Some questions about SPD/autism/delay not in FAQ

mightmom13

Do young kids on the spectrum or with SPD get tired easily or sleep a lot?

DD has started laying around more partly for sensory reasons I think but also will lay and stare and is sleeping more: from 13-14 hours a day to 15-16 hours a day sometimes more. Daycare and others have mentioned she is tired or lays around when I know she shouldn't be.

Does autism or SPD ?get worse? or just start to present itself more with age?

Maybe I know more what I am looking for, but DD is seeming to increase in different symptoms such as toe walking, spinning, laying, hands in mouth (she has a paci), lining up things along with her sorting, and in frequency during the day.

More than 3 tantrums/meltdowns a day an age or behavioral thing?

They are when she is stopped or transitioned to something else or when I take away her cups, toothbrushes, household attachment items. We have had more "rough" days lately. The screaming sounds like when she was a newborn.

So these kids ?start? to shut down sometimes?

Like above, she has started laying down in the beginning and middle of the day; at school; or if she is crying after a drop off or tantrum will just lay with her eyes open. Spacing out more too with her eyes.

Developmental pediatrician appointment coming up, should I meet with her daycare teachers?

My mom is not with her enough nor an acurate portral on the 3 days I am not at home with her.  She goes to daycare 2 days a week for 7-8 hours.

Thanks so much for your input - I know I could be wrong but my gut is screaming and I don't know if I am just trying to over prepare for a possible dx or what. I did go from online (except here) research to books because it is easy to put a book down and bide my time better. SLP recommended "The Out of Sync Child" books today.

 

kcisthebombdotcom

My DD is sensory underresponsive and is very lazy. It takes a whole lot to get her going and she tires quickly. She will space out at times and be unresponsive to directions/her name. She sleeps a typical amount for her age though. I've never dealt with tantrums/meltdowns with either one of my SPD kiddos but what I've heard in other SPD groups it is very common.

From what I've read autism is tough to diagnose prior to age three (or even beyond) so I think behaviors do crop up more with age. Some kids solely with sensory issues present with some autistic traits but don't have enough to get a autism dx. I can tell you with both my kids their sensory issues really became noticable around 1.5-2 (though in retrospect they probably had some signs as infants that I didn't notice). My son is three and doing amazingly. His sensory issues got a lot better this summer closer to 2.5. We're in the worst of it now with my DD it seems though I'm not anticipating the same quick improvement like with my son. IME SPD really seems to ebb and flow with age/development.

As a kid I had apraxia (likely combined with some SPD and/or inattentive ADHD though I was never formally diagnosed with the latter two) and I was the same way as a child. Slept a ton (still require a lot of sleep as an adult) and it takes a lot to get my nervous system going. I think that's why I tend to gravitate towards the computer prior to starting a busy day. ha.