Autism but not autism

[BuildingBlocks1]

Sorry for the title, I can't think of any better way to describe it!

DD is 2.5. She has very good speech/ holds full on conversations & started speaking at ten months old.
She likes imaginative play, holds eye contact.

She can however be very shy.

She's been doing this thing lately where if she runs sometimes, she runs with her head titled to one side, & at the same time either raises her eyes or puts them to the side. It does look odd but she's fully 'with it' at the same time.

I was Googling this & all I'm met with is autism. But I just don't think she ticks that box based purely on everything speech/social related.

Anyone had experience of this?

Thanks 😊

People with ASD can be hyperlexic though?

Have you tried the MChat Test although she might be slightly too old?

Hey @PanicBuyingSprouts she scored 1 on that test so very low chances. I did it before she was 2 & the result was the same.

I just wonder why she's doing the eye thing. I'm just wondering if it's something she's doing 'for fun' and will grow out of.

OP it will be difficult before your DD reaches the age of 3 but sounds like it would be worth a full opticians test. The recent behaviour you're describing is very typical of children with myopia , so the head tilting and side glancing could easily be her method of increasing her visual abilities whilst moving. Additionally, full conversations and eye contact does not at all mean autism can or should be ruled out. All autistic children present differently, some engage in detailed conversations, some not at all.

I hope you get to the bottom of it. x

Thank you @DoubleShotEspresso we actually had a full eye test at the hospital 2 months ago & all ok. I'll have to see what happens. Xx

Side eyeing seems to be a quite common stim. Don't rule out asd based on speech, children with what would have been diagnosed as aspergers would often have advanced speech, my ds never had obvious issues with eye contact and I used to play farms and other imaginative games with him. He never lined anything up, flapped or spun things either. In fact it really wasn't obvious until he got closer to secondary school and the social differences really began to show, then he got a diagnosis. He has always been very shy but settled quickly at both preschool and school (they were familiar though or had other familiar children) and has always coped quite well with transitions.
It might be something, it might be nothing, your dd is still very young so I'd try not to worry too much right now and just see what happens.

Thanks @Tal45 - when you say it is a common stim, would that be for children who are dx with autism, or a stim ok general for those not dx?
Thank you for your comment. I hope your son is doing well! Xx

@Tal45 * in general that should say