Re: Fw: Am I just paranoid, or is my 12 month old showing signs of autism?

[Guest guest]

> BUT, he is just as content to play alone as with others. He does

not seek me out during the day and bring me toys or etc. He is

walking, and has for a month or so. He also has started doing some

toe walking. Now, I know a lot of normal kids do some toe walking,

but it makes me physically ill to see him doing it. Another thing he

does it play with a shoe. He does play with his toys appropriately,

but he is just as content to play with a shoe. He is not pretending

it is a car or anything like that. He just simply picks it up, walks

over to the coffee table or a chair and sets it down. He looks at

it. Then, he picks it back up and puts it in a different position or

on a different table. He seems facinated by it. He is not flapping,

posturing, or stimming outwardly, as far as I can tell. And, I am

watching him like a hawk. He does this for about 5 minutes or so.

If I call his name, he will look up and smile.

>

> He is not pointing yet. At what age do they start pointing?? He

is 12 months. My older son never pointed until the age of 5. He

also does not use Mama or DaDa discriminately. He does jabber

dadadadada and mamamamama, but is not calling our names.

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Trina

I am not an expert here, and God knows I wish I was sometimes.

But pointing starts earlier than one year, though not necessarily I

think.

Not two children are the same, remember, not even twins (I have

twins, NT 2yr old).

But you just raised a question: if you were to go to him and make any

hand gesture, of whatever kind, do you think he would copy it? And if

you asked him to copy it? If I am not wrong-please correct me anyone

here-the imitation is a big issue for autistic children starting at

an early age. If they don't do it at all, or if they are uncapable to

follow directions, then maybe I would worry, that it could be a sign.

The " shoe observation " may just be a thing he is going through. He is

a one yr old: he is learning there is a world out there full of new

things to look at and explore.

One of my twins at age 18 months was fascinated by books. All he

wanted were books to look at, and would get mad if you took one away.

And my hair (still is), so much I bought him dolls, so my hair would

be left attached to my head ;o). He would, and still does, put them

in his mouth. What I mean is, that this could be also

considered " tics " , but they may as well not be.

My twins do some toe walking from time to time, but I think it is

just a fun thing they do, it could be as well for your son.

My daughter (twin) is a big talker, while my son (other twin) is just

now coming up with few more words than the five or six he knows well.

I used sign language from age 7 months, so they do that as well and

very fluently (they talk that way, and they lose a sign every time a

word is " mastered " ).

My ASD 4.7 yr started hand flapping long after he was diagnosed with

autism. It was something he developed into, not actually a simpthom

to begin with. He had three or four broken words at age 12 months,

but none of them were mama or dada; he had good eye contact and I

don't remember when he stopped doing that. I also don't remember when

he stopped talking....

He was diagnosed at 2 yr, and we were not aware of the problem at

all; as I can look back and recall it now, at 10 months of age, he

was sitting on his butt and spinning around and round. And then

looking at us to see if we were looking at him and searching

for " approval " . But this was a sign of autism already. And he could

sit for hours in his playpen and NEVER search for us, not once.

To be honest, by just what you said, I wouldn't think of him either

way right now, IMHO.

But as I said, I am no expert here and only had one child with autism.

Maybe the best thing to do, so you get it out of your hair, is go to

a doctor and see what he/she has to say.

And also get one of those checklists for autism and fill in the

blanks. It may turn out not to be autism, you know?

And be reassured, that even if it was so, he still has the best mom

he can have; you have already gone through (God bless) and know what

it is like and can do something before time, if you know what I mean.

##

> Am I just over reacting and being paranoid??

At age 12 months, displaying the symptoms I described, am I off

base??

##

There is no paranoid into wanting to make sure our children get the

best we can give them; so, it is better to doubt yourself twice than

none.

Best luck, hope someone else can help you more.

Cristina-WA

Proud mom to 4.7 ASD, & (almost)2yr NT twins.

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