism but I also know that lots of parents say they saw signs of autism in their young babies. My husband has no tolerance for my worry and believes wholeheartedly that there is nothing wrong. My mum also thinks that my son is fine. I do have a history of anxiety but I also wonder if I have some legitimate concerns? He's my first baby and I have spent very little time with young children, so part of the problem is that I have no idea what's normal and what isn't.
I'll also say from the start that my son is very social. Everybody comments on how social and smiley he is. I think perhaps part of the problem is that he doesn't behave in the same way when he's on his own with me... perhaps because I'm mum and therefore always there? Anyway, he smiles at strangers, his dad and his grandparents a lot. He smiles at me a lot too. He laughs. He especially loves when I make animal noises. He makes good eye contact with people from across a room.
Things that don't make me worry:
- Super social
- Smiley
- Laughs
- Good eye contact at a decent distance
- Soothed when I comfort him and sing to him
- Sits completely unaided and can get himself in and out of sitting/crawling position
- Wants to crawl, some progress (see below)
- Coos, agoos, etc.; experiments with shouting to get our attention; makes raspberry noises with mouth and blows bubbles; makes some consonant sounds like 'g' and 'th' and the odd 'm' (rarely)
- Very engaged with the world
- Shows what I think are good attachment signs - likes to cuddle up to me when tired and 'checking in', looks for me when I leave but happy to play alone for a short while if I'm close by (otherwise shouts if he thinks I've left), cosleeps and loves to be held when sleeping
- Generally just mouths toys but does play with some toys appropriately (e.g. will play 'catch' with you if you roll a ball to him, will roll a toy car around)
- My SIL taught him to 'high five' over the holidays; he also follows your finger with his gaze if you point and has waved a few times; plays peekaboo, sometimes hides himself spontaneously
Things that make me worried:
- Doesn't always make brilliant eye contact at very close range - doesn't want to sit in my lap and engage me in back and forth verbal exchanges, and doesn't always look into my eyes when nursing
- As he learns to crawl, he's spending a lot of time looking slightly asymmetrical (e.g. with one leg stuck under him, although its not always the same leg); he also goes backwards
- Hasn't done canonical babbling yet (mama, dada)
- Doesn't always turn when you call his name
- Fascinated by his hands and loves to open and close his fingers/palms, especially when tired
- Gets overstimulated at night when tired and, when this happens, flails arms and legs
- Loves looking at fans, waving tree branches, moving clock parts
Does he sound like a typical 7 month old? I know he's probably a bit late to babble but I'm unsure about the rest.
Thanks.