autism Helps

Posts Tagged ‘Early’

Here is Jade at 24 months. She would flap just one hand, often absentmindedly. She also used to grind her teeth for hours. Notice the facial tic as she walks away. 2 cups of epsom salt in Jade's bath has eliminated all of the above.

This is an early sign of autism. Although Jade is now 35 months, this is one thing she has done since she regressed, at 18 months. Jade seems to do this when she gets emotionally overstimulated, either happy, or angry.

Here is Jade stacking blocks at 20 mos, 3 weeks before we discover she is autistic. Note the absence of eye contact, and lack of sharing her achievement with me, although I am very vocal, and seated right next to Jade. These are critical early signs of autism. Jade never lined things up, as some children with autism do, she enjoys stacking objects. Notice how Jade must continue to build, even while upset that her tower falls. At the end, she plays a song on a toy, the same song she would play each time she had successfully completed her tower. Each time, she would stand back, and stare at it, while the song played, (this is adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals, another early sign of autism) but not once, did Jade ever "show" me her tower. At the time, I had thought she simply inherited her daddy's superior engineering skills (which she has). Interestingly, in many studies by Simon Baron Cohen, researcher at Cambridge University, is was found that both fathers and grand-fathers of children with autism were found more than twice as often in the field of engineering, compared with fathers and grandfathers of other children. This link between autism and engineering may throw light not only on autism itself, but ultimately on the genetic basis of two essential human abilities: folk psychology and folk physics.

Jade would get so excited watching Elmo (still a favorite)! Jade would flap her arms so hard we thought if she had wings, she would take flight!

Babies later diagnosed with autism often have a larger than normal head circumference. Here are the peer reviewed studies for the naysayers- Head Circumference as an Early Predictor of Autism Symptoms in Younger Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Evidence of brain overgrowth in the first year of life in autism. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Magnetic resonance imaging and head circumference study of brain size in autism: birth through age 2 years. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Correlates of head circumference growth in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Clinical, morphological, and biochemical correlates of head circumference in autism. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Rate of head growth decelerates and symptoms worsen in the second year of life in autism. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Body length and head growth in the first year of life in autism. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Frank R. Cicero,MS, BCBA Director of Psychological Services Eden II School For Autistic Children www.thedoctorsvideos.com

I have 20 month old baby boy who as far back as October had a 12 word vocabulary. He does not say any more words, just babbling. He does not repeat anything. No mama or dada anymore. He always smiles, laughs, loves to play with other kids. I took him to our ped and she sent me for hearing test which he passed. The ped says he shows no signs of autism but could benefit with speech therapy. I called a program run through State of NJ called "Early Intervention" to see if I could arrange speech therapy. Now a team is coming here next week and another team the following day. I am being sent tons of paperwork and I have to give them all financial information as they do not take insurance and they will tell me what to pay. He will be evaluated by all differant therapists. I'm worried they will find things wrong that are not wrong. I just wanted to take him somewhere for speech therapy. Maybe I am being paranoid and should just give it a chance.

I have a five-month old son and, like most mothers, am concerned about autism. Currently my son tends to get very hyper at times to the point where he shakes with excitment. This could very well be normal baby behavior. He also seems to have a hard time settling down and getting comfortable for bed or naps, but eventually goes to sleep, though. I also need to mention that he is asthmatic and is on two types of pumps. This behavior could be an effect of the pumps, although I've heard conflicting feedback about the effects of albuterol (even from doctors). So my question is to the mothers of autistic children who have great insight, especially thinking in retrospect, of what the early signs were for thier children. Any information you could share would be greatly appreciated. I would much rather solicit this information from people who have experience, than to read and search through an enormous amount of internet information. I do understand also that I could just have a hyperactive kid

the therapist said he is slightly delayed and will be talking in a couple of months, I asked any signs of autism they siad with this score do not crazy I had to ask

Autism affects a variety of persons. This medical condition starts at birth but most parents will not become aware of the condition until the child is three years or older. What can a parent look for before the child reaches three?

It is really a concern. He does all kinds of things.
He is extremely hyper.
He can't focus
He is very loud
He can't remember simple rules (or he disobeys them)
He can't sit still
He mocks me
He seems simply uncontrollable.
My 1 1/2 year old is an angel compared to him.
I don't think it is my parenting skills. I have an extreme amount of patience. I just can't seem to get a grip on this child! I try to keep him busy with activities. I spend one on one time with him, I praise him for being good, I tell him how wonderful he is and how special he is to me, etc. I am sick of punishing him constantly for his bad behavior. I am consistant with it and it is very wearing because I am doing it all day.
I've ruled out autism. He shows no signs of that.

My niece is constantly walking around the house and she does not sit down to play with her toys. She touchs her toys here and there but never sits stitl for 5 or 10 mins to play with them. Her mother is behind her all the time because she is afraid her baby will fall. This is because her baby has very low blood counts, if she falls she will get bruised right away or bleeding without stopping. I noticed my cousin and her baby does not communicate all. When her baby is watching her favourite cartoon Dora The Explores, she shows no exictement nor laughing, expressions. She has Dora doll to hold when she sleeps but she never say the word "Dora" . She only says "Mama" and few words. It is so hard for me to see if she is happy or sad. It seems to me my cousin does not know about her baby's behaviours. Should I mention to her what I observe her baby and let she seeks adivses from doctors. Her baby was just dianogsed with a rare disease, so should I wait to mention to her.

im just a little paranoid b/c i notice that my baby who is now 11 month usually when playing with a toy or watching tv he will be so engaged in it that when i call his name, he wont turn to look at me. if he is alone or not looking at anything then if i call him or make a noise he will look at me and smile or come toward me. He also doesnt seem to know how to play with toys the way they should be played with--ie he doesnt roll a toy car, he'll hold it in his hand and flip it upside down...and also he doesnt know how to stack blocks or to put things into a container--he will take things out of a container but not put them in even if i show him how to do it; he doesnt know how to clap his hands although sometimes ill see him trying to do it--he doesnt clap with open hands--jsut puts his two fists together..and he doesnt know how to wave hi/bye ...im just a little worried--are these signs of autism or some other problem??

Just wondering if it is possible to notice symptoms of autism when your child is a few months old or when it can be diagnosed. What are the signs? I've seem a bit about it on the news recently and it has me interested. Thanks.

My 8 month old bayb boy is showing SERIOUS signs of autism. I cannot find any contact info for the early intervention agency. Can anyone help me out? i'm in Los Angeles

My 8 month old son is very energetic, never stops flapping his arms or kicking his legs, even in the highchair at dinner time. I am worried because although he makes great eye contact and smiles socially, he only responds to his name sporadically, gets bored easily and seems to be afraid of loud noises. He is meeting all of his other milestones like sitting up and trying to crawl. Although he babbles , he has not tried to say mama or dada etc nor does he seem to try to imitate your words or gestures. Should I have him further tested or am I being paranoid?

they like to play alone and will do the same play for a really long time. They are focused on what they are doing. They like to have two items that are similar if not exactly alike one in each hand. They may rock themselves.
Thats all I can think of.

he is ten months old and about 2 or 3 weeks ago started to head butt things and now he does it a lot and punches himself in the face and now he isnt going to bed as easily as he used to and wakes up in the middle of the night a lot where he used to fall asleep easily and only wake for food.....also when he is kind of excited he does this hand twisting kinda flapping thing....

My daughter is 11 months old and I don't know if it's just me being a crazy paranoid new mom or if something's off with her.
She can sort of say dada & mama (says it differently/unclearly and not too often). She does babble a lot, smiles, is very friendly, makes eye contact. What seems strange is that she flaps her hands when she gets excited sometimes, she isn't really saying any words yet, and every now and then (usually in the morning) she'll get into a little daze (for like 20 secs) staring at something until I get her attention & she snaps out of it, and when I "cry" or act upset she doesn't show sympathy/concern or get upset. Does this sound unusual, or is it just normal baby behavior?

He's almost 12 months old. Just curious if anyone has any insight... He used to say a few words (mamma, dadda, yum and baby) but now does not say anything. He does not wave or point. He does make eye contact and does respond to his name. I was thinking that maybe he stopped talking so that he could concentrate on walking but not sure if that makes sense or not. Obviously we are taking him in for his 12 month dr. visit in 2 weeks but just wanted to have any information from others that might have knowledge from personal expereince in the meantime.

I was just curious if anyone can answer some questions for me. My son is 8 months old. He usually does things a tad bit late. Currently, he can sit up, babble, laugh, make eye contact, giggle, etc. However, he still cannot roll over, crawl, get from laying to sittng or pull up. Also he really doesn't mimic at all. He used to LOVE to snuggle and suddenly he doesn't want to...he is more interested in his surroundings. He also flaps his wrists and twirls his feet when excited quite a bit. I am a former teacher who has seen a lot of autistic elementary school children...however, should I be worried about the symptoms I see in my baby? I know that babies sometimes tend to exhibit autistic behaviors even when normal. I took an on-line quiz and he only exhibited like 4 or 5 of the 20 symptoms. How can i stop obsessing??

My friends baby just turned a year old.
I went to her babies birthday party( I hadnt seen her baby in 6 months at this point), her baby didnt seem to smile or show much emotion really. When she looked at you, it seems like she looks right through you, it kind of scared me a bit. She never laughed or smiled when u talk to her or if shes playing with other kids or toys either.
She does laugh if u tickle her or make funny faces, and she cries if shes jealous or wants something. Is she possibly autistic at all or maybe shes just a real shy baby.

My son recently began attending a preschool where the parents volunteer weekly. I have noticed there is another boy, he is three, who exhibits very young behavior for a three year old. He does not talk at all, except once where I asked him if he wanted to paint, he repeated "to paint" and then refused once I tried to help him put a smock on. Any other time I have addressed him personally, ie using his name, he has not responded or even seemed to react. I had to grab his hand once to show him where the fountain was because he kept trying to drink out of other kids cups when it was not his time for a snack. He constantly seems to be trying to escape, even when his mom is volunteering (don't get me started on her.....she was not helping the situation or even paying attention), and I found him once in the teacher's workroom, not a safe place to be! All the parents are on alert so he doesn't try to get out, and I feel concerned that there may be more to this behavior than him just being young or not used to the environment. As a former teacher I do have some experience with autism/aspbergers syndrome, and it is early so I would have to say if he did have one, it would be mild.....any ideas for what may be going on? I also can get him to look at me when I raise my voice, so I have wondered if he needs a hearing test maybe? Let me know what you think?? Also, how to approach the subject tactfully with the teacher--she told the mom that her son was just acting very young. I would be concerned if I were the mother, and would want someone to tell me. Suggestions on what this may be and how to go about this?? Thanks!!

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/autism/l/…

I watched Oprah last week and I'm going to now be forever looking for signs of autism in my baby. :'( I really wish I hadn't even watched. But is it normal for a 6 month old to crawl around and smack the floor or other surfaces, like the bed, or toys? I think he likes the different sounds they make but is this an early sign? What can I do to prevent this?

Ok, if I am paranoid someone please tell me. Here's what has me concerned: My 13 month old son has never waved, but points all the time. He is fascinated by lights and will always point them out. About a month ago he learned how to flip the light switches on the wall and then he wanted to do it all the time for a couple weeks. Then he got over that and now he wants to flip the plastic face cover to our thermostat box all the time. He has always enjoyed toys that have spinning parts, and at times would spin the wheels, etc., but would still play with the toy as a whole, not just the wheels all the time. And, he has babbled "mama" and "dada" but not in specific reference to either one of us. About 2 months ago he said the word "hot" a few times and that was it - no more words. He does shows plenty of traits that are NOT symptoms of autism- such as he makes plenty of eye contact and loves being held. Am I just being a worry wart mom?

Go to Autismspeaks.org. They have videos, checklists, real stories, etc. If you suspect that your child may have autism please contact your pediatrician immediately so that you can visit with a professional (most likely developmental pediatrician) for a correct diagnosis. Early intervention is the key even for mild Autism. Another website is a the Autism Society.

My three week old baby avoids eye contact most of the time. Sometimes, she will look me in the eye for a second or two and then turn her head. Even if we are talking to her, making faces, etc. I have heard that this is an early sign of autism. Or is it normal for little babies like that to not focus on my eyes or face yet. This is my first baby, so I don't really know what they are supposed to do at this age yet and what is normal behavior.

I'm looking for someone with personal experience on this one. I'm wondering if there are any signs of autims as early as 6-7 months of age. If there are can you please describe them? I never been around babies before, so I'm not sure what the normal behavior of a 6-7 month old is.

I have a 9 week old son. I'm very worried that he might be showing early signs of autism. He doesn't really make eye contact. He does for a split second then looks away. And when I talk to him it seems like he stares at my mouth, not my eyes. Also he doesn't seem to look in the direction of noises. His hearing was tested at the hospital and he passed, plus he flinches to loud sounds. He seems to smile frequently but he also has a gas issue so I don't really know if they are "social" smiles. When I talk to him he does react as far as waving his arms and kicking his feet and he lets outs a coo every once in a while, again I'm not sure if this is gas related. He doesn't resist being cuddled as I have heard many autistic babies do. I have googled this and I've gotten mixed answers, but all of them say that you can notice signs as early as infancy. I guess I'm looking for personal experiences. Im just worried!

Well I first noticed with my son when he was 9 months old because I watched a programme about it and the child was displaying exactly the same behaviour. I did nothing about it until he went to school because at his 18 month and 3 year checks I was told all new mums were getting hysterical because of the MMR. I am sorry I didn't push it now because we had a horrendous time for those first few school years, he is nine now andjust settled into school.
With my daughter I was on the lookout from birth and we knew at 12 weeks there was a problem, because she was a very poor feeder - 1oz milk per hour, she would flail about everytime she had to be changed, and she had no sleep pattern whatsoever. By the time of her 18 month check she was pretty clumsy, totally unable to sit and concentrate, showing very rigid behaviour and having awful temper tanturms.
I think the children are born with it, and you just instinctively "know" as a parent they are different, because they don't play with toys properly, they tend to spin the wheels rather than push the car, they grunt rather than speak to you, they don't engage you in "look at the train mummy", they tend to cover their ears at some noises, like buses, they seem to flip into another personality at the slightest thing, they don't sleep, they are fussy about food as to be unbelievable.
This answer is given about two children who have high functioning autism (less severe than those who cannot speak at all) so that means they can appear relatively normal, you can teach them things to make them more able to function in social situations like the supermarket. The Health Visitor can do a CHAT (Childhood Autism Test) at the 18 month check which will indicate any concerms and refer onto a paediatrician for a multi-disciplinary assessment - paed, psychologist, speech and language therapist or psychiatrist. I have to say at this point that it is often not actually diagnosed until they are five to seven to avoid them being given a label as there are professionals who believe the symptoms can right themselves. Personally I think the earlier the label is given the better, because the earlier the support and strategies are put in place, the better the outcomes.

And are they linked to vaccines

I'm a worry wart and my stupid mother-in-law made it even worse. She pointed out that whenever my 10 month old son enters a room that he's not entirely familiar w/, he looks around too much and for too long. And that he is so busy looking around that it's nearly impossible to get his attention while holding him. This is true to him, but seems logical to me. But, I've noticed a couple other things that I thought we kind of different and it just made me wonder.