15m ASD concerns

[SugarOrange]

My DS shows some signs of ASD but OH says I need to let him be and not worry so much (I am a born worrier unfortunately).

He shakes his head quite abit, it is getting less and less but still there and it’s not connected with ‘no’, he doesn’t have any strong words yet apart from ‘mama’ and ‘dada’, he doesn’t point, he’s a fussy eater and he doesn’t always respond to his name (especially if watching Peppa Pig) and this past week I’ve noticed he knows how to walk on tippy toes maybe for a few seconds/minute each day.

On the other hand he does babble lots, he was early to crawl and walk, he loves other children, he makes eye contact, social play and looks for me in new environments. If he rolls his car down a track he will look to me for a ‘yay’ and he can clap and wave when we say ‘bye bye’.

So I’m really torn on whether to speak with GP or try and put it to the back of my mind and let him develop at his own pace for abit longer?

Hey, I am in a similar boat to you and I contacted my HV. They sent this questionnaire to fill out
www.lakepediatrics.org/docs/ASQ%2015-16%20months.pdf
See how he does on that xx

I'd second doing the questionnaire that @GoldenApple1 linked to, but I'd say most of what you're concerned about is quite normal at 15 months. Babies and toddlers are still exploring how their bodies work, so you get random things like shaking their head just because they like the way it feels. Similarly, I think the walking on tiptoes flag is if they do it all or most of the time, not occasionally just for fun (which virtually all children will do at some point). No words – some children have words at 15 months, quite a few don't. How's his understanding? He is probably getting to be later than average with pointing, but it isn't late until 18 months, which is quite a long time yet in the life of a toddler.

Fussy eating –very common in toddlers, even those who ate a wide range as babies. Some people speculate evolutionarily it was to stop them eating poisonous things as they became able to wander around on their own. Similarly, it's normal for children this age not to respond to their name if they're absorbed in something else –they can't switch their attention between things the way older children or adults do.

Thankyou so much for @GoldenApple1 and @skkyelark I will do the questionnaire today, on a quick look he seems to be scoring on track for motor skills but needing review for his communication.

He understands when I say ‘no’, he walks up to me, his dad and a couple others for a cuddle, he understands bye bye and wave if I say those words without the action. But if i put him in a room and said bring me a book he wouldn’t go and find a book. I do feel like I should read to him more so going to work that into our evening before bed.

Also he has a couple allergies so I spoke to a dietician a few weeks ago and he said the exact same about the evolutionary fussy eating (but I also hadn’t mentioned the other ASD like behaviours)

He sounds just fine to me personally, I always remember panicking that my little boy didn't point at about 10 months and our very experienced childminder said that she doesn't often see children pointing with meaning until 18 months or so. My little boy walks on his tip toes occasionally and smiles so I guess he's doing it for the novelty. It's very rare he does it but he does and my niece does too, I think it's just experimentation to be honest. My little boy sometimes shakes his head often saying "Alex no-ing" 😂 so just experimenting with the movement I guess!
I suffer with anxiety myself quite badly and constantly worry about autism, a worry that was triggered after my dad said when my son was 3 months old that he didn't look him in the eye 🙃 everyone says how brilliant my little boy is, his speech is amazing for his age and he is always bossing us about... he just stared into my eyes in the car while listening to me read bear hunt for a solid few minutes yet i still worry. Looking at that questionnaire someone linked, my son seems totally fine but I still worry. I guess what I'm saying is that if you're a worrier there is a good chance that that may be all thats going on, when we're anxious it makes everything feel so real and your brain will automatically search for things to feed into the fear.
On the other hand, just see how he goes in the coming months and revisit this if you don't feel he is improving 😊 whatever happens he will still be your wonderful little boy ❤️