Q. I have a 13 month old boy. He is very healthy and happy. I always have this fear inside me about him having autism. As far as the milestones go he is right on track, but having friends with autistic children I often worry. It is becoming so common among children. What are some good signs? I read that turning wheels on cars is one, which my son does all the time. Does anyone elses infant do this, or display any signs of something you worry about?
A. Our son has autism and was diagnosed at 2.5 years.
The signs he had when he was a baby:
-Not making eye contact.
-Glaring at us, not smiling back when we smiled at him.
-Temper tantrums- starting early on. They were awful from the time he was 9 months old. At 13 months, he would tantrum for over an hour- AN HOUR...no matter what we did we could not get him "off" of what he was fixated on.
-No babbling at all.
-Lack of speech- he started to say mama at 12 months and then that was it until he turned 2.5 years.
-Aversions to change and to new situations. Taking him to the mall at X-Mas would set him off because of all the lights, people, etc. He was overstimulated. We attributed this to him having stranger anxiety.
Wheels on cars: our son's first fascination was with cars and trucks. If it had wheels, he was amazed. From the time he was about 15 months old, he was lining up his toys. I would play with him and purposely turn one of his cars in the wrong direction and he would see it after a time, and change it. He studied his cars and trucks. When he was 3, his fascination became Tornado's. Then, dinosaurs. We are on Lego's right now. He is building these amazing Lego cities.
The good news: Turning wheels on cars is normal. Our baby does this, and it's to see how they work. She is not autistic at all. There is a 10 year age gap between the 2 children. It's like starting over in every way possible because she doesn't have outrageous tantrums. If we take something away, we hand her something else (as we did with him) and she is fine. He was not.
He is 11 now and a delight.
I watched very carefully when she was younger and worried, but she is hitting all of her milestones on time. She is talking in 2 word sentences now- Hi daddy, Hi kitty, etc. She says, "See it..." she has a huge vocabulary. She is 16 months old now.
I would try not to worry as much. Enjoy your baby.
We knew something was wrong with our son when he was a baby. I couldn't get anyone to listen: 11 years ago, autism was considered rare. We were referred to a therapist because of his tantrums and the lack of speech. He was diagnosed at 2 years and 3 months old and started OT, PT, speech, and play therapy at that time, so he is doing well. He is mainstreamed in the regular classroom with an aide for him.
We tested his IQ at 8 years of age- and he tested out at 130. I thought, "Ok, that is pretty good...". Then I was told most adults top out between 100 and 120- and he was only 8! I cannot answer his questions anymore- they are very high level and they are sometimes hypothetical without an answer. He demands an answer: so we spend a lot of time googling. He reads college textbooks in science for enjoyment but cannot focus on say a Harry Potter book. He is an amazing kid!
Good luck to you!
The signs he had when he was a baby:
-Not making eye contact.
-Glaring at us, not smiling back when we smiled at him.
-Temper tantrums- starting early on. They were awful from the time he was 9 months old. At 13 months, he would tantrum for over an hour- AN HOUR...no matter what we did we could not get him "off" of what he was fixated on.
-No babbling at all.
-Lack of speech- he started to say mama at 12 months and then that was it until he turned 2.5 years.
-Aversions to change and to new situations. Taking him to the mall at X-Mas would set him off because of all the lights, people, etc. He was overstimulated. We attributed this to him having stranger anxiety.
Wheels on cars: our son's first fascination was with cars and trucks. If it had wheels, he was amazed. From the time he was about 15 months old, he was lining up his toys. I would play with him and purposely turn one of his cars in the wrong direction and he would see it after a time, and change it. He studied his cars and trucks. When he was 3, his fascination became Tornado's. Then, dinosaurs. We are on Lego's right now. He is building these amazing Lego cities.
The good news: Turning wheels on cars is normal. Our baby does this, and it's to see how they work. She is not autistic at all. There is a 10 year age gap between the 2 children. It's like starting over in every way possible because she doesn't have outrageous tantrums. If we take something away, we hand her something else (as we did with him) and she is fine. He was not.
He is 11 now and a delight.
I watched very carefully when she was younger and worried, but she is hitting all of her milestones on time. She is talking in 2 word sentences now- Hi daddy, Hi kitty, etc. She says, "See it..." she has a huge vocabulary. She is 16 months old now.
I would try not to worry as much. Enjoy your baby.
We knew something was wrong with our son when he was a baby. I couldn't get anyone to listen: 11 years ago, autism was considered rare. We were referred to a therapist because of his tantrums and the lack of speech. He was diagnosed at 2 years and 3 months old and started OT, PT, speech, and play therapy at that time, so he is doing well. He is mainstreamed in the regular classroom with an aide for him.
We tested his IQ at 8 years of age- and he tested out at 130. I thought, "Ok, that is pretty good...". Then I was told most adults top out between 100 and 120- and he was only 8! I cannot answer his questions anymore- they are very high level and they are sometimes hypothetical without an answer. He demands an answer: so we spend a lot of time googling. He reads college textbooks in science for enjoyment but cannot focus on say a Harry Potter book. He is an amazing kid!
Good luck to you!
What are some signs of autism in infants, for people who have an autistic child?
Q. We are concerned about our son and have been researching it, but havent found anything specifically about toddlers behaviors. Mainly just yournger children.
I meant toddler. Sorry.
I meant toddler. Sorry.
A. The most obvious symptom is delayed speech. Normal speech development is babbling by 6 months, first words by 1 year, 40-50 words and putting words together by 2 years. It's okay to be a little behind average, but being excessively behind could be cause for concern. In the case of Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, there is no speech delay, which makes it harder to detect in early childhood. Many doctors will not diagnosed Asperger's before age 4-5.
Other symptoms may be very subtle and difficult to distinguish from normal toddler behavior - toddlers aren't exactly known for their social grace! And the presentation of symptoms will vary from person to person. That said, here are some things to look out for:
- little interest in communication or other children
- lack of eye contact
- indifference to facial expressions and tone of voice
- little or no pointing
- difficulty taking turns
- less responsive to his name
- little or no imaginative play, alone or with others
- obsessive interests or fixations (a TV show or book, for example)
- repetitive or compulsive behavior (such as lining up toys)
- need for routine and sameness
- poor motor coordination
- slow to reach motor milestones like crawling and walking
- sensory sensitivities
- negative reaction to certain seemingly harmless stimuli (being cuddled, certain food textures, some fabrics, etc.)
- easily overwhelmed in highly stimulating places like grocery stores. This may lead to meltdowns or becoming withdrawn.
Other symptoms may be very subtle and difficult to distinguish from normal toddler behavior - toddlers aren't exactly known for their social grace! And the presentation of symptoms will vary from person to person. That said, here are some things to look out for:
- little interest in communication or other children
- lack of eye contact
- indifference to facial expressions and tone of voice
- little or no pointing
- difficulty taking turns
- less responsive to his name
- little or no imaginative play, alone or with others
- obsessive interests or fixations (a TV show or book, for example)
- repetitive or compulsive behavior (such as lining up toys)
- need for routine and sameness
- poor motor coordination
- slow to reach motor milestones like crawling and walking
- sensory sensitivities
- negative reaction to certain seemingly harmless stimuli (being cuddled, certain food textures, some fabrics, etc.)
- easily overwhelmed in highly stimulating places like grocery stores. This may lead to meltdowns or becoming withdrawn.
Why is my 7 month old baby so emotionless and mean?
Q. She is 7 months old. She doens't like to be with me. She won't hug me or give kisses. She get frustrated VERY easily and hits her toys. She won't let me hug her. It's as if she were indifferent around me, or anyone else for that matter. Is this normal behavior for an infant?
A. baby is not suppose to be emotionless babies for a very strong bond with the person who takes care of them most, an emotionless baby is def. a sign of autism
Among the early signs and symptoms that parents and Pediatricians look for to alert them that a child needs further evaluation for autism include:
•not smiling by six months of age
•not babbling, pointing or using other gestures by 12 months
•not using single words by age 16 months
•not using two word phrases by 24 months
•having a regression in development, with any loss of language or social skills
Infants with autism might also avoid eye contact, and as they get older, act as if they are unaware of when people come and go around them
Among the early signs and symptoms that parents and Pediatricians look for to alert them that a child needs further evaluation for autism include:
•not smiling by six months of age
•not babbling, pointing or using other gestures by 12 months
•not using single words by age 16 months
•not using two word phrases by 24 months
•having a regression in development, with any loss of language or social skills
Infants with autism might also avoid eye contact, and as they get older, act as if they are unaware of when people come and go around them
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