Autism

[newnewnews]

So my MIL thinks my 16 month old may be autistic. She's meeting and exceeding all her milestones, except the social ones.
She doesn't make a lot of eye contact, point or wave hello or goodbye.
She says one word and babbles. She walked at 10 months.
She is obsessed with a certain cartoon series and has a meltdown within about 15-20 mins if it's not on. She climbs the furniture and plays with toys but the cartoon has to be on the tv.
I'm looking for some insight. Is this normal or is it looking in the direction of autism? Tyin

From what you've said, I would be asking the HV for a hearing test as glue ear can affect speech and language. I'd also ask her to assess DD using the ASQ Ages & Stages.

We've had the age and stages. She was fine in all areas but the social component was lacking a little

We've had the age and stages. She was fine in all areas but the social component was lacking a little

Ok so what did the HV suggest. No, let me guess. Was it wait and see?

It was

I have a visit with her on the 15th because I've pressed it a bit.

We've had back and forths like this with first the HV and then the school. It's taken until DD is 15 and at crises before anyone has taken us seriously.

DD didn't really talk until she was 3 and at the time, I didn't realise it could be an indication of ASD.

Id speak to the HV again and really push for a referral to a Paed for assessment

Oh wow, sorry it's been so tough.
Yeah I will push for it..

Did the HV do the standard ASQ (with five sections including gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving) or the social-emotional one? The social-emotional one is designed to get more in depth on the side of development. Your daughter is in the age range for this one https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities%20Mental%20Health/ASQ/ASQ%20SE%2018%20Months.pdf, but near the beginning of the range so a slightly higher score wouldn't necessarily be surprising. This is the previous one, for 12 months, so if she were to score highly on that, it would definitely be worth flagging to the HV: https://www.socfc.org/SOHS/Disabilities%20Mental%20Health/ASQ/ASQ%20SE%2012%20Months.pdf.

How is her understanding? Does she recognise the names of a few favourite objects (ball, teddy, shoes, whatever) or perhaps some favourite foods? How about a few instructions (instructions they like, like 'time for lunch' or 'let's go to the park' can be easier to tell if they don't understand, rather than things like 'put that down')? If you asked her to play peekaboo or clap hands, would she do it?

We have had the 12 month one.
She does understand some words and instructions like "wash handies" and she puts her hands under the tap for me to help her wash them, "num num" to let her know what she's looking at is food; she then puts it in her mouth and tastes it.
She babbles and seems to be trying to imitate words we are using.

I'll look now at the 18 month one.

Looking at the 18 month assessment, I think she is actually meeting most.
She doesn't point yet or follow my finger when I point. She doesn't always look at me when I say her name. She does sometimes.
I think these can probably be worked on. She has just turned 16 months.

My DD didn't point much when that age (now not at all). I think talking there is such a huge variation, but I have heard many times over the last years that pointing is a really important indicator. I'm not sure it's something that can be worked on as such - I think it's a natural thing that most NT kids learn to do naturally.

However you know your DC best. I guess your MIL is trying to be helpful but I do hope she has raised her concerns in a constructive manner - does she have some experience with autism / any in the family?

Does DC go to nursery at all and if so have they noticed anything? They see so many kids, it can be good to have their view.

She doesn't go to nursery yet.
She does point at pictures in her book and presses her index finger against toys to touch them and fugues them out.
I really don't know..

She is only 16 months. The HV is coming out to do an assessment anyway.

How are things going OP? Did you see HV again?

@Ahna65 as this thread is a little old the OP might not see your question. You could try a hopeful @ though

@newnewnews any update this sounds exactly like my baby ?

Hey OP how is your baby now? Please respond I have similar
Concerns. Thank
You x

Hey sorry I lost my previous account

Hey sorry, I just saw this. I am OP but lost previous account.
My DD is on the waiting list for assessment. She may not be neurodivergent but if she is, she's likely level 1 (mild).
A lot of the behaviours went away but the main 3 things to watch out for apparently are; sensory differences (eg. sensitivity to loud noise), repetitive behaviours (eg. hand flapping) and speech delay.
She can count to 10, knows all the alphabet, all colours, most of animal names and shapes. She also has loads of everyday words but she puts only a couple together, so doesn't have sentences yet.

If my kid is neurodivergent, I honestly don't care. I love her just as much no matter what. But we shall see at her assessment in a few months..

We are awaiting assessment

I thought she would never outgrow hand flapping but she did. She makes great eye contact now too and she interacts a lot with us, other people and other kids.
My niece is now hand flapping when she's excited (she will be one at the end of this month), but other than that is totally normal developmentally it seems. Hand flapping doesn't automatically always mean autism

Thanks for the reply were actually in the disability services now with my son no assessment date as of yet but he's down as high care needs and needs alot of support

Hope it all goes well 🤞 how old is your ds if okay to ask?

He was 2 in April had a massive regression at 13 months old lots he's few words and stims alot also lost all interest in people eye contact ECT doesn't clap, wave, point ECT

My DD lost interest in other people and being social for a good few months but it all returned with slow and little exposures