Often, Looking back symptoms are present since birth but may have not been as noticable or justified as all kids are different, strong willed, independent minded, etc. It is the same as autism, they are born processing the world differently, it is just that since their language and cognitive skills are not delayed that they may have been overlooked.
Aside from that there is a WIDE varience of when AS behaviors are noticed by the parents or other caregivers. This depends a lot on parent experience (is this their first child, do they have other children on the spectrum, etc) as well as the experiences the child has.
A child who is in daycare and preschool may be noticed sooner than a child at home becuase you can more readily see the differences between them and other children. However, for a child who stays home with the family in a more comfortable environment and isn't compared to other children daily, it may not be noticed as early if they are verbal.
Also, some kids are really good at coping and covering their challenges until they are in school and even sometimes a few years into school. Some cover through school and beyond. Thus some aren't diagnosed until 11 or some even on into adulthood.
As for my personal experience, both of my children showed symptoms prior to age 3 and had their first evals around 3 but both have diagnosis of HFA along with other dx'es on that section of the spectrum.
My Mom noticed things with our son when he was a baby but didn't tell me. :( He was my first and totally perfect in my eyes. I had mild concerns when he was 2 and not talking. Everyone said well you were a late talker, boys develope later, ect. ect. When he was 3 we became very concerned but everyone brushed me off. We didn't agressively seek a dx untill he was 7 yrs old. He was dx right before his 8th birthday.
I guess Lily was about a year old when we noticed a difference between the way she was and the way her older sister was at the same age. However, we were reassured by many people, including doctors and therapists that nothing was wrong and that we were just reading too much into things. She had other health issues as well, so we didn't really pursue taking her to a psychologist until she was about 3 yrs old. We were not surprised when the doctor dx'd her as being on the spectrum. Part of me wanted to go find all those people who told us we were seeing things that weren't there and tell them that parents sometimes do know better. In fact, I always tell people that a mother's (or father's) instinct should never be ignored. I wish I had listened to my heart sooner.
Adam was 2 or so when I finally agreed there was something wrong. He was ahead physically on all milestones. He was late on his speech. He got his dx at 2yr9mo. My dh said he had a red flag at 18 months but it was me who was in total DENIAL. He is my first child. I want another child but yet reserved on what if the next child will be on the spectrum too. Granted I totally agree w/Dee that she was all over her second child cause she "knew" what to look for. Your second child got her dx first right?
With kayden, I knew a few months in that things weren't "right". Being a special ed teacher, I my "radar" on always and my mother's instinct was also running a mile a minute. So many relatives and friends tried to reassure me that things were OK and that I was looking into things to much and that I should just let Kayden be, but I blew them off and had her evaluated for Early Intervention at 8 months and she qualified. I then took her to a neurodevelopmental pediatrician at 18 months and she was DX. on the spectrum after 6 hours of evaluation (took place over 3 sessions). Ever since then, we've been taking her back every 6 months for mini-reevals. Things are very heavily leaning towards a final dx. of Asperger's.
In reterospect my now 16yo DD srarted showing signs at about 2yo. I noticed them at least, and so did my mother. But they were little things and no one took us seriously at all. I did get our family dr to look at her and he, after seeing her 'hold her head at an odd angel' and 'repeat things verbatum instead of customising her speech' referred her to the base pediatrics dpt (we were military at the time). The ped there said it was 'normal for military brats to act oddly' and basically blew it off.
But when my now 12yo DD was born there was no mistaking there was a problem. She was 8 weeks premature and had several problems because of that, so she was watched VERY closely by doctors and family from the get go. After several years and a firm dx of HFA we realised that our other DD was also on the spectrum. She was in middle school by then and I got the backing of the teachers to have her evaluated. She was dx'd with AS at age 11. It was harder to get then it should have been though, because her dad and I were divorced by that point and both of us had remarried. But the school was great, they were adamant that something was going on and ASDs had been discussed between them a LOT. It her dad, who had physical custody of her at the time who insisted there was nothing wrong.
Basically, my older DD just seemed 'odd' to others until she was old enough that her behavior was 'significantly odd'.
I am echoing others that onset of symptoms is very subjective because symptoms vary from child to child and also how they react to settings, demands, etc. Some children are very obvious before 3, others not. But I also believe the symptoms are probably actually there at birth. However, looking at videotapes of my ds at age 1 and change and now knowing, well, I still don't see the symptoms back then...
My ds was very comfortable at daycare with loving caregivers and easy-going children. When we started him with services at 3, it was for sensory issues and some slight language delay, but profressionals actually didn't consider him anywhere near the spectrum because of his eye contact, social outgoing nature, ability to problem solve, appropriate use of language (although somewhat repetitive), etc.
He still has a mild dx of PDD-NOS and he is now 9. As he gets older, the difficulties he has from that part of him that IS on the spectrum are much more pronouned. Fortunately, he is also learning great coping skills and growing in his abilities every day.
Good luck with everything, and let us know how things are going.
Often, Looking back symptoms are present since birth but may have not been as noticable or justified as all kids are different, strong willed, independent minded, etc. It is the same as autism, they are born processing the world differently, it is just that since their language and cognitive skills are not delayed that they may have been overlooked.
Aside from that there is a WIDE varience of when AS behaviors are noticed by the parents or other caregivers. This depends a lot on parent experience (is this their first child, do they have other children on the spectrum, etc) as well as the experiences the child has.
A child who is in daycare and preschool may be noticed sooner than a child at home becuase you can more readily see the differences between them and other children. However, for a child who stays home with the family in a more comfortable environment and isn't compared to other children daily, it may not be noticed as early if they are verbal.
Also, some kids are really good at coping and covering their challenges until they are in school and even sometimes a few years into school. Some cover through school and beyond. Thus some aren't diagnosed until 11 or some even on into adulthood.
As for my personal experience, both of my children showed symptoms prior to age 3 and had their first evals around 3 but both have diagnosis of HFA along with other dx'es on that section of the spectrum.
Renee
Same here,
Liam showed signs from infancy but I had no idea really and it wasn't until daycare staretd whining that we began the process around age 3.
My Mom noticed things with our son when he was a baby but didn't tell me. :( He was my first and totally perfect in my eyes. I had mild concerns when he was 2 and not talking. Everyone said well you were a late talker, boys develope later, ect. ect. When he was 3 we became very concerned but everyone brushed me off. We didn't agressively seek a dx untill he was 7 yrs old. He was dx right before his 8th birthday.
Samantha
I guess Lily was about a year old when we noticed a difference between the way she was and the way her older sister was at the same age. However, we were reassured by many people, including doctors and therapists that nothing was wrong and that we were just reading too much into things. She had other health issues as well, so we didn't really pursue taking her to a psychologist until she was about 3 yrs old. We were not surprised when the doctor dx'd her as being on the spectrum. Part of me wanted to go find all those people who told us we were seeing things that weren't there and tell them that parents sometimes do know better. In fact, I always tell people that a mother's (or father's) instinct should never be ignored. I wish I had listened to my heart sooner.
Amy~mom to Natalie & Lily
Adam was 2 or so when I finally agreed there was something wrong. He was ahead physically on all milestones. He was late on his speech. He got his dx at 2yr9mo.
My dh said he had a red flag at 18 months but it was me who was in total DENIAL.
He is my first child. I want another child but yet reserved on what if the next child will be on the spectrum too. Granted I totally agree w/Dee that she was all over her second child cause she "knew" what to look for.
Your second child got her dx first right?
Nora
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With kayden, I knew a few months in that things weren't "right". Being a special ed teacher, I my "radar" on always and my mother's instinct was also running a mile a minute. So many relatives and friends tried to reassure me that things were OK and that I was looking into things to much and that I should just let Kayden be, but I blew them off and had her evaluated for Early Intervention at 8 months and she qualified. I then took her to a neurodevelopmental pediatrician at 18 months and she was DX. on the spectrum after 6 hours of evaluation (took place over 3 sessions). Ever since then, we've been taking her back every 6 months for mini-reevals. Things are very heavily leaning towards a final dx. of Asperger's.
In reterospect my now 16yo DD srarted showing signs at about 2yo. I noticed them at least, and so did my mother. But they were little things and no one took us seriously at all. I did get our family dr to look at her and he, after seeing her 'hold her head at an odd angel' and 'repeat things verbatum instead of customising her speech' referred her to the base pediatrics dpt (we were military at the time). The ped there said it was 'normal for military brats to act oddly' and basically blew it off.
But when my now 12yo DD was born there was no mistaking there was a problem. She was 8 weeks premature and had several problems because of that, so she was watched VERY closely by doctors and family from the get go. After several years and a firm dx of HFA we realised that our other DD was also on the spectrum. She was in middle school by then and I got the backing of the teachers to have her evaluated. She was dx'd with AS at age 11. It was harder to get then it should have been though, because her dad and I were divorced by that point and both of us had remarried. But the school was great, they were adamant that something was going on and ASDs had been discussed between them a LOT. It her dad, who had physical custody of her at the time who insisted there was nothing wrong.
Basically, my older DD just seemed 'odd' to others until she was old enough that her behavior was 'significantly odd'.
~Candes
Hi and welcome!!!
I am echoing others that onset of symptoms is very subjective because symptoms vary from child to child and also how they react to settings, demands, etc. Some children are very obvious before 3, others not. But I also believe the symptoms are probably actually there at birth. However, looking at videotapes of my ds at age 1 and change and now knowing, well, I still don't see the symptoms back then...
My ds was very comfortable at daycare with loving caregivers and easy-going children. When we started him with services at 3, it was for sensory issues and some slight language delay, but profressionals actually didn't consider him anywhere near the spectrum because of his eye contact, social outgoing nature, ability to problem solve, appropriate use of language (although somewhat repetitive), etc.
He still has a mild dx of PDD-NOS and he is now 9. As he gets older, the difficulties he has from that part of him that IS on the spectrum are much more pronouned. Fortunately, he is also learning great coping skills and growing in his abilities every day.
Good luck with everything, and let us know how things are going.
Sara