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Original poster

Is this normal? 9 month old shaking head

18 replies

District26 · 04/04/2020 07:55

Hi and thanks for reading
I have a 9 month old son who does a strange head shaking movement, it rocks his whole body (its quite hard to describe), it's almost like he swishes his head back and forth, he does it quite a lot and I'm not sure if this is normal? I've had a few people say this is typical of children with ASD and now I am terrified.
Other things he does :
Not a cuddly baby at all, constantly pushing to get away, will push your face away with his hand if holding him.
Never. Stops. He won't chill or just sit, he always has to be on the move, crawling standing etc, will play with one toy briefly then he's off. I can hold him for about a minute before he wants to be off again.
When you hold him to your face he avoids eye contact, but the rest of the time eye contact is not an issue.
Rolls his eyes, quite often when he's shaking his head.

Does anyone have any experience they could lend? Thank you

OP posts:
Oakmaiden · 04/04/2020 07:57

My first thought was earache...

Has he always done it? Or is it a new thing?

PotteringAlong · 04/04/2020 07:58

Yes, the head shaking thing is really normal. All 3 of mine have done it. The wanting to move thing also completely normal. If someone got in my face, I’d avoid eye contact with them too.

I’ve seen your other threads. No one is diagnosing a 9 month old with autism. You need to take some deep breaths, step back and stop looking for things that are, in all likelihood, simply not there.

Original poster
District26 · 04/04/2020 08:05

@potteringalong what other threads? Confused
@oakmaiden he's been doing it for around a month, he hasn't been ill or anything

Glad to hear the head shaking it normal, it's unsettling to watch Sad

OP posts:
Theholidayarmadillo4 · 04/04/2020 08:07

My daughter did the head shaking when she was tired I seem to remember.like a self soothing thing.

PotteringAlong · 04/04/2020 13:06

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3870601-2nd-autistic-child-why-us

Sorry, I assumed this was you with a name change

Original poster
District26 · 04/04/2020 14:48

@potteringalong ah I see, no that wasn't me Smile

OP posts:
scpips · 12/04/2020 16:09

My son had a head shaking "thing" going on when he was about that age, he is nearly six now. His head shaking was like a tic, where he would shake his head back and forwards. We took him to his doctor, who referred him to a paediatric neurologist, and they did an EEG. Everything was fine, and he was diagnosed with acid reflux.
I am not sure what our doctor was looking for but I remember at the time he said it was vital to get it checked out as soon as possible, so it might not be a bad thing to talk to the GP about it.

mrsed1987 · 12/04/2020 22:45

My son is 15 months but used to do the head shaking thing all the time when he was younger, when he was tired, he doesnt seem to do it at all now.

Mas05 · 07/07/2022 19:32

@District26 hi can you please update?

Mumof3bb1 · 22/06/2024 10:27

Hi how did your little ones come on?

elliejjtiny · 23/06/2024 21:49

My ds2 does this. I was told it was normal when he did it as a baby. Not so much now at 16 when he is still doing it.

Mumof3bb1 · 24/06/2024 04:53

Hi @elliejjtiny have they said what it could it be, and how often would you say he does it?

elliejjtiny · 24/06/2024 09:15

@Mumof3bb1 at least once a day, sometimes more. I said when he first started doing it that it could be autism. He has been on the waiting list for an autism assessment for 2 years now but school and Camhs have both said he definitely has autism and the head shaking is a symptom.

Babies and toddlers often show one of two "symptoms" of autism and it 's completely normal because they are still learning about lots of things like cause and effect. This is why Drs won't diagnose babies with autism and won't diagnose toddlers unless they have extremely severe symptoms. A lot of things like the head shaking is normal in babies so you have to wait and see if they are still doing it when they are older.

Mumof3bb1 · 24/06/2024 13:19

@elliejjtiny thanks for replying.

my DS is 9 months he does the head shake thing a few times a day and puts his finger in his ear no ear infection, so thought he could be teething as he has no teeth.

he also twists and kicks about hands and feet, name response I’d say is about 60% yet to babble mama/dada etc

no pointing clapping or waving as of yet, everything goes straight into mouth, has started showing signs of crawling and will try to pull up to stand on furniture, it’s the head shaking and twisting hands/feet that’s getting me worried.

elliejjtiny · 24/06/2024 16:24

@Mumof3bb1 I really wouldn't worry at this stage. I was told when my son was 2 that it was still normal for him to do that and not to worry unless he was still doing it at age 4.

Mumof3bb1 · 24/06/2024 17:14

@elliejjtiny you said he’s on the path for autism, what signs did he show?

elliejjtiny · 24/06/2024 18:07

He still does the head shaking thing aged 16

He can't talk to people he doesn't know extremely well, so can't say hello to my friend who he sees once a week, he can't ask for something in a shop, order in a restaurant or ask for a bus ticket.

When he gets overwhelmed he will put his fingers in his ears

He attempted suicide aged 12

He has meltdowns where he will curl up in a ball and scream

He hates anyone touching him. I get 1 hug from him a year on mothers day.

Mumof3bb1 · 24/06/2024 18:25

@elliejjtiny i am so so sorry to hear this, hope you’re okay!! 😭

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