HELP!!! 7 month old displaying signs of autism or not?!!

[Mumof3bb1]

Hi,

This is my first post on here, always reading others posts, but I feel like I need some answers about my DS milestones/progress.

i’lll start with the positives so he’s 7 months and ten days and can-

Sit up unaided but only when I put him into the sitting position.

eye contact is okay will look at you but not great.

can reach out arms when I go to pick him
up.

Sleeps relatively well always, but cannot roll over only has a handful of times from belly to back, never back to belly.

Can track objects and follows people if they leave or come into the room.

Will smile at us and occasionally laugh but not a great deal. Enjoys peekaboo.

can shuffle on his tummy but backwards.
lifts feet and brings to mouth.

babbling/screeching sometimes started grunting more and tensing his whole body when laying down on back which is worrying.

OKAYYYY NOW THE NEGATIVES:

hasn’t rolled back to belly

no interest in toys won’t reach out for them himself when he’s sitting up or on tummy time, will reach out for them when on his playmat on his back and if we hand him a toy he reaches for it but goes straight into his mouth.

constantly wants to put everything into mouth.

opens and closes hand throughout the day and stares at it for a few seconds each time.

doesnt really look when we call him think he turns more to the sound not his name.

scratches surfaces not constantly but does.

when sitting on sofa or floor constantly kicking his legs like rubbing his feet together.

arms and legs always moving

wont imitate or copy sounds or if we sing to him he won’t babble along.

not clapping
won’t really cry if he’s hungry
constantly looking up at lights or ceiling even when outside looks up at trees.
has no separation anxiety.
doesn’t cry when he wakes up.
no babbling mama or dada
will look everywhere but me when he’s outside in his pram

wont attempt to hold his own bottle

looking for any help and advice please?

one very concerned mum!

I think you are worrying too much, I've had 3 children who are all NT and they did everything on your "negatives" list. They're fairly normal baby behaviours.

They all sound pretty normal for his age OP? What makes you think they aren't?

All babies put things into their mouth - they learn the most orally at this age.
When out in his pram, he will be fascinated by everything else - he sees your face all the time.
Seperation anxiety, if it happens, is usually around 9/10 months.
He probably wouldn't know his name at this age, but will recognise your voice.
Still a bit young for proper babbling but keep an eye on this.
Mine didn't cry when they woke up, they were good at entertaining themselves for a bit.
Think clapping is between 8 - 15 months.

Nothing that happens before age about 2yo is particularly indicative of autism. All babies develop at different rates. If your baby doesn't catch up developmentally over the next few months then autism isn't the go-to automatic diagnosis anyway. Focus on all the brilliant and positive things - obsessing about perceived deficiencies isn't healthy for you or your baby.

He’s a baby. Honestly all your worrying and anxiety will be passing onto him, just chill and enjoy it

At 7 months it is way too early to tell

I'm guessing this is your first child? No two babies are the same and yours sounds like he is doing normal baby things. I wouldn't worry.

My DS is autistic but I don't really recall how he was at 7mo. He is 13 now and a complete joy. Yes, he has needed non standard parenting techniques, but if you are attentive, what children need - NT or ND - becomes clear.

What I do remember about the baby years is that thinking your baby should/ shouldn't do x or y, or needs to be managed to achieve something (sleep, speaking, whatever) is the absolute thief of joy. Your LO may be autistic or may not. Nothing you are doing will alter that. Just enjoy him for who he is, it all works out in its own time amd you gain nothing whatsoever from worrying about development

Your descriptions sound exactly like my six month old baby and he's... A six month old baby.
Im not worried. What else are they meant to be able to do exactly? (rhetorical question obvs)

None of the negatives are actually negatives OP, sounds like a perfectly normal 7 month old baby.

At 7 months babies are still little more.than glorified potatoes. Everything sounds pretty standard for their age

He sounds like a perfectly normal baby.
Why are you so anxious? Does autism run in the family? Even if he is autistic there are very few supports that would make the slightest bit of difference at his age.

To get a diagnosis of autism he has to hit the three main criteria and for the traits to significantly negatively impact his life and that simply won't be the case at his age. Most autistic traits are signs of perfectly normal childhood development until they continue passed an age where that is not the case.

For example my DD hating hand dryers was perfectly normal at age 3 as they are very loud and close to her ears. My 5ft10 15 year old DD still hating hand dryers and thinking they are the devils work is not so normal.

Keep a note of any unusual behaviour should you need an assessment in future and start saving so you have the option of going private. Then prioritise some support with your own anxiety and MH.

Sounds completely normal to me.

Hi all,

thanks for the responses, so a bit of background no there is no autism in my family, I do have 2 older girls one 13 and the other 9, both were quite advanced at this age could crawl and played and reached for toys, they babbled and were early talkers, hence my worry!

I keep saying it could be just a boy thing and he might be lazy, it’s just my other friends have babies and they seem to be hitting all the milestones, so very hard not to compare.

it’s just the constant oh he’s so wriggly and fidgety comments even when sitting he’s constantly kicking legs or when he’s in my lap it’s like he’s trying to escape!

Good grief. He's seven months old.

You could always reach out to your health visitor

Sounds like a 7 month old to me! 😬🙈
And dont take this the wrong way but as its 9 and 13yrs since you had the girls you may be remembering exactly when they did things a little hazy? I dont mean that in a rude way but I know all my friends with much older kids wiuld struggle to name the exact month that young that they did stuff... 💕

@Mumof3bb1 but that's what babies do. He is just different to your other children and he isn't even old enough to be 'behind'. You may have a very active child so investing in things like the £££ Montessori / Pikler triangle climbing thing and associated slides and ramps, balls, scoot along toys. Lots of active activities when he is old enough etc he may prefer a tots gymnastics session perhaps more than a messy play but that's just his personality - be a bit rubbish if we were all the same.

Hi @Ellie525

i totally understand you in terms of forgetting timelines but I was reading through the girls record books which has dates they hit milestones etc 🙈

I think as a mum I just don’t want anything to be wrong and when I Google stuff it comes back with autism etc hence the constant worry I was never like this with the girls so I am aware that it could be health anxiety playing a part too!
its just when you see others the same age reaching out and crawling, clapping and rolling you just panic!

Thanks for all the responses it means a lot getting others opinions of reassurance I might get some sleep tonight!

@Mumof3bb1 Please dont lose sleep over it, sleep is precious enough when they are that age 😅
Its easy to compare to others but the same mums are also comparing their baby to yours in other ways too where yours might do something earlier.. and even if your DS is the last one to fo absolutely everything (unlikely!!) He will do it when hes good and ready dont worry 💕💕💕

It's kind of worrying you think a baby putting things in their mouth is a negative? You know OP that 7 months is way too early to know and what difference does it make anyway? If your child is autistic you can't change that.

@Perfect28 it’s not the fact he’s putting things in his mouth it’s more how frequent and it’s everything from toys to clothes to his own hands/feet like it’s non stop!

@Ellie525 thank you, Google and tiktok videos of ‘7 month olds hitting milestones etc’ are what I need to steer away from 🙈

@Singleandproud thank you, and you are right he could just be the more active type of baby but just atm he’s acting like a potato a fidgety potato may I add 🫢

Mine rolled at four months.
He loved moving trees
He had good eye contact with us
He loved peekaboo
He laughed and engaged well
He was diagnosed with autism aged four
He is sitting next to me now, an adult. He has just driven his father to buy a new tv and has set it up
He is cooking lunch for us tomorrow.
No one could have told anything from him at 7 months as to any form of diagnosis.
Your baby is lovely. Enjoy him. It may be something or it may be him. You will deal with it whatever happens and there isn't anything you can do about it now.

@KathieFerrars That's amazing how your sons progressed. Do you remember any signs looking back? I think I get so worked up thinking of it as you just don’t know!

These are all very normal things