Autism signs? 10.5 month old?

[CinnamonHamster]

Not sure if I'm being OTT as a FTM here.

My little boy is 10.5 months and his motor skills are great. Everything but walking - he cruises, sits up independently, claps, waves, feeds himself etc.

His communication skills aren't there. He doesn't babble at all. He just screeches or blows raspberries 24/7. He doesn't mimic - his hearing has been checked and is fine no glue ear etc. He is incredibly loud, he yells for all communication happy or unhappy.

He has never slept longer than 4 hours and still wakes up at least 4/5 times a night. He is EBF and feeds 2 hourly min day and night usually more - in addition to 3 solid meals and readily available water which he consumes ravenously and entirely. His meals are the equivalent of my friends 20 month old. My lb is 98th percentile height & weight.

He is OBSESSED with things that spin. Car wheels, toy wheels, those suction spinners, washing machines, garden decorations. He watches and plays with them for ages - he spins things independently and does the 'spinning' motion (as if you're spinning a top) with his hand even when not spinning things.

HV isn't concerned at this point but I feel since 7 months his communication is not coming on at all other than in motor skills ways eg waving. He smiles / laughs/ plays peekaboo and games.

Any advice appreciated 🙏

It's way too early to tell, both my DD's were like your son, one is autistic, one is not (both adults now).

When I look back, my son hated his hair being washed, even a damp flannel. Sort out medical advice and tried everything, it was a nightmare, it felt like I was torturing him. This was from a very early age, they picked up on the autism in school in reception, he was diagnosed at 7. 17 now with long curly hair that he has no problem washing. His asd school is fantastic and given him and us support.

far too early to tell. babies often don't copy until 12-14 months.

if he still has poor communication at 18 months, see the HV.

All the things that you mention are perfectly normal.
He is only 10 months old. It is too soon for copying /echoing etc.
Many babies love things that spin as the movement is soothing.
Many babies are poor sleepers and so on.

Take a group of babies, all of whom are obssessed with wheels, some will be autistic, many won't.

Which doesn't mean that he isn't, but it does mean that there is no way of assessing it at this stage.

Can I ask why in particular you are concerned? Do you have autism in the family?

and on the opposite side (suggesting that he doesn't have autism) you could cite the peekaboo, the waving, the laughing at you, playing games with you etc.

I had a diagnosis of Autism in adulthood and my partners brother was diagnosed as a child. So I think it's been something I've dwelled on a lot.

Sorry this was replying to @steppemum

He honestly sounds completely normal to me at that age. It's still so young. Communication really does start to develop from about 12/13 months. Mine is close to 15 months now and communication is so good and he mimics and understands a lot.
Also your babies sleep sounds normal too. Not many babies sleep through. Mine is also breast fed and only just started sleeping longer stretches a few weeks ago!

Thank you so much! It's like I know they all development differently but because of the Autism in the family I'm almost looking for it. If he has Autism I'd have no problem just want to support him best I can from early as possible as I went undiagnosed for so long 🙈

He IS communicating with you though. You’ve just listed the ways he’s doing it.

I think so too

Your DS is very young yet, I hope he catches up but you are sensible to keep a close eye as ASC does tend to run in families. I had a quick google just now, the way you describe his vocalizations sounds typical. It mentions 1-2 words, & responding to simple instructions. I think a typically developing child 'should' begin babbling and making sounds with consonants within the next few months.

I had concerns about my DS2 from a young age. He was quite delayed in all skills, never rolled over, no pointing or waving. He was always very passive. Play skills were very delayed. He did have some language but he lost that at the classic age 2. I reported my concerns but nothing happened with PHN or GP till after the 2 year development check. He always got the headline skills within the 'normal' range but at the latter end of it. You could speak to PHN or GP but I don't expect they would act on it yet. It might be worth speaking to someone about it as it would be logged early on. It may prompt them to follow through with referrals promptly.

All the best x

@CinnamonHamster completely understand that and there is such a spectrum with Austism too. But I would just try and not to analyse (it's hard I know) and go with it. They really do develop so different at different stages.
I was the most anxious mother ever when my baby wasn't interested in solids at 6-7 months and he didn't really start to eat until 11 months. He does amazing with eating now though and I wish I hadn't worried so much. Just wired to worry us mothers 🤣

My DS didn’t babble till 11 months, then we were in the supermarket and he all of a sudden yelled out babababa mamamama gagagaga exactly like that and he hasn’t shut up since!!
I think waving and clapping is a good sign. I know it’s really hard not to worrry especially with your diagnosis. Keep an eye but enjoy him he sounds like a sweetheart xx

All of that sounds perfectly normal - which doesn’t mean he is or isn’t autistic, it just means he’s too young and you don’t know what the future holds.

As for supporting him - I think the vast majority of things you might do to support an autistic child, are in fact brilliant for all children. Perhaps look at it from that angle.

It's just way too early to say.

These things could develop and you could auntie signs were always there.

Or they could change.

Or they could change and hit all the milestones and still get diagnosed.

Just see where you are at 18 months/ 2 years etc.

It's so easy to get overwhelmed with milestones and comparisons with your first born but babies are so different. There are so many areas to develop and they can't do them all at once. Some babies walk at 10 months, some 17 months. Some are talking by 1 others closer to 3.

Good luck!

I can see why you are alert for signs OP.
There is a lady on tik tok with an autistic dd aged about 3. She is non verbal and does a lot of stimming with her hands.
The tiktokker has videos of her as a 6 month old with the same stim, just less clear. She says she knew then and no-one was interested.

The videos showing her development are actually fascinating.

BUT if they had had a diagnosis, would they have brought her up differently? Would they have changed their parenting? Probably not.

You parent in response to your child, so if they find change/transition hard then you scaffold them, giving them plenty of preparation and so on.

So personally I would stop looking for signs and instead look for how you can bring out the best in him and support him in his developement, and be brave if what works for him is not what other parents do, trust in your instincts.

@CinnamonHamster hi. How is your dc now?

Hi @N0tfinished May I ask if your ds2 had any diagnosis? Or it was just a developmental delay?

Hi, yes he’s Autistic with a moderate intellectual disability

As a Speech and Language Therapist, I’d be mainly looking at gesture use at this age rather than sounds produced/babbling. It’s really encouraging that he is waving and clapping. Keep trying to model more gestures to him, particularly pointing!

Hi! My son is now three years three months. He did not speak until 20 months and was under SLT. He is now bright, happy and sociable, he loves asking people questions. We discovered that his tonsils were too large and have affected his tongue position, thus affecting his speech. This was amended through steroid treatment however, he still struggles with a range of sounds.

He is still maxing percentiles, is very loud, has erratic sleep and still loves cars or things that spin. He has a very strong interest in numbers. We have recently moved and are waiting for our new Health Visitor to come for her first visit next week - our last HV continued to not be worried. A friend suggested we may be looking at ADHD recently, but I will wait to see what the professionals say as he approaches school age!