What were some signs you saw?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2003
What were some signs you saw?
1
Tue, 09-20-2005 - 1:56pm
I've read the signs you are supposed to look for, but I'm curious what YOU saw, what made you concerned? People mention this arm flapping or hand thing, and when my daughter was around 6 months old and sitting in her highchair being fed, she would stick out her arms and twist her hands and move her fingers. She was excited and wanted her food. When she got her food, she wouldn't do it again. She'd do it when she did something new, or something that was an accomplishment, or when she was playing with something she really, really liked. It seemed like an excitement thing. It didn't last long, she would move onto another toy and not do it again. Once she learned how to clap, at 9 months, she hasn't done it since. Now she claps when she's happy or sqeals with excitement or babbles to you....
When do you worry about normalcy? Where do you draw the line and start to be concerned. I was never concerned until now, not sure why now. She has no other "signs" I've read about, no health issues, no reoccuring or persisten viruses, etc. She's very social, very outgoing, happy, playful, socially interactive, etc....
Thank you!

Amy

Mom to Daughter born 9/23/04

Mom to son born

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 09-20-2005 - 5:11pm

I have 1 NT (neuro-typical, ie not autistic) daughter and 3 other children on various forms of the spectrum. My NT daughter is the only one that did similar to what you describe only she continued to flap probably until seh was about 5. Usually either when she was excited or when she was eating a particular texture that bothered her.

Emily is NT but has sensory issues so the flapping wasnt the only one but she never had any of the hallmark autism signs. She flapped, had food aversions, motor clumsyness and a mild LD.

My first ASD child, Cait (11), was colicky and difficult from birth. She was late on milestones and didn't roll until 7months. She moved oddly and when she did roll over it was very wierd. In fact she dislocated her elbow 2 times rolling over when an infant. I don't recall eye contact because then autism symtpoms in infants wasn't really known. I didn't realize that an infant should have better eye contact. She was my first. She didn't point at one or look at things with me. She had no language yet and was very quiet with the exception of her horrible tantrums. Not alot of babbling, etc. At christmas when she was about 1 1/2 there is video of her looking at the same letter book for over an hour. At the time we thought she had a great attention span, lol. There are tons of others things too, but I am trying to keep it to under 1 year old.

My second child, Mike (9), was easier than Cait as a baby, but he is now more challenging. He slept well but did not want to be held. He would scream from the day he came home from the hospital until you put him down. He slept way more than normal babies until he was 2 and now he is a pretty bad sleeper. He hated any strangers and have severe separation anxiety. Also, under one he used to take things apart. For instance we would find the night lights still plugged in with all the stuff pull off and neatly placed on the floor. He did not have any delays but I don't believe he was pointing and would have failed the MCHAT.

Dave is my least autistic like of the 3. He has a PDD-NOS diagnosis and his case he truly has some of the symptoms but not enough to be considered full blown any of the other PDD's. In fact, I don't believe he is autism spectrum at all just some quirks. As a baby he was very difficult. He would scream in his car seat the entire ride. HE was incredibly picky about what to wear from months old. I love overalls on babies and he would scream the whole time they were on from about 4-5 months old. As for eye contact his is still not great but I think his is more ADHD.

Renee

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