Paediatrician

[Blues1]

Hi

I know this is a bit of a long shot but are there any paediatricians that would be willing to talk to me?

@Blues1

Hi

I know this is a bit of a long shot but are there any paediatricians that would be willing to talk to me?

Anyone? Feeling pretty desperate

I doubt you’ll have a paediatrician hanging around on these boards to give advice.

What do you need help with?

@danni0509

I doubt you’ll have a paediatrician hanging around on these boards to give advice.

What do you need help with?

Hi thanks for your reply.

I've posted a little on the behaviour & development page about this but I'm convinced my 7.5 month DS has autism. I know a lot of people will say it's too young to tell but reading threads of parents with autistic children when they're asked when looking back retrospectively could you spot the signs, and a lot of that fits with what I'm seeing with my son. I know googling and watching videos aren't your best friend sometimes but maybe it's my parents instinct? I've just got a gut feeling something isn't quite right. I'd love to talk to someone even to put my mind at rest but I know JLR hate hard. Im thinking about privately seeing a paediatrician, really to see if I'm being silly or they also share my concerns.

We first had concerns ds had autism when he was 6 months (he’s nearly 8 years old now and is diagnosed) would you like me to tell you what symptoms Ds had at that age?

@danni0509

We first had concerns ds had autism when he was 6 months (he’s nearly 8 years old now and is diagnosed) would you like me to tell you what symptoms Ds had at that age?

Yes, sure. The first thing I noticed was this scratching motion he does with his hands, like he always has to be scratching something and it's more the type of ratchet like action that he does, this was around 5 months, I will add at this age he was very smiley with us, I felt like he wanted to connect with you at that point. He reacted to us making sounds etc too.

Over the last couple of months his eye contact I think has got worse, I mean I am looking out for it more.
When I'm carrying him he literally turns the other way, just looking at the world around him but not me.

He has this jerky action with his arms, like if he grabs your finger he'll push & pull away from himself in almost a mechanical action.

He's crawling now and if he wants something he makes sure he's getting it my water bottle for example, he'll knock it over and it's too big for him to grab so it rolls away he'll follow it across the room for ages till he gets hold of it. We thought "isn't he determined" but now I'm not so sure it's an early sign?

Sometimes he realises when I come home from work and he'll smile at me but others he'll take no notice.

Sorry for the long post.

@danni0509

We first had concerns ds had autism when he was 6 months (he’s nearly 8 years old now and is diagnosed) would you like me to tell you what symptoms Ds had at that age?

Sorry I miss read your reply didn't i

Yes please, if you don't mind

Thank you!

Hi. So when ds was a baby he didn’t give any eye contact, used to look over your shoulder rather than at your face, we went to baby groups and he was always lacking behind the others with his development, last to sit / crawl / walk etc. Was always behind on the health visitor check ups.

He never used to like standing up because he hated his feet on the carpet (sensory) used to curl his feet up so he didn’t have to stand his feet on the floor, he used to squeal all the time and flap his hands always really excited, I have videos of him as a baby and he’s nothing like other babies, he was always really hyper even as a baby never kept still always rolling / moving / kicking his legs frantically. I first started googling around 5 months and autism kept coming up, I ignored it as he was young but by the time he was 18 months it was very obvious and the ladies who ran the baby group / health visitor had started to pay more attention, he didn’t wave / point / clap, no shared attention, didn’t understand any simple instructions, used to walk on tip toes from the day he could walk (he was sent to Sheffield children’s hospital at a year old as they thought he had a problem with his feet, he still full time toe walks now at 7.5 and has to wear special shoes) he was referred at 25 months and diagnosed with autism at 3 yrs 10 months.

People say under a year is too early to tell but not in my experience, but that’s probably rare for symptoms to show so early. Most people start to notice around 2 or 3 years old if not later.

I would just keep an eye on the situation for now, I doubt anyone will take anything seriously with your ds only being 7.5 months (I mentioned it to my hv at 9 month check and she wasn’t interested, she only became concerned around 18 months and even then didn’t refer him anywhere until he was 25 months) if it makes you feel better you could mention it, maybe give your health visitor a call.

Does he go to nursery or anything with you saying you work etc?

To be honest the things you put on the first post wouldn’t of worried me too much if that’s any peace of mind?

@danni0509

Hi. So when ds was a baby he didn’t give any eye contact, used to look over your shoulder rather than at your face, we went to baby groups and he was always lacking behind the others with his development, last to sit / crawl / walk etc. Was always behind on the health visitor check ups.

He never used to like standing up because he hated his feet on the carpet (sensory) used to curl his feet up so he didn’t have to stand his feet on the floor, he used to squeal all the time and flap his hands always really excited, I have videos of him as a baby and he’s nothing like other babies, he was always really hyper even as a baby never kept still always rolling / moving / kicking his legs frantically. I first started googling around 5 months and autism kept coming up, I ignored it as he was young but by the time he was 18 months it was very obvious and the ladies who ran the baby group / health visitor had started to pay more attention, he didn’t wave / point / clap, no shared attention, didn’t understand any simple instructions, used to walk on tip toes from the day he could walk (he was sent to Sheffield children’s hospital at a year old as they thought he had a problem with his feet, he still full time toe walks now at 7.5 and has to wear special shoes) he was referred at 25 months and diagnosed with autism at 3 yrs 10 months.

People say under a year is too early to tell but not in my experience, but that’s probably rare for symptoms to show so early. Most people start to notice around 2 or 3 years old if not later.

I would just keep an eye on the situation for now, I doubt anyone will take anything seriously with your ds only being 7.5 months (I mentioned it to my hv at 9 month check and she wasn’t interested, she only became concerned around 18 months and even then didn’t refer him anywhere until he was 25 months) if it makes you feel better you could mention it, maybe give your health visitor a call.

Does he go to nursery or anything with you saying you work etc?

To be honest the things you put on the first post wouldn’t of worried me too much if that’s any peace of mind?

Thanks for sharing this!

When you say no eye contact do you zero or was there some? My DS does do it sometimes but I definitely think it's got worse over the last couple of months, he does have fairly flappy arms but most babies do don't they?

He's not at nursery yet, my wife is still on maternity leave. He goes to little classes with her but I've not been to any so can't really compare him to others. My wife doesn't know how I feel, I don't want to make her upset. I think she knows they I suspect something but she plays it down saying he's teething/tired/hungry etc.

My DS sat at 6.5 months and has just started crawling this week at 7.5 months so seems on track in that respect. Another thing I forgot to mention is that he really likes to squeeze my or his mums skin, really digging his nails into our face/neck or back of the arm and slaps me in the face a lot when I'm trying Uk get him asleep.

To be honest, I just don't feel like he's wanting to connect with us, he doesn't laugh all that much anymore as much has he did anyway

Yes babies deffo do flap arms normally, my nephew is 4 months and does, what I meant is ds used to do nothing but flap him arms. So for example at baby group other babies would be sat and ds would be sat but flapping his hands and he would do it forcefully and would fall backwards kind of thing, the other parents used to stare at him. My family used to comment on it too so It’s then I thought it probably wasn’t normal as he used to draw quite a lot of attention, he would of been around 8/9 months old at this point. He’s still really flappy now I often think he’s about to take off

With the eye contact, he used to look at us but it was more over our shoulder than into our eyes. His eye contact is fine now though.

Your ds sounds absolutely fine developmentally with his sitting / crawling.

@danni0509

Yes babies deffo do flap arms normally, my nephew is 4 months and does, what I meant is ds used to do nothing but flap him arms. So for example at baby group other babies would be sat and ds would be sat but flapping his hands and he would do it forcefully and would fall backwards kind of thing, the other parents used to stare at him. My family used to comment on it too so It’s then I thought it probably wasn’t normal as he used to draw quite a lot of attention, he would of been around 8/9 months old at this point. He’s still really flappy now I often think he’s about to take off

With the eye contact, he used to look at us but it was more over our shoulder than into our eyes. His eye contact is fine now though.

Your ds sounds absolutely fine developmentally with his sitting / crawling.

His sitting and crawling seem fine. Like I say the eye contact and lack of interest in people is the main concern for me. Also just today really I'm Noticing he doesn't want me to touch his hands, he pulls them away and cries

Maybe if you’re worried have a chat with your wife and bring it up at your ds next check up, (not sure what checks you have in your area?) we had one at 9 months then around 18 months, if no checks are due do you have drop in baby weigh clinics you / your wife could flag it?

See what they recommend, which will be more than likely be a wait and see type approach given his age. But at the very least you will have voiced your concerns.

@danni0509

Maybe if you’re worried have a chat with your wife and bring it up at your ds next check up, (not sure what checks you have in your area?) we had one at 9 months then around 18 months, if no checks are due do you have drop in baby weigh clinics you / your wife could flag it?

See what they recommend, which will be more than likely be a wait and see type approach given his age. But at the very least you will have voiced your concerns.

It's really tough to bring up with my wife, I think she's in the "I'm not even entertaining the ideas" that somethings up.. I keep going in between doubting myself, letting my anxiety let me see what it wants me to see, putting 2+2 together and getting 10 and no, I know what I've seen. My heads in such a spin, I can't think straight. Can I ask how your DS is now?

It’s really common for one parent to be in denial (perhaps where your wife is), or not to see the issues but usually it’s the dad as they often aren’t the ones seeing the dc alongside peers, or have less experience with young children. For a while my dh would just talk about how there was such a wide range of normal, which is true of course but some things are not typical, especially for more than a short phase. For our son, as he got older it became more obvious and he was diagnosed just before he turned four. I started talking about it when he was two.

Ultimately autism is about social communication difficulties with repetitive behaviour, to the point where it impacts everyday life. At 7 months it’s really early but keep notes on what you notice that is different or unusual and discuss it at his routine check-ups. In the meantime, enjoy him and spend lots of time with him. Look up intensive interaction and floor time. There’s lots you can do that will benefit him whether he turns out to be autistic or not.

@openupmyeagereyes

It’s really common for one parent to be in denial (perhaps where your wife is), or not to see the issues but usually it’s the dad as they often aren’t the ones seeing the dc alongside peers, or have less experience with young children. For a while my dh would just talk about how there was such a wide range of normal, which is true of course but some things are not typical, especially for more than a short phase. For our son, as he got older it became more obvious and he was diagnosed just before he turned four. I started talking about it when he was two.

Ultimately autism is about social communication difficulties with repetitive behaviour, to the point where it impacts everyday life. At 7 months it’s really early but keep notes on what you notice that is different or unusual and discuss it at his routine check-ups. In the meantime, enjoy him and spend lots of time with him. Look up intensive interaction and floor time. There’s lots you can do that will benefit him whether he turns out to be autistic or not.

Thank you so much for you advice, I'll definitely look into that. Like you say I can help either way. I really hope your little boy is getting ok.

I honestly think my wife is not entertaining the idea because it will make her upset. I understand that but also we need to be realistic. If my concerns turn out to be something then I'd want him to get help at the Earliest possible moment

@Blues1 hi any update on your son?

[quote Mas05]@Blues1 hi any update on your son?[/quote]
Hi, yes my son is doing really well now thank you. I've realised when I look back on these posts I was really suffering with anxiety a lot which had a huge affect on what I was/wasn't seeing with my son. He's 16 months now and I don't really have any concerns with him, he has good understanding for his age and he's saying a good few words now too. I'm sorry if this doesn't help you much? Hope all is well with you. Take care

@Blues1 aww bless him, its great that he is doing really well. Thanks for your response