Delayed Visual Maturation or something else?

[CatrTim]

Hi guys, Looking for advice or personal experience.
My son was having tracking objects at 2 months of age. We were referred to an ophthalmologist. At 6 months, he was smiling and looking at you however it was delayed. The ophalmologist diagnosed him with DVM. I have done some research.. and should resolve. by 12 MO of age. At 6 months his language and social development was slightly delayed. He can watch objects near and far, grabs objects without missing. His eye contact to others is there but not for long. I am wondering if anyone was diagnosed with this? and their experience or if we are actually looking like something like autism.
Thanks in advance :)

[Sonolanona]

My son was as you are describing, except it took him longer to smile, and when he looked at us he sort of looked past us..at our hairline. He smiled at sounds rather than faces for a very long time. He was about 10m old before he really smiled. He was diagnosed with DVM.
He also got glasses at 6m as it turned out he was also longsighted.
It was very depressing... everyone else's babies were smiling and seeking eye contact and he just stared at lightbulbs!

However... it resolved! DS2 also had other delays, both physical and cognitive, more so than your son by the sounds of things. He was classed as 'developmentally delayed' and started special school with a Statement of SEN (now called an EHCP) He was later also diagnosed with autism.

But, after all that, he eventually walked, talked, learned to read and write. He is now 26 , still autistic, still with some physical issues, but he is the kindest, most loving, gentle man. He has a job in ASDA, where he is fantastic, and while he will always live with us, he has more savings than I will ever have, he's wonderful to live with and his autism just makes him the very wonderful person he is.

DVM doesn't mean your little one WILL have autism by any means, but if he does, it can still be fine :)

[CatrTim]

@Sonolanona thank you soooo much for responding! It’s really interesting to have your POV. Some questions did either son have trouble outside? Seems to go more flat and no smiling at others when outdoors and stars at bright things?
he is having some mild language delay - did your first son have this?

[CatrTim]

@Sonolanona did you first son have trouble with language development and maintaining eye contact for extended periods of time initially and when did his vision fully resolve?

I am wondering if my son has some traits of autism or if the eye contact and language delays (mild at this point) are just due to the vision delay!?

thanks in advance xx

[CatrTim]

Just checking did your first son consistently turn to voices??

[Sonolanona]

Yes he did go 'flat' (good way to describe it!) outdoors, and indoors lights were definitely his thing for a long time.
I think that I felt he was fully seeing from about 18m old, he was definitely sociable and smiley then..indescriminately so tbh, I could have left him with anyone as he never had separation anxiety, was happy to go to anyone (and did!)

I can't remember when he mastered eye contact..he is autistic, but it is a myth that autistic people can't maintain eye contact... my whole career has been with you children with severe autism and many of them are the exact opposite...intense eye contact! Charlie's visual skills developed gradually and it was a while before it dawned on me 'hey it's ok now'

Yes he was speech delayed..both understanding and speech production . He also had poor muscle tone which affected his ability to speak. He was non verbal at 3, started special school at 3.5, and at some point started talking but was unintelligible to anyone outside the family until he was about 9.
However once he started he didn't stop and hasn't shut up since :) He is very articulate now.

He also had glue ear which did't help, as his hearing was poor, but two lots of grommets later that self resolved.

Basically at 6 months of age he was a floppy blob. By 12m he was smiling more but not sitting very well. He was 2.5 walking, 3-4 for speech to emerge. He was assumed to have severe learning disability but once he could talk we realised he had understood much more than we thought. He IS different. He is autistic and his brain works in a different way and he will always need some support, but he has outstripped everyone's expectations! He has a job which is rare for someone from special school. He can walk our dog, he has a good friend from school and he can hold a great conversation about his interests...he's repetitive mind!
At 1 his future looked pretty bleak. Now I wish I could go back and tell myself it would be ok. My worst fear was autism, and yep autistic. But gentle and kind and loving if a bit bewildered by the world and how people are.
I might add that on balance, he has given me far less worry than his neurotypical siblings and they adore him and will support him when I'm too old and decrepit!

It's one of those watch and wait deals unfortunately. One thing I would say is start fighting for every bit of support NOW. It may be you don't need it at all, and he will simply outgrow his DMV and no other issues, but if there are delays, you want to be on a SLT list, an OT list, etc etc etc!!!