Worried about my 1 year olds development. Early signs of Autism?

[WorriedMama101]

Hello everyone, hope you're all well.
The subject pretty much explains everything. I am very very worried about my LO's development in particular his communication. He literally has no words, no clapping (he did used to clap when we asked but seems to have forgotten), not waving etc.

He doesn't seem to be alert and is very, very, quiet that you can forget he's in the room. My other children were not like this and definitely had words (I've even watched videos back of them being so vocal). My health visitor is aware and has referred him for a hearing test though I know he hears as he immediately turns when we start singing nursery rhymes to him.

I guess I am wondering if anyone who has children on the spectrum or who have gone through this are able to tell me if they knew by this age? and if they went on to develop autism? What other signs were there and/or if there were similar signs but didn't develop it. Sorry if I am not making sense. I would just like some honest advice. Thank you

I have posted before. But posting in the section for some more replies.

Your health visitor needs to refer to peadatrics

My one year old is very similar but also doesn't even sit up roll stand or move much my child also has microcephaly and severe body hypotonia also she can't eat lumps she is still on formula and gags regularly can't tolerate new tastes well and refuses alot of food

One year old has been seen by peadatrics and is under alot of specialist like
Physiotherapy muscle team dietician peads

Does he understand what you say and follow your interest ? If you pointed to something in surprise would he share your interest? Does he track social interaction? Does he respond to everyday events with social interest ?

@Mother2princess Physically he seems to be doing okay, though isn't walking just yet. My other children didn't walk until 14-15 months so I am not too concerned about this.
My HV is aware but from what I've read a hearing test always comes first before they'll refer for anything else. I will try and push for a paedatric referral.

@willowthecat I don't really think there is much understanding there. He seems to be in his own world. Responding to his name is hit and miss and I feel like even his babble isn't a normal babble if that makes sense. Like monotone.

Is there anything interim I can do - whilst we wait for a hearing test? (there's a 5 month wait for this in my area)

You could attempt private therapy yes my 4 year old didn't walk till 3 and I also have 2 other sen children

@Mother2princess Could I ask what other signs did you notice in your children at this age? My LO also hand flaps when excited (this also worries me).

It sounds like you are in the early stages of getting a screening assessment if you have been referred for a hearing test. You haven't noted any problems with hearing - he turns to hear a nursery rhyme so it will likely be a tick box exercise to rule out hearing problems. Make sure to push for the next step which should be a referral to a child development centre to look at his development in more detail. Unless you change your mind, don't be fobbed off with the 'wait and see' approach. In the meantime, I would recommend looking on You Tube at the Hanen More Than Words approach - just put Hanen More Than Words as search terms. It is an approach used with babies and toddlers with communication delays. It is a way to use nursery rhymes, songs and games to engage attention and to use them to create communication opportunities and to help parents find ways to get more purposeful interaction with their child. I think you will find it useful no matter what the outcome is

@willowthecat Thank you for the advice. I will push for them to see my LO at a child development centre. I didn't realise there was even a centre where they even did checks. My HV hasn't mentioned anything.
I have also recently bought the more than words book too, but will also look through some of those videos too x

Social communication is about so much more than actually speaking. Pre language, neurotypical children will want to share their world with you. Before they can talk, they will point out things of interest to their care-givers. This is called 'joint attention'.

The lack of pointing is one of the earliest red flags for autism. A neurotypical child of around 18 months will start pointing out things they see and then looking at the care giver to 'check/share' the experience.

My DS never, ever did this and he went on to be diagnosed with autism.
There is something called the M-Chat test (you can Google it) that's worth looking at. It's suitable for toddlers from around 18 months.

My DS never brought toys to show me and he wouldn't engage in games like 'peek-a-boo'. These all indicate social communication concerns - probably more than lack of speech with an under 3.

@Toomanyminifigs Thank you for your message. I have also read how important joint attention and pointing is. My LO has just recently turned 1. The worries I have about him are (My HV is aware of these):
. Gestures - Not reaching out to be picked up just hand flaps, No clapping, waving or pointing.
.Hand flapping when excited (he does this a lot)
.Rocks back and forth when in a crawling position (not all the time but at least once a day)
. Very quiet and easily drifts off in to his own world
. Responding to his name and eye contact is hit and miss
. Doesn't play with toys appropriately - as in just wants to smash them together. Also he does not bring toys to give to me or show me.
. No real words or babbling

Can I ask if there were any other signs you noticed in your LO?

My DS is 11 now so I'm trying to think back to his early years. I do remember they were tough! I only have one DC so in hindsight, I don't think I really realised how 'different' he was.

I knew 'something' was up from around six months though. I remember he would stare past people and never copied facial gestures or hand movements. He wasn't interested in the 'peek-a-boo' type games.

I started raising concerns with the health visitor but to be honest, mine was pretty useless. It wasn't until around 2 that anyone started to really listen to my concerns.

He was also really funny about eating (still is). Had huge issues around textures of food. He also hated loud noises - things like hoovers and hand-driers in toilets. Took us years to toilet train him. Wasn't interested.

He wasn't too late to walk - a bit on the late stage of average. But he never crawled. Children on the spectrum often don't crawl apparently, which is interesting.

My DS didn't speak a word until around 3.5 years. Actually, I remember now that he never babbled or made any speech-like sounds at all.
Having said that though, once he started talking, he was speaking in full sentences in about two weeks - and now he doesn't stop talking!

I completely understand why you're worried - especially as you have other children so know a lot more about child development than I did. It's good to get a hearing test booked in.

I don't know if you have a Surestart nursery near you. My DS went from 2 and they were brilliant. He accessed speech and language via them and the SENCO helped get my DS on the pathway for an autism diagnosis.
My DS has something called Portage. A lady came to our house once a week to play with DS from around 18 months. She showed me various games to try and help with DS's development. I'm not sure if it's still available but definitely worth asking your health visitor.

Do post back if you have any specific questions or concerns, there are some really knowledgeable, helpful people here. We're all on this journey together!

I agree that the M Chat test is a good way to get more insight into how babies/toddlers should be sharing attention even if they are not speaking. My ds is 17 now so it's going back a bit. I was not as aware as you as my ds was my first child and I had no experience of child development. I began to suspect that all was not well around 12 months when his 'development' seemed to plateau and he did not meet any of the milestones suggested by any guide I read. Everyone was full of re assurance though and I was told constantly not to worry and not to compare etc etc. You have really well to get some action going at such a young age and make sure to keep up the pressure to get a fuller assessment. If you raise the autism concern first, the professionals may be more willing to discuss the possibility with you though they may use coded language like 'communication disorder' rather than autism. My ds was very much in his own world, did not respond to speech, did not appear to hear or understand speech. He could not play with toys and had no attention span. He also used my hand as a tool to get what he wanted rather than his own hand. I used to think it was cute until I realised no other toddler was doing it and I wondered why there was nothing in mainstream toddler books about it !

www.autismspeaks.org/screen-your-child

I'd forgotten about the 'leading by the hand' thing @willowthecat! My DS used to do that all the time!
He'd pull me along by the hand and then put my hand on the thing that he wanted. That is also a red flag for autism.

Using toys in an usual manner is another thing - like lining them up or just endlessly spinning the wheels of a toy car.

Having said all that, the signs for autism can be quiet subtle and just because a DC does some of them doesn't always mean they're on the spectrum. An autism diagnosis is carried out between 2-3 highly qualified people at least. There are very particular things they're looking for.

@Toomanyminifigs @willowthecat Thank you for sharing information about your DS's. I appreciate it was a long time ago. I also forgot to mention I have a nephew (aged 9) who has severe autism (if that's the right way to say it?) and is completely non verbal. So I think that's why my HV has been a little more understanding. I honestly feel like I've known 'something isn't right' from about two months when he didn't make eye contact or smile but everyone thought I was overthinking it all and even now they think I am. But I guess I will have to wait and see what the hearing test comes back with and hope that my HV makes those referrals pronto.

I have asked my HV to refer to Portage (I know you can self refer but I just think I might be 'heard' if the referral comes from a professional). I will also take a look at my nearest surestart and see what they are offering. I'm literally willing to take all the help I can.
I have read so much about early intevention being SO SO important but I feel like when you are in the early stages - there is not much help if that makes sense, especially interim.

Thank you so much to the both of you for all of your advice x

My ds walked at 16 months. He commando crawled at 12 months and after a few weeks moved on to typical crawling. He was always verbal and engaged but there was a lack of joint attention and his development just wasn’t at the same trajectory as his peers. We had a lot of echolalia, alongside his own speech, from maybe two to four. He was diagnosed just before he turned four.

If you’re looking for early intervention then at this age I’d recommend an intensive interaction approach and there’s a book called An early start for your child with autism which is about using everyday activities to help engage them.

How is his receptive language? Have you tried any makaton with him?

@openupmyeagereyes Thank you so much for your message and your book recommendation.
I've not tried any Makaton with him but will give it a go as well as the intensive interaction you mentioned.
If you don't mind answering - How is your son doing now and how old is he?

@WorriedMama101
My ds is now 7.5 and he's terrific. We absolutely have some tricky areas but overall he's doing great, developing and learning as all children do. He's emotionally slightly behind his peers as well as academically but he's bright and generally a happy little boy.

Enjoy your child. Use his interests to engage with him and help him develop skills. Read to him, play with him and enforce boundaries that you want in place early on. Always let him know what to expect by talking things through with him and showing him now & next pictures if that helps more (you can Google now and next boards and visual timetables).

Oh and we have joint attention by the bucket now. Sometimes only relating to something he's interested in rather than something we are but that's ok!

@WorriedMama101 how is your son doing now?

@WorriedMama101 hi how is your little boy doing now? Xx

• hyperactive in womb
• terrible sleeper, reflux, distressed by everything as a young baby, needed to be held all the time
• spoke at 6m, then quiet until started parroting full poems and books!
• progressed to be able to communicate, but no proper reciprocal conversation until 4/5.
• accents, high pitched voice
• late to toilet train
• lots of sensory issues
• food issues
• late walker (15m)
• clumsy (multiple head injuries as couldn’t coordinate putting hands out)

Oops just realised this is a very old thread!! Hopefully my contribution will help others x