10 month old development delay?

[Dolly1992]

Hi,this is my first time writing here. I've always been one to read but I just wanted to see what other mums have to say. My ds is 10 months but he is unable to imitate anything at all, he doesnt seem to understand simple things like no, he claps but on his own terms not if I ask him to. He doesn't wave also doesn't recognise mum dad despite all our attempts. He has started to shake his head repeatedly at random times, sometimes would nod at random times and also started to flap a lot. His eye contact isnt great close up but from far he is able to look at us.
When he was 5 months I thought he was having spasms but after an eeg and mri neuro has said its infant shuddering attacks. His always very stiff and likes to keep his hands fisted a lot unless his playing. He isnt able to self feed himself anything its like his not able to coordinate himself properly. He is also constantly crying moaning whinging he's been on gaviscon for a while. This is my 2nd baby and my first was very different from him. Although she herself has speech delay and I feel possible dyspraxia. I'm just wondering if 10 months is too early to recognise autism signs?

Ten months is too early yes.

Is he due a development review with the health visitor soon? I know different parts of the country do them at slightly different ages.

I think at 10 months, in terms of communication, you'd only expect them to maybe understand a couple of things, literally one or two things like being asked to clap or come here, and there would be plenty of babies who didn't quite yet. 'No' is always tricky to judge because whether they understand it and whether they stop are very different questions!

When you say he doesn't recognise mum and dad, do you mean he doesn't know the words, or doesn't know the people?

Obviously I haven't seen it, but the shaking/nodding head and flapping might well just be normal baby weirdness as they discover what their bodies can do. My husband had a game our daughter loved at about that age based around her shaking or nodding her head (and he would say no or yes in a funny voice).

The hands still in fists quite a lot and not able to coordinate himself to feed himself anything would concern me a bit at this age, and I'd probably be inclined to ring the health visitor or go to a drop in session, which suits you/your area. I think at 10 months, most babies would be able to feed themselves at least relatively easy to grip sticks of food, toast fingers or something like that, but not necessarily smaller or more slippery pieces.

I just wanted to say my first son was like this and I d had two more kids who did all of these things at this stage. I wish I'd pushed more with my first for help. His lack of imitation was huge red flag now I see.

@YarnOver thats what I was thinking at first but then you always hear later thats parents of asd kids sometimes could look back and see the signs.
@skkyelark thanks for getting back. Yeah I have a HV app in a weeks time so will mention all my concerns there. With communication he doesnt know the people like if I say oh wheres daddy or mummy he wouldn't look at us and I thought by now he would be able recognise us.
The game your husband played with your daughter seems very similar to my dh and dd at that age too..she would want him to do it all the time and copy him. Its just when I think of her at this stage its such a difference to her brother. Yeah the fisting has worried me from 5 months he didnt even reach out until nearly 6 months. Its like he finds it hard to use his thumbs ..dont know how to explain it properly but just his hands don't seem 'normal'. I think its the not knowing andnalways wondering that is so hard esp when his always in such a bad mood.
@Hirewiredays how is your son doing now? I know what you mean by the red flags and trying to get help early thats what I want to.

I know @Dolly1992 but I'm a specialist asd teacher of 15+ years and these aren't signs in a ten months old.

However, one thing that might be worth looking into is the shuddering thing. My DD1 had this and I was at first told that it was infant shuddering but after a lot more investigation it was finally linked to her severe reflux. She had the same tests as you have had, but as she had silent reflux the two things weren't linked as she wasn't sick. Take a look at sandifer syndrome, as what you're saying sounds similar to our experience and when she was diagnosed and then treated more successfully there were big improvements.

Ohh then you defo would know more about the signs than me @YarnOver. I think its just recently to me it feels like his displaying so many asd traits together. His started to hit his own head with his thumb all the time . He used to be able to have like baby crisps but now his unable to do that as well. And he hardly ever smiles anymore. Again he did use to i have videos and pictures but nowadays just to get a smile out of him we have to do so much! I have 2 nephews with autism and the younger one did all of this a lot around this age. I know even if he does have asd or anything else, his still my beautiful baby boy but i guess part of me really wants him to not have so many difficulties and also his sister really wants to be able to play with him. Gosh motherhood is hard! I will have a look at sandifiers syndrome and mention it to hv as well, really want him eat well and be in a happy mood again..

@Dolly1992 How are things now?

How is he

Hi @Dolly1992 hi how’s your little one now?