Hi basically I'm very worried my 18 month old is showing signs of ASD. I'm just wanting to hear from mums who have children with this to hear their thoughts on my daughter. I do have her on a waiting list for a paediatrician etc. It's just such a long wait and I just want to speak to people who have been through this.
The signs I'm concerned about are
Minimum eye contact it's very rare she looks me in the eye and if I try to get her to she looks at anything but me as if she's uncomfortable with it.
I began thinking she had hearing problems when she was 10 months old as she stopped responding to her name. I have been to two hearing tests with her now and it's been inconclusive as she won't look every time they played the sound. The specialist really doesn't think it's hearing issues as she has witnessed her hearing me just fine. Also if she is in hallway or another room if she hears music from one of her favourite films she comes running in and goes straight to tv where she will be mesmerised. Also to get her to look at me I have to sing a certain part of a song she loves, she instantly looks at me no matter what she's doing.
I can have tv on and she will not be one bit interested unless it's certain films or programmes then she will sit and watch the entire thing. A bomb could go off and she would not notice.
It always seems like she's in her own world or in a bubble. Her head is always down she's never looking around her if that makes sense? She rarely notices when someone comes into my house.
Very very fussy with food. She has a dairy allergy too so is on limited food as is. Everything has to be dry. She stopped letting me spoon feed her when she was 9 months old but has recently let me do it now and again. She cannot use a spoon or fork to feed herself. She also can't be given a plate as she will tip the food out no matter how many times I try to show her not to ( which is so difficult to do as she never makes eye contact with me)
She has 3 words. Mostly babbles. She gets obsessed with a word says it constantly and then never uses it again like she forgets. She is also very loud screeches when happy screeches when sad.
She can't shake her head, nod, wave or point. She screams if she wants something so I have to guess. She also has no understanding of any instructions at all. She never brings me toys or looks at me to see if I'm watching her play etc. If I point to something she stares at my finger.
She does not play with other children, in fact she's not interested in them full stop. She prefers playing alone. I take her to a mother and toddlers 3 times per week which she loves but if any children touch her she screams the place down. She has no imaginary place it's just random parts of toys she likes like a wheel etc, she gets a random toy like a plastic card from her till and will run about with it in her hands. At the mother and toddlers she never joins in with the singing and dancing at all.
She hates affection or to be held. My family still can't get cuddles from her as she screams although if they pick her up to swing her about she absolutely loves this and would let you throw her about all day.
She runs back and forth for ages loves to do this. Also if I'm sat on the floor trying to play with her she runs around me in circles looking at me from the side of her eyes smiling. She walks flat footed but does go on her tip toes too she does mostly run though. I have noticed she walks inwards though.
She climbs and climbs and climbs, especially on me all day she does this now. And when I try and get her to stop she will keep going and going and going. There's no emotion on her face at all other than sheer determination.
She screams if she doesn't get her way but this is mostly all day and she wants things she can't have (I do know this is normal for a toddler though)
Her sleeping is not the best either she will either do 10 hours which is fab or up on the hour every hour or she will be awake for hours during the night.
Mouths everything for example grass but yet if you give her food to try she shuts her eyes and shudders.
She also doesn't understand to tip her bottle up when drinking milk. I have to lie her right back to do it. Although she can drink from her sippy cup fine.
At her 1 year assessment she scored zero for social skills and communication. My health visitor instantly referred me to a speech therapist who has been working with us and does see why I'm concerned about autism. Side note my brother has ASD. As I said above she's on a waiting list to be seen by a paediatrician but it probably won't be till after Christmas. I just always doubt myself even though I've had a gut feeling since she was around 10 months old something isn't right. I should also add she did have good eye contact, some words and was mimicking till around the 10 month mark and she stopped doing it all.
Any insight or opinions anyone has will be really appreciated.
Thanks x