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Original poster

12mo often doesn't respond to his name - should I be worried? Autism worry

27 replies

Ettenna · 23/03/2008 19:08

He sometimes does but often doesn't. His hearing seems fine - he turns his head to tiny noises like my mobile beeping in a bag. Is this worrying? It seems to be listed on websites as an early indicator of autism. He seems sociable and loves being cuddled

OP posts:
DontDreamItBeIt · 23/03/2008 19:12

Don't worry. My 2 yr old rarely answers to his name either, but just had his 2 yr check and did do all the things on the checklist they have to look for high risk(Which makes him low risk!)

ladytophamhatt · 23/03/2008 19:16

my 15 month old doesn't sometimes either, I really don't think you have anything to worry about. He on such a steep learning curve ATM, he prob understand so much more then you can possible realise.

And if it makes you feel better, I have 4 yr old, 6 yr old and 8 yr old too and NONE of then answer to their names unles I scream it at 10,000 decibels.

ladytophamhatt · 23/03/2008 19:16

sorry, typos galore in that...

Guitargirl · 23/03/2008 19:18

My 15 month old doesn't sometimes either, and other times she will respond to a different name just called in the same tone of voice...I should probably stop doing that or she will grow up very confused...

cadelaide · 23/03/2008 19:19

Ds, 20m, is very good at ignoring us. Sometimes all 4 of us are bellowing his name and he trundles bilthely on.

I've found it works to say "cadbaby....here you are...", he thinks I'm going to give him something.

Obviously he'll work that one out pretty quick and go back to ignoring us.

Fillyjonk · 23/03/2008 19:20

ds was the same, he's now 4 and fine, (though still seems not to hear his name at times )

Original poster
Ettenna · 23/03/2008 19:21

Thanks for these answers. "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing" is so true! It was an American site - I don't know if their indicators tend to be more proscriptive. He isn't talking yet - sometimes he looks at me when I call him but quite often it's as if I haven't spoken.

OP posts:
ladytophamhatt · 23/03/2008 19:24

I'm almost certain Ds4 didn't recognise his name at all at 12 months.
Its only been recently that I've noticed he looks at me if I call him.

maybe tahst because I'm a slack mother though..

PerkinWarbeck · 23/03/2008 19:31

my 12 mo DD is the same.

I always think she has selective deafness. In fact, just like the cat.

Neither of them fails to answer to her name when I appear from the kitchen and a snack might be on the horizon, but when trying to stop them from doing something destructive, it's a different story .

Twiglett · 23/03/2008 19:45

I have never heard anything quite so ridiculous as a 12 month old not responding to their name being a sign of autism.

I'm sorry, but you need to wipe it from your head now .. because it's bollocks.

Pointing by 18 months.

Indith · 23/03/2008 19:54

There are way more interesting things to do at 12 months, your 12 month old is probably thinking "yes mummy that is my name but I know that you are there and what I really want to do is get to this bit of fluff that I shouldn't eat on the carpet and see what it tastes like"

deeeja · 23/03/2008 20:05

If it is any comfort my ds who has autism, responded to his name at 12 months. He didn't babble though, which was my main worry, he also seemed most content with his own company.
I agree, you shouldn't worry too much about that at this point. My 15 month old ds ignores me sometimes, because he is always looking for the most interesting thing within his reach, or trying to figure out how to climb up to get something..
HTH

Pannacotta · 23/03/2008 20:05

Agree with Twiglett, it sounds like twaddle.

LeonieD · 24/03/2008 17:36

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LeonieD · 24/03/2008 17:38

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pagwatch · 24/03/2008 17:41

Well my Ds is very very ASD and I have vid of him turning and waddling to camera when called.....

. US experts and twaddle in the same sentence. Seems fine to me.

Pannacotta · 24/03/2008 19:26

Am no expert on child behaviour but because a 12 month old doesn't often respond to his name would not make me think that he may be autistic, this seems a bit of an extreme interpretation.
Ds1 is 3 and he didn't talk at all until 18 months and now he doesn't stop wittering. I am pretty sure he didn't respnd to his name as one year old.
I would have thought many 12 month olds dont respond to hearing their names, and that this has more to do with the expected variation in development than anything else.

kitbit · 25/03/2008 11:07

sounds like selective hearing to me. At that age ds was realising that he had choices, and exercised them whenever possible, usually things like responding to name, eating when given food, staying awake at sleep time, usual things - just testing his world. It could be that, so try not to be alarmed and arm yourself with lots of info!

Chaotica · 25/03/2008 15:54

The link which LeonieD gives -- Tis a piece of bad science, or a piece of bad reporting on good science.

The stats, if you read them, should not make you think that a child who doesn't answer to name at 12m is autistic, just might have a slightly higher than normal chance of being.

Don't worry unless other indicators are present.

gceceelia · 24/08/2022 18:23

Any update on this? Pleasee

Reaxxx · 04/12/2022 21:15

Hello I don’t know how to start a thread so thought I’d ask here, my son is 13months old and he sometimes answers to his name sometimes he dosnt! It’s worrying me and his dad to death but he definitely knows his name because sometimes he’s so quick to respond and look at me but then sometimes he could be playing with a toy or watching the tv and he won’t look at all. He holds eye contact great, loves a game, great with sleep, LOVES food. It’s the only thing. I’m a first time mum and just kneed a bit of reassurance Thankyou

gceceelia · 05/12/2022 00:55

Hi.
My baby did not respond to his name til he was 10.5 m and responded more to others, then started to respond to me but wasn't consistent til now, and even now he won't respond all the time.
There is something called receptive language and that includes name recognition, and for babies to respond to other command like if you ask your baby to give you a toy, if you tell him no, or even to mimic you and play peekaboo.
As well they do gestures as part of that receptive language la clap, show toys, wave, point.
So if your baby is doing all of those things and being very social or has a 3 or more words you shouldn't worry.

Autism is not just name recognition.

1.They have some motor delays

  1. Social delays/ including speech (no babbling or no words) or loss of social skills at 12 or 18 months.
  2. Motor stereotypies ( which are arm flapping and other repetitive movements with hands and legs).

I think your baby is absolutely fine. Keep me posted mama !

Reaxxx · 05/12/2022 04:39

Gceceelia Thankyou so much I can’t tell you how much better that’s made me feel. Yes he’s a great talker his first words were Mama at around 7m and he’s been off ever since. His words are mama, dada, nenna (for his aunt Sienna) nanna (for his cousin Tana, more, Nah (for No), pup and his favourite one at the moment is Yeh Yeh Yeh 🤣 his started giving kissing and high fives but it’s just the name thing that was my biggest concern! Thankyou for replying to me x

gceceelia · 05/12/2022 08:30

Most welcome mamma, your baby is fine.

Nellie1389 · 10/05/2023 17:44

Hi All, do you have any update on this thread? I’m worried about my little boy. He rarely responds to his name and tries the odd word. Dada (of course 😂) bye bye, ta, kick (for kick the ball) he doesn’t say words consistently. He has good eye contact, loving, will listen to requests (can mummy have a kiss, kick the ball, and pick up the phone) but when you Google no response to name it’s all pointed to autism. He is booked in for a hearing test but I’m 90% sure it’s not that as he seem to hear everything but his name