ASD early signs?

[catherinea1971]

Hi all, I don't post very often but could do with a bit of insight about my dd2 aged 13.2 months.
Bit of background, my ds (nearly 4) was diagnosed just over 12 months ago with ASD, I also have a dss (18) with a diagnosis of AS+ADHD, I also have DD1 from (different father) who is NT.
Dd2 was not a good feeder from birth, I had to stop BF as she was not interested and didn't seem to like to snuggle in to feed, I started bottle feeding after a couple of weeks and she was a little better although was more comfortable looking away when she fed. As she got a bit older she would feed whilst her back was arched?!?!?!? This caused many comments as it did look very strange!!

She suffered with reflux and a fair bit of projectile vomiting, this was helped with gaviscon.
She was never a baby who liked to be cuddled but always has had good eye contact.
She started handflapping fairly early if excited mostly but for no reason at times.

She has stroked her hair from the time she was able to control her hands and arms, she also likes to stroke other peoples hair.
Weaning was a nightmare as she would rarely take food fron a spoon until she was 8 months and even now is rarely that keen and much prefers to eat finger foods.
She does babble but not in a conversational type way IYKWIM, just to herself, she has no words at all.
We thought she would be walking by xmas as she started to stand from sitting unaided at 9 months, she is still no walking although she does take a couple of steps now and then.
Over the past couple of weeks she has started making a humming noise if she is on her own in her travel cot/play pen or in her pram or car seat, she doesn't seem to realise that she is doing it though, this is driving me mad to be honest and was distracting my dh when he was driving at the w/e.
There are probably loads of other things too I can't think right now (she's 'humming')!
I am not worried if she is going to go down a similar road to ds just want to be aware and ensure that I get her seen to early, just wondering if any of these behaviours strick a chord with any of you on here.

Apologies for the mega long post, thanks for reading my waffle for so long!!!

Cath :)

Nothing really jumps out at me - but so many of the symptoms are confusing at such a young age - I think I once read that if a baby does not (ever) turn head when name called at 12 months then it could be an early indication of ASD. Definitely keep an eye on things though - average age for first words is around 14/15 months

Thanks for the reply, she is like her brother when you say her name, he rarely responds. I think I am a bit focused on the speech as that was what started us on the road to ds's diagnosis, with him though as he was prem when he wasn't hitting his milestones we just put it down to him being born 8 weeks early.

TBH hand fallping and babbling are normal stages f a childs development but with ASD it continues past the normal stage.
I would say she is very young, and would be tempted to say wait and see, and enjoy her.
I would certainlykeep an eye on it and mention to HV at 2 year check if your still worried.

Thanks for the replies.
I am enjoying her, very much just curious really atm to be honest!
Ds's paed asked me at last app how dd was, I mentioned a few things and she just said to get her referred in a few months.
Just like ds she's not interested in doing stuff with us, she seems to prefer doing her own thing. Even my dh thinks she's going to be on the spectrum which is amazing as he has only very recently accepted that ds is even though its 2 years ago that ds started being assessed for ASD.
I will do the M-CHAT and see how she goes. :)

Hi, I'd say 13 months is too young to tell. Have a look at the NAS website at CHAT, checklist for autism in toddlers, but best not to dwell upon it until your DD is old enough for it at 18 months. link here There are 4 pages so scroll down. It might be that you shouldn't be trying it on your own DD because you might not be able to be detached enough to make it a 'proper' test, but if it was me I'd want all the facts.

My DS2 has ASD DX and DS3 is definitely on the spectrum but mildly enough not to need a DX. But like yourselves I was looking for signs all the time. Hopefully your DD will be NT but if not at least she has parents who are experienced and knowledgable and will love her whatever.

Sorry, hadn't read Leonie's post I've repeated that, really.

I had concerns well before my DS2 was 13m old.. in fact I thought he might be autistic from a few weeks old when he didn't smile... and was more interested in shiny lights... Everyone told me he was fine, all babies are different etc etc... at a year old he was flapping his hands in front of his eyes... he was physically delayed too and everyone put it down to that, but I was pretty sure it wasn't just that.. and I was RIGHT.

Having my feelings and concerns pooh poohed was intensely frustrating, and upsetting because like LeonieDelt my gut instinct was telling me there WAS a problem....

If someone had said 'you are probably right, lets keep a close eye and refer as soon as possible' I would have been happier and DS2 would have had more appropriate intervention!

On a personal note.. My DS2 also arched away continually when feeding and looked away... he was happiest when just left in peace..looking thro his fingers.... so yes it does sound very red flag-ish to me.

On the plus side he is now loving, and sociable in his own sweet way, and tho he didn't talk til he was 4+ he is now hideously verbal if you want to listen all about TV listings.....

hang in there and trust your instincts:)

Wow great way to make someone trying to help feel crap!

Thanks for all the replies, to be honest I'm not worried just curious, I believe what will be will be!
It just intrigues me looking at dd's development through a different perpective than I did with ds. I can look back at ds's development and think retrospectively that a lot of his behaviours were odd, but nothing jumped out at me at the time (consciously that is). So with dd I have my eyes wide open to be aware of any oddities!
I find this forum so helpful, hearing different parents talk of their experiences with children on the spectrum make me believe the 'professionals' are only scratching the surface of the Autistic spectrum, it must be a difficult dx for them to make in some instances. With my ds I think he was diagnosed fairly quickly (although it did take just under a year) because he had an older sibling with a dx. Also I am fortunate to live in a area that I am led to believe has the highest diagnostic rate in the country sot he paeds are fairly well versed on the condition. :)

And that's the opposite of my experience. DS2 had some very odd behaviours which I was in denial about. I watched DS3 really carefully and did observe (and still do) autistic behaviours but if I didn't know so much about it these days I would never have spotted anything suspect. DS3 is undiagnosed and will remain so I guess.

if you have concerns,would get a referral to pead,and in the meantime make a video of her doing her normal things,it really helps when you go for an appt to have video footage of what your concerns are.
it may also help in her future ,so you can look back and think,"well i know she did that at this age",i hope you don,t have anything to worry about,but like another poster said"trust your instincts".