5 month old - development - autism?

[Lala84]

Hi all,

First of all, sorry for the long post I am feeling incredibly anxious and don't really have anyone to talk to about this.

I'm hoping I am just being a neurotic first time mum but the last couple of days I've had some niggling worries about my beautiful little girl which I just can't shake and I'm driving myself mad with worry. I can't talk to my husband about these as he knows I get very anxious about things and will probably brush it aside as that.

It all started when I was flicking absent mindedly through her red book. She will be 5 months old in a couple of days and was born following a forecps delivery. She had some brusing and was given calpol at the hospital but had an excellent apgar score.

She's quite a big baby....born at 75th centile for weight and is still following that curve. I was looking back at her newborn assessment done by the paediatrician in the hospital and it says that her head circumference at birth (I'm guessing measured by a midwife?) was 33.5cm which is about 40th centile but the day after her birth the paed measured it at being 36cm which actually makes it 98th so a bug difference in 24 hours!

Looking back at the 7 week check up is was measured at 40cm (91st centile) and I measured it again now at 21 weeks at 42cm (91st centile). My concern is that her head was measured at 33.5cm at birth and it's now 42cm and has risen massively through the centiles and this has never been mentioned to me as a concern. I know rapid growth can be cause for concern but I wondering if that first measurement could have been totally off?

Of course I stupidly googled it and of course everything mentioned a link to developmental delays and autism.

I know I should ignore this but I was just mentioning to my husband the other day that she's been 'talking' less and he agreed. She used to talk to herself for ages in her Moses basket in the mornings but now just shouts to be fed. Instead during the day she seem to make very high pitched squealing sounds mixed with grunts. If I squeal back she does respond with more squeals.....they are just very different to the more babbling sounds she was making previously. She's also developed this weird sort of fake cough recently which seems to be her new favourite thing.

She makes eye contact and smiles loads and with a lot of work I can get some giggles and lots of shrieks of delight. She's doesn't really respond to her name yet but I'm note sure most babies would tab 5 months?? She's exclusively breastfed but has been sleeping through from about 8 weeks which I know is unusual!

Another of my concerns is the fact that she absolutely hates tummy time and is not great at pushing up with her arms. She can hold her head brilliantly and can sit unassisted with cushions around for a couple of minutes. She can roll from her back to her front but then gets frustrated and screams non stop as she can't roll from her tummy to her back.....and to be honest she doesn't even look close.

She loves playing with toys, grabs for them, tracks things really well, will make eye contact and smiles when Daddy comes in. Sometimes crystal when I leave the room and has suddenly become incredibly clingy....went to a bbq the other day and she cried if anyone else tried to hold he but was happy sitting on my lap....she's happy with Daddy too.

So perhaps this doesn't sound too concerning but I've also noticed she liked to twirl her feeet sometimes when in the pushchair and when playing with crinkly books and some toys she scrunches them in her hand just opening and closing her hand over and over......she does this on the playmat when I attempt to give her some tummy time too (before she screams non-stop). Is this stimming?

Am I getting myself worked up over nothing or do you think I have cause for Concern? She is a beautiful, happy little girl who I love dearly with all my heart and of course I want the best outcome for so if there are any issues developmentally I would like them to be picked up as soon as possible so that we can support her the best we can. She is my first child so I have nothing to compare it to. We see the other NCT babies and the only differences I've really noticed with them is that they are better at tummy time in holding themselves up higher and most can now roll from tummy to back.

I would really appreciate if anyone could share similar experiences, let me know if I am being totally ridiculous (please telly me bluntly if you think I am) or I feel I should see gp or speak to the health visitor about my concerns. I've become consumed by this and keep looking for signs rather than enjoying my beautiful little girl.

Thank you so much in advance

OP, have you talked to you're HV or GP about your concerns about DD? I think they'd be able to reassure you. I think the head circumference is a red herring, honestly. The most likely explanation is that the initial measurement was incorrect. Either because the midwife measured wrongly or because your DDs head was temporarily misshapen as a result of her assisted delivery.

Your DD sounds adorable and perfectly normal. Are you feeling generally anxious OP? Might be an idea to have a chat to the GP yourself if you feel this way often.

Head circumference can change incredibly in the first day or two because the baby's head is designed to change shape to make it out of the birth canal. Which means that, especially for forceps or ventouse deliveries, a measurement at a couple of days old is far more accurate. So the head circumference has gone from the 98th centile to the 91st centile? That sounds normal.

The rest? Talk to your HV if you're worried, but nothing that sounds worrying over the internet.

Every single thing you list as a concern on your list is completely normal. Hating tummy time is certainly completely normal and not linked to autism at all. Re: head measurements you have to take them with a big pinch if salt. Ds2 had craniocynostosis so had to have his head measured regularly - diff people measure in different ways even though they shouldnt, babies wriggle and its easy for measurements to be out. However, if you are worried do speak to your GP or Health Visitor as they will be able to take a look at your babies development and tell you if there is cause for concern or reassure you that there isn't.

My DD was very similar, and I had the same concerns so I know how worrying it can be. Although slightly slower developmentally than her peers (didn't properly roll/crawl till 12m and walk at 18m) she is totally fine and a very happy little girl.

I am sure that there is nothing to worry about, what you describe is certainly in the range of 'normal' (hate to use that word!), but like others suggest a trip to the HV may help put your mind at ease.

I don't think you have cause for concern with any of those things....they all sound completely normal

I too think the 1st head circ was wrong or as quite a big baby her head was moulded ( a bit squashed) during delivery

Rolling front to back, especially in a tummy time hating baby, often develops later than the other way

If she is already developing some sitting balance reactions that is great

The sensory things are her just exploring her world.

Speak to ypur HV to put your mind at rest though.

Please ignore head circumferences. They can be wildly wrong. We were told Dd had microcephaly but in reality she has a huge head. She sounds like she is developing just fine.

DS had a 50th centile head at birth, and an off the scale one next time he was measured. They measured more frequently for a while, just to check. Basically, his little head was squashed during birth, and expanded afterwards. He's very bright and able at 17. No need to fret.

Everything you have mentioned sounds absolutely normal. She sounds lovely.

Now stay the hell away from Google. Your HV is a much better source of information for any worries you have.

www.today.com/parents/photographer-captures-photos-baby-head-molding-cone-head-t113072

These extraordinary pics show how much a baby's head shape can change from when they are born to when they are older.

I think that the person who measured screwed up or your baby's head changed shape.

It's perfectly normal for a baby to work on one skill for ages and stop doing it for a while when they move onto the next skill. Please don't worry.

Totally normal for them to hate tummy time. Mine would scream if you tried to do it with them. They never ever rolled, either of them (well DD did but it was a fluke and one she was not keen to repeat).

DD crawled at ten mths and walked at 14. DS at ten months and 13 mths.

Both very tall gangly children.

I am a Googler and totally sympathise!

Your daughter sounds absolutely beautiful and totally normal. Speak to your hv about your concerns. Hopefully they will reassure you. And also on the tiny chance there is anything in the future your concerns have been logged.

It's nigh on impossible I know but try not to worry and enjoy that gorgeous girl of yours

Your DD sounds absolutely normal OP, these charts and centiles are just a guide, but they can become a stick to beat yourself with if you let them. Speak to your HV if you have any concerns, but it sounds like your little girl is developing normally. My DD didn't like tummy time and it took a while for her to get used to rolling but once she did she was off!

My dd didn't roll until she was 11 months old. She was crawling before she could roll. She also hates tummy time and still doesn't play on her tummy but now she's 12 months and standing up getting ready to walk.
All babies develop differently, try not to worry about what she is and isn't doing.
You can always call your HV if you are concerned. She sounds a very normal 5 month old to me.
Try and talk to her rather than squealing, that might encourage more babbling :) the coughing thing, my daughter does that too haha.