Last night, I was browsing this site and read another member's post about her son's new diagnosis of autism and went on to read some of the early signs..... and now I've convinced myself that Alex has autism.

The first three items on the list of signs in infants/toddlers are:

** repetitive motor behaviours (fingers in mouth, hand flapping),
** fascination with and staring at lights, ceiling fans, or fingers,
** extreme food refusal

Alex is 13 months and flaps his hand a lot while watching it and has his fingers in his mouth a lot too. Ceiling fans? Yup, loves those! Not so much extreme food refusal but he has yet to eat a piece of bread or anything with more texture than sloppy pasta or well cooked veggies. He is also very sensitive to loud noises, although that does seem to be lessening. Aside from this he appears to be very sociable, very happy to be passed around from person to person, flirts with strangers in the grocery store and seeks out people for company.

While I realise that 3 signs do not equal autism, I also realise that he is only 13 months and the other signs may not yet be evident.

I don't expect anyone to suggest a diagnosis and I know we will have to wait and see how he develops, but those of you with a diagnosis of DS-ASD, do you remember how your child behaved at this age?

Forgive me if I appear to be a crazy hypochondriac! Aside from Alex's DS diagnosis, we have had some very tough times over the last 2.5 years and each time I think the clouds are lifting, something comes to knock me off my feet again. I have now convinced myself that autism will be the next thing. I hope I am worrying over nothing.

I have been watching him like a hawk this morning for signs and of course, he has not flapped his hand once! Maybe I'll just go and switch on the ceiling fan........

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Karen xx
Mum to Edward (April 2006) & Alexander (DS - December 2008)

Many kids with DS have behaviors common in kids with autism without actually having autism. The things you describe are common behaviors for kids with DS. I used to worry about John, too. Keep an eye on his behavior, but don't lose sleep over it!

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"There's a release in knowing the truth no matter how anguishing it is. You come finally to the irreducible thing, and there's nothing left to do but pick it up and hold it. Then, at least, you can enter the severe mercy of acceptance." Sue Monk Kidd

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful people can make a difference, in fact it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Meade

Ann, married to Tim, mom to Sally, Mark, Jane, John (12/02, DS), Paul and Alice

www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnbremer

I think the big thing for me was lack of eye contact. And social withdrawal. I kept asking the doctors. I grew to think it was just Ds.

He just wouldnt acknowledge someone coming into a room or leaving. when I would talk to him, it was as if he did not hear me.

He would fix his attention on a bottle cap and thats what would occpy him for a long time. Just turning it over and over and tasting it.

And in a group of children he was always off to the side sort of watching or worse, doing his own thing ignoring them.

I kept asking doctors and was told no. Another thing is communication. Look for eye contact and communication...

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Ann
giving spirit and seeker of joy
wife to Ken
mom to Ty Christian 4 yrs (DS)
adoption date 11/3/08 WOOHOO!
http://doinitdown.blogspot.com/

From my experience I would say you just can't know. Your little boy may one day be diagnosed with autism, and there is a 5-10% chance of this. He may, however, be the most sociable little boy you could meet. At this stage, he just sounds like a pretty typical baby/toddler.

I wouldn't say he has extreme food refusal. He is doing pretty well with his food, by the sounds of it. Many, many children who turn out to be non-autistic who have DS like sloppy food, and refuse anything with lumps. I know my paediatrician was pretty amazed with my Matt because he was one of the very few children she knew who was on table food by his 1st birthday.

The other behaviours, yeah, look out for them, and observe him, but it could be nothing. All 3 of my children loved fans. All 3 of them grew out of it. Matt got the later onset type of autism and now loves fans and things that spin once more!!!

Matt showed no signs of autism as a baby or toddler until he was 2 1/2. He was incredibly sociable (a year ahead of his age), his speech was good, he had 200 signs, he played well and loved games with his sisters. He ate everything and was toilet-trained. However, he lost virtually all those skills over the space of 6 months, and yes, it was horrible. 3 or 4 years later, he now has 3 signs, no words, no play apart from noisy light up toys, interacts very little and eats only baked beans and fries, every single day. Although one consolation is he is still toilet-trained!!!

I had no idea he would, or could, 'get' autism like that, especially as there was nothing in his first 2 1/2 years to even hint at it. It just happened. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

But that's the thing with autism. Worrying about it, or spending all your time analysing your child's behaviour will not change the eventual outcome. My Matt will always be autistic. If, in time, your little boy is found to have autism - and I want to stress again, nothing you have said makes me think he does or will - then you can't change that.

All you can do is enjoy your little boy - and by the way, he looks adorable!!!

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Helen

Mum to ...
Rachael Kinza (25/07/01), Matthew Isaac - DS & Autism - (14/06/03) and Hannah Cerys (14/06/05) - my gorgeous kids!

His behaviours sound pretty 'normal' to me. Talitha loves ceiling fans and eats only a select group of foods (which do not include meat or vegetables) and has her fingers or thumb in her mouth much of the time (she doesn't suck them, she chews them) but she is sociable when she chooses to be, makes eye contact, ignores me sometimes but is wonderful and compliant and attentive at other times. She can't stand to leave doors open - we call her the door police - she has to shut them....cupboard doors, outside or internal doors...doesn't matter. Most of her behaviours can be attributed to having DS and being 4 and also being hyperactive. I know older people with DS and they are fussy about some things too - mostly about having everything in it's place.

I have to admit I have kept an open mind about autism but so far I think that any of Talitha's autistic type behaviours are basically coming from her having DS. If I were you i wouldn't be worrying at this stage.

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Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

Oh big hugs, I have felt the same. The cloud looms close to our heads to.

I have children on the Autism spectrum, and at one stage I was really concerned with Aden’s behaviour. Hand flapping sitting and spinning things for Hours….unable to stop him.…but he has low tone, very low tone even for a child with Ds. A lot of his was because he couldn’t receive regular stimulation from sitting crawling walking… he too a lot longer to hit those milestone…again even for a child with Ds. Though I know many take even longer again then Aden.

But as he started to crawl those behaviours started to disappear, and now he is walking he barely if ever does any. Like someone else mentioned already. Those signs you are seeing are those of a child with Ds, even for children with out Ds, but they are also true for children with Autism. It’s good that you are onto looking out for early signs try not to let it wear you down. Very likely he wont have it, if he does you will know early.

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Praying for a family for Zhenya

Aden's montage

Weren't Stacy's twins diagnosed at really early age? She'd be the best person to talk to as far as early signs.

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Ecki



MomMom of Kayla (Ds/Autism 4/5/04) and Laurie (PDD-NOS 7/12/01)

Our Blog - Opposite Kids
Kayla's Story http://www.ecki.com/kayla/

Friend me on FACEBOOK (please specify Downsyn, so I know who you are!)

Hello, I can share an experience that may help. Helen who wrote above...her son Matt has the regression autism (developes normally then regresses quickly). So, your son is 13 month...so you are concerned about him being autistic from the beginning. I can share with you my cousin (born a week before my typical daughter) is autistic. It was VERY apparent even at 13 months that he was not devloping like his cousins. We as his family knew something wasn't right....but it took about a year before he was diagnosed.

Nothing you are writing about indicates autism to me. Kids at 13 months (whether they have Ds or not)...many are intrigued at spinning fans...and their flapping is their way of expressing excitement. Also, transitioning to food is difficult for some of our kids...but it doesn't mean autism.

I would keep an eye out....but would not loose sleep over worrying if he will develop autism. Either way, like Helen said about....there is nothing you can do about it. But honestly, at this point...I think your son is just fine. Enjoy him....my son is nearly 5 and I can barely hold him any longer he is so heavy!!

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Elayna 10-1-02 and Daniel (Ds) 6-7-05
Always have hope....Without rain, there can be no rainbows.

Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much for your replies. I have pulled myself together. Like so many of you have said, there's nothing I can do about it anyway, so why worry? He is such a sociable little boy with incredible eye contact so I think my amateur diagnosis of autism was a bit premature to say the least A little knowledge is a dangerous thing in my hands!! My husband usually shakes his head at me in despair when I come up with one of my new theories.

Again, thank you. You have reassured me and while I will still observe him, I am no longer losing sleep..... or turning on fans for no particular reason.....

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Karen xx
Mum to Edward (April 2006) & Alexander (DS - December 2008)

My guys were diagnosed at 22 months of age. I'll be honest with you, I didn't expect the diagnoses at all!!! Went into the DS pediatric doctor and asked about a few things I found confusing and he ran a few tests, had me fill out some questionnaires and WALAA..we had diagnosis for PDD Autism.

Honestly, there are so many things that are common between children with DS and Autism, and some doctors give the dx much easier than others. Just bring up your concerns to the doc next time and see where it goes from there. I will say that my guys get alot more services due to the dx, which is a wonderful benefit to them. At the age of 2, I really wasn't so sure they had Autism, now at 4 1/2, I'm certain they do.

My guys are social and do make eye contact, but they have alot of stims and self-aggressive behaviors and are completely non-verbal so far.

I agree with everyone else, nothing to lose sleep over and become a worry wart over. And if watching a fan go around gives him a smile on his face, by all means turn it on for him!


You lil man is VERY CUTE

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Stacy, Mom to Tristin 11, Camille 7, Elijah 6, Caleb and Isaac 4

Wow - that was an early diagnosis! Thanks for sharing your expertise about your two very handsome boys.

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Karen xx
Mum to Edward (April 2006) & Alexander (DS - December 2008)