signs of AUTISM

Maria - posted on 11/13/2010

Erlinda, there are certain signs to look for. I am going to list a few things
1 does he try to share with you? Not point but point and share, like to show you something.
2 If anyone else like a family member babysits him does he acknowlege them when he hasn't seen them in a day or two?
3 when he plays with toys does he play with the entire toy or just the parts?
4 do he have any physical symptoms like for example runs forward but looks out of the side of his eye. Any spinning? Any flapping of the hands?
5 when you call his name does he look at you, or does it seem like he is ignoring you?
6 does he drink a lot of milk and crackers?
A speech delay doesn't automatically mean autism, it's a combination of things, you have to know what to look for. For me I sensed something was off, and just like you there is no one autistic on my side but my husband has an autistic cousin.
Whatever the outcome the one thing that all doctors agree with is the earlier the better. Do not sit and wait, there are many therapies that can help your son.
I spoke to how many doctors that were baffled at how I realized what was going on so early. So don't wait.Go get him evaluated.

Jamie - posted on 11/12/2010

you take him to a doctor and get a diagnosis or not.....i've got two autistic boys. it was that easy. the sooner the better. mine were 5 and 3 weeks early and delayed......just do it, so you can get all the help they need.

Erin - posted on 11/12/2010

I wanted to give you an opinion from an educator of children with autism spectrum disorder. I do not have a child myself but I have been teaching children with ASD for 6 years, What I have learned from working with children is that every child is different. I would definitely take him to either a neurologist and psychologist or a developmental pediatrician. Neurologists are able to perform MRI's on children and based on the MRI and paperwork can determine if your son is on the spectrum. The brains of children with ASD when they are young are formed differently than "typical" childrens. As a previous comment said, there are certain things to look for. Does your child respond to his name when called, does he need a routine and have a "meltdown" if his schedule is changed, is he sensitive to noises, textures, foods? The "textbook" child with ASD has language and communication difficulties, social skills deficits, repetitive hand movements, lack of eye contact, lines up toys, etc. If you recognize at least 3 of these behaviors I would consider contacting a specialist. Good Luck.

Trish - posted on 11/11/2010

I have twin boys, who are now 13 yrs. old. They were also born early and I have been down your road with early intervention specialist coming to my home when they were small. As a mother, we have a sense that we pick up on about our children. At the age of 15 mos. I sensed that my twin boys had something going on with them. They acted fine, but in my heart I felt something was'nt right. The early intervention ladies who came to my house to work with the twins also noticed things. I took the boys to see a nuerologist and they evaluated the twins and said that they had slight autism. It is devistating at first as a parent but the sooner you get help the better it is for the child. My boys are now in 8th grade and doing great. It has been a struggle and somedays are better than others. So get help now why he is young. That is if you feel he needs it.

Cindy - posted on 11/10/2010

The earlier the intervention the better the outcome. If you can, try and contact your state's Early Childhood program. In my state it's called Birth to 3. They can do screenings and provide intervention until your child is 3. The other thing to do is contact your school system and see when they are doing screenings. At age 3 shcool districts must provide education. Some doctors are great about knowing the signs of Autism but there have been way too many stories posted about doctors who basically told a concerned mother to wait it out and not worry so much so if you do decided to talk to your doctor tell him/her that it has already been brought to your attention that your child might have Autism and you would like to know who to contact next for further testing. Take action now, you will not regret it.

Mary Beth - posted on 11/09/2010

I agree with Tina. Make an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. They are great and do help even if it is just to be there when you have a question

Christine - posted on 11/09/2010

Hi! That sounds very familiar! I have a now 4 yr old girl, who was VERY late to sit up, finally walked at 19 mos, & is finally beginning to speak at 4. The best advice is to follow your 'mommy instincts'. You know your child better than anyone & you have to trust your gut. I got from family & friends for years (even our family GP) that 'there's nothing wrong with her, she's the baby, she has siblings to do everything for her and it must be you're easier on her with discipline". But 2 weeks ago her assessment resulted in her being diagnosed on the spectrum, PDD-NOS, and ADHD. Educate yourself & be your child's advocate!

Brandy - posted on 11/09/2010

Test. I started noticing problems with my daugher at 4 months old. The peditrician said she was a little slower because she had an older brother. It took us until she was two years old to get her diagnosed. After first fighting with our peditirician, we first went through the state who misdiagnosed her a just a slow speaker, then we went though hearing tests because they thought her lack of speech and responsiveness was due to hearing loss, then we were put on a waiting list for speech therapy for six months, and when we finally got to a therapist it took her 5 miniutes to suggest we see clinical psychologists to have her tested for autism. She was finally diagnosed at 2 with moderate autism. Once you do this there is a TON of regulations with your health insurace, the state educational departments, and medicaid you NEED TO READ in order to make sure your child is getting treatment. It has taken over 1 1/2 years of speech, occupational, and early educational therapy, but my daughter is now beginning to speak.

Brandy - posted on 11/06/2010

Also, you can start having him wear pullups instead of diapers and put him on a schedule of how late he can have something to drink so he doesn't wet the bed. You may not want to get up a couple times at night to take him to the bathroom but if you can get him use to getting up at night to potty atleast every 2-3 hrs. It will help him get use to getting up at night to go potty. It may take a while to get use to but I promise you it will be worth it. Sometimes you have to think ahead to help your son with his development. It has worked for me. Try to get him to go potty 10-15mins after he eats.

Brandy - posted on 11/06/2010

Hi Erlinda, my son was also born 2 moths early and went through the same thing as far as being developmentally delayed it took a long time to get him potty trained, He started walking aound 15 months. You should have make an appointment with your son's pediatrician & ask them to refer you to a speech therapist to help him start talking & a socisl play group will also help with him making eye contact. He may have PDD, that's what my son was diagnosed with. Definitely start him off early with reading and math wants he learns to talk you will see a big improvement & it will help him get ready for when he starts school. I'm not sure where you're from but I live in Ohio & they have a school where he can start going to school now at his age. I would also recommend physical therapy, occupational therapy, & therapeutic recreation. Don't wait to get him help start him off with these things now. you will be glad you did. And don't give up and don't let anyone tell you that your child won't catch up because they will. They can be very discouraging at times but only you know what your child is capable of. You are with your child 24/7. they may only see your child once a week or every other week for therapy or evaluations. Hope I helped. If you have any more questions I will be happy to help.

Sandy - posted on 11/05/2010

We have "Early Intervention"program in IL and they give free evals. My son was started on Speech Therapy dt his pediatrician's screening at his 15 month visit,bc he was not pointing,not showing us things,had very little words. Speech therapist then suggested "Early Intervention"program,where he was evaluated and given a speech therapist 2xwk.,Developmental therapist and occupational therapist one time a wk. At age 2 he was diagnosed by a Developmental Pediatrician w/High Functioning Autism. After my husband and I being devastated,the diagnosis did open us to a world of opportuities and support for him. He is now 3 1/2 and started special ed pre school at our public school district on his 3rd bday. He is in a class w/a total of 8 students,and he is one that requires a 1:1 aide bc he tends to take off. He is making great progress,talking and interacting more. He did not start to point til 3 years old! Slow and steady progress. Potty training not even an issue right now bc we cannot communicate w/him that way yet. No problem bc special ed school changes diapers. Good luck and hang in there! "Autism Speaks"is a great group,check their website. Start at your states "Early Intervention" type of program. Autistic kiddos have unlimited potential. They just learn a different way and each has different challenges!

Connie - posted on 11/04/2010

what state do you live in? In MO we have a great network of support

Mella - posted on 11/04/2010

It is not really a hereditary thing...no one in either of our families has anything like autism. You deal with it ONE DAY AT A TIME. Talk to anyone and everyone you can and learn as much as you can. Above all, BE PATIENT...whatever it is, you cannot change it, you can only learn to deal and cope with it. In Texas, we have lots of organizations to help families, look into those. Support groups too, people who know what you are going through often have insight into certain things. I hope all work out well for you. Keep the faith and God Bless you and your family.

Dawn - posted on 11/04/2010

First hun, I know it's hard, but don't panic! I have a brother, nephew, and finally, my 7yr old son with Autism. Now, there are so many different degrees of autism(now it's mostly called ASD) Autism Spectrum Disorder- because the dif levels of functioning. My nephew is very low functioning, where my brother seems to be in the middle, and my son is high functioning. Main symptoms to look for are: Sensitivity to loud noises, how verbal is he/she(some talk fine, as some are completely Non-Verbal) as u said, not making eye contact either at all, or only for a second, having a photographic memory, such as being able to count very high at a young age, knowing the alphabet(bc they can memorize these easily) most kids with autism are Very good with numbers/electronics. They usually are hard to potty train, and aren't completely trained til age 4 at least. They are afraid of the potty, watch for his/her own special quirks, such as, my son would sit n the couch/chair and rock front to back early as age 2(thats when I started to notice) he also sways side to side when standing, even now at 7yrs, flicking of the hands/fingers in sum way, or an object, my son flicks his fingers behind his neck/head, my brother woul flick a pop bottle or hanger. They usually have very high anxiety and are frustrated eTho it usually is hereditary, it doesn't have to be, it is most common in 1st born boys. My son was MY 1st born(I have a step-son) my son was also born early. My younger son, 5yrs, shows no symptoms at all. It's best for all to get him checked asap, especially so you can find a good school that knows and specializes in dealing with kids with autism, I drive my son to a public school in Rochester Hills bc they are great with him, and this is his 2nd yr there, but within the 1st yr, me and my husband could notice a Huge difference in behavior, social skill, and learning! So ys, best thing, an appt with a specialist, and just try to remember, all kids are different, some totally verbal, some non-verbal, But, the sooner it's diagnosed, the sooner he can start benefiting from all the programs out there they have to offer, and there are tons of different services, for your child, and You. If you'd like any information on these services, pls feel free to contact me, theres so much out ther at your disposal, very, very, helpful! We receive help for nannies/sitters so you can get someone who can be patient and wiling to help with caring for, learning, ect. The services ar endless and are great, we even wre able to ave a friend that my son loves and vice versa that we rust with our child, to be trained to care for his special needs, and so many hrs per week(up to 20 in Mac Cnty) yrly in Oak Cnty) paid for. Help with socialization, aggression if it starts as he gets older, but remember, al of us are telling about our kids to help, but each child is different, so where some kids may remain totally non-verbal, that doesn't mean yours will! Everything is based on a "per child" basis, and it's not the end of the world, tho it may feel that way at 1st, but, The Sooner it's detected, The Better! Because you can start getting the help u and ur child need as early as possible, and that is key. I'm sorry this was so long, but I wanted to give all the info I know that can help. Good Luck with ur wonderful son! Pls feel free to contact me if u ever feel u need to, or want to, for important info on services available, or just to chat when u feel u need to. Again,good luck, and just relax :)

Stefanie - posted on 11/03/2010

if you are concored i have him see an autism dr that can evelute him an then you can learn how to help him .i was showing signs of dealy as a baby to my parent work with me along with thetrhy .dose he have typpical play for his age or dosde he stim .dose he respond when you call him or dose he seem deaf .dosew he rock or hand flap or pace these are some signs of autism

Jannette - posted on 11/03/2010

When I got pregnant I thought to myself, " my son is going to be a genius, because my husband and I are both smart people, college educated and did everything right." This was not the case my son has autism and it is nobodys fault. There is no rhyme nor reason for the condition. My advice to you is to get him diagnosed because it will provide you with more benefits and help. If it turns out to be that your child is not autisic then that is great because all the extra help made a huge difference. Without a diagnosis of autism it is harder to get more thearpy approved. It seems to me like your baby may just need more services. Don't be afraid of a diagnosis of autism.

Sarah - posted on 11/03/2010

I would get the opinion of a pediatric dr. and then also a specialist in the area of early development. I don't want to discourage, but rather encourage, so take this in love. My sons ped. and several others we saw said he didn't have anything wrong with him. You must be persistent especially if you know in your gut that there is something just not right. It took years for things to level out with my son. My son was dxd with Seneory Integration Dysfunction at 9 mos. and then at 3 with Asbergers. At 4 he still didn't have more than a 4 word vocabulary, and was in speech as well as a host of other therapies. He didn't read till he was 8, struggled with spelling and phonics and words and language in general but was very good in math. Now he is in 4th grade, still very good with math, and still struggling with the language area. I homeschooled him up to this year and really feel that if I hadn't, he'd be a lot farther behind than he is. We work harder with the language and less on math and he is coming along. It will take time. Also, know that it doesn't have to "run" in the family to be found in your child. Autism spectrum disorders are not necessarilly linked to genetics. You did nothing worng so do not blame yourself.

Jayne - posted on 11/03/2010

My son was the same,didnt crawl til one and walk til he was 22months,potty trained finally at 3.5years,his eye contact was always hit and miss but just little things like flapping,obsessive about lining things up and frustration because of a lack of speech,he didnt start talking properly til he was 5,picked up by his nursery,who bought in an educational pycologist,she just said he had learning difficulties,refereed to paediatrician and he diagnosed autism at 4.5 years old,you know when something is wrong with your child,like I did,keep pushing your doctor and they will refer you to whoever they think necessary,keep your chin up,my son is 15 years old now and as much as he hormonal and stroppy somethimes,I wouldnt change hime for the world,its the knowing that helps you move forward,good luck xxx

Tina - posted on 11/02/2010

This sounds so much like my son over the years and i dont know where to start about giving you much needed support. I know what u r going threw and how u feel. But this may be reassuring that my son didnt crawl til he was about 18months and then didnt walk til he was about 3yrs old. We had the doctors involved and he had tests after tests done...too many to name right now, after he started school at the age 5 again the tests followed and then finally they came to the conclusion that he has ADHD and then i didnt feel comfortable about medication cuz of the stories i heard about the side effects...but after he was 7 i decided to allow the dr. to give him Ritalin..bad mistake so i didnt want to hear about anything else til i spoke to the pediatrician and he gave my son Concerta at a low dose to start....now my son takes 36mg in the morning adn then 27mg in the afternoon and it sure is relief for him and he can concentrate and is doing very well!! Hang in there and be very patient...nothing happens over night...takecare

Wanda - posted on 11/02/2010

I would speak with your childs doctor. It is not uncommon for boys not to be potty trained until they are closer to four. The other delays can be related to prematurity, your doctor will be your best sourse of information

Kay - posted on 11/02/2010

I agree with the current posts. Get the opinion of a developmental pediatrician. Children do develop at different speeds, but it sounds like your son could need some extra help. Our son was dianosed as delayed at 18 months old and as having autistic tendencies at 2. He is now 32 and living on his own in an apartment with some social service assistance. Josh had early intervention with Easter Seals and then at 3 he went to developmental pre-school in the public school system. Early intervention is very important. Hang in there! Other parents will be your best resource. Kay

Jennifer - posted on 11/02/2010

First of all, please don't be/get discouraged. Your son needs your support. Is your developmental specialist a developmental peditrician? If so, surely they can tell you the signs/symptoms of Autism. If you google "Autism" all kinds of information appears. Check out whe websites of Autism Speaks or the Autism Society of America. The latter of the two have local chapters. Also know this, if he is diagnosed with Autism, by a professional, start interventions NOW. Most insurances companies cover costs of speech and language therapy, some Occupational Therapy and maybe physical therapy at an early age. The best thing you can do for your son now is have him evaluated by a professional. Check to see if your area hospital or school district has infant/toddler services. Most states are required to as a service from the department of education.

Jennifer - posted on 11/02/2010

Go with your gut. Our 24 yr. old was wrongly diagnosed at an early age and we have just gotten her rediagnosed to find out she has PDD(form of autism) Go to your dr. and then get your child diagnosed, it will be so much easier at an early age versus 24 yrs. old, she struggles every day as there isn't as much resources as when they are children.

Betty - posted on 11/02/2010

my grandson has same problem he will be 20 tomorrow you could have a word with him if you wanted to so he could advice and help you with this problem

Kelly - posted on 11/02/2010

hi, i know this is easier said than done but try not to worry yourself, i started to notice things from an early age with my son, and i was told by many doctors and health visitors that all children develop at a different rate, as if i didn't know this,
it took me 2 years to get my son referred to a paediatrician, where it was confirmed he is autistic with traits of aspergers, he never spoke a word till he was 4 and was using a toilet at 2 1/2, he is 9 years old and he is exceedingly clever, he is working at a higher level than his elder brother, he has to have his routine and as long as it is not changed we have pretty 'normal' days, but he still is wary of the unknown places with crowds and loud noises,
my advice to you would be not to worry, he may just be reaching his milestones a little later than other children, either way try putting in regular routines, which i'm sure as a mother you have already, and when you speak to him ask him to look at you and encourage as much eye contact as possible i still do that with my son who has a lot of trouble with eye contact, which is a trait of autism, i would definitely ask for a referral to have him assessed, good luck and i hope you get the result your looking for

Tina - posted on 11/02/2010

Definitely schedule an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. They are trained to diagnose autism better than a regular pediatrician. My children are on the spectrum and we have no family history. I would be concerned if: he does not point, does not respond to his name, does not understand what you tell him, does not have joint attention (look at what you are looking at or try to get you to look at what he is looking at....or bring you things to show you), does not show interest in peers, etc. Eye contact isn't always an indicator. My kids have excellent eye contact. Potty training usually is achieved closer to 3 yrs old for boys also. Go with your gut and get a few opinions if you have to. I don't know how many doctors told me that mine didn't have autism. And here he is at 4 yrs old and can't have a conversation or talk in a sentence.Good luck!