When did you first suspect something was off?

Conky3000 · May 2013

Our daughter (she's a fraternal twin) is one and a half. I've had some concerns about her development for a little while now but she has made some strides in the last month or two...still she does hit some red flags for ASD. I'm wondering, for those of you who have a child with any sort of diagnosis, when and why did you start to wonder if there was a problem?

Thanks! I don't have time to write out my concerns right now, but will try to be back soon and I appreciate any stories.

d.f · May 2013

Around 18 months I noticed DS was a little busier than most of the other kids at story times and music class. I pushed it to the back of my mind because I have a family history of ADHD and 18 months is way to young for a Dx. I didn't purse a Dx until the SpEd teacher at the inclusive preschool brought her concerns to my attention and we started the IEP process. He was Dx with PDD-NOS at 3yr 10 months.

MirandaHobbes · May 2013

I didn't really notice anything glaring back then (because DS was an only child, and I had little experience with children). Our DCP commented that DS didn't want to play with the other kids and that he wouldn't play with toys. For example, the kids would have dress up day and he'd be completely uninterested. Or the kids would pretend play and he'd ignore them. This was at about 18 months. We had him evaluated at 19 months and he was placed squarely on the spectrum due to a number of textbook behaviors he had, namely, he didn't "point" for objects, he would instead take my hand and lead my hand to get what he wanted. He lacked joint attention- he wouldn't look back at me to get my approval. He didn't do any pretend play. He often wouldn't look me in the eye and often wouldn't respond when I called his name. His speech was delayed by quite a bit (1-2 words at 19 months). Little things DS did from the time he was 12 months- he never played with toys but was always fascinated with shiny things or light up toys. He loved pop cans that he could crinkle and make noise with. His favorite toy was an LED lighted ball. I always thought he was "aloof"- we'd laugh about it and say he was unimpressed by his parents antics. He hit all other milestones appropriately.

finsup · May 2013

I first became concerned when my little guy didn't crawl at 8 - 9 months...but he began pulling up and walking on time so my concern lapsed. Then it came back with lack of words around 18 months.

smiling76 · May 2013

Well...technically from birth I guess---he literally screamed for hours afterwards (the nurses didn't even know what to do about it). Then after coming home there was just no comforting him really. But fast forward, and he didn't roll until about 7 months, didn't crawl until 12 months, didn't walk until about 16 months and at 24 months was only saying maybe 5-6 words. Finally called early intervention and although they didn't help him much (he only got speech therapy) it did allow us to get in to the school system where he's received a ton of help.

kcisthebombdotcom · May 2013

15 months. I noticed while her language didn't regress, it really hadn't progressed in three months.

SantoriniSteph · May 2013

17 months. From 11 to 17 months I just thought he was slower to develop. At 17 months, he didn't walk or talk, didn't respond when you said his name, and didn't make eye contact. It took until 23 months old to get Dx of ASD.

pastalady · May 2013

I always thought she was a high needs baby. Her sleep was terrible. By 2 I knew for sure she had ASD. My husband knew from about 16 months. He has AS and would comment and I would push it aside. She had a huge word explosion at 2 and I still noticed how odd her speech was. She just used speech in a different way. At 2 the scripting started. She also became obsessed with the alphabet, colors, and numbers. She was diagnosed at about 3 1/2.

Conky3000 · May 2013

Thanks, everyone. I've been concerned for maybe two months or so (she's 17 months now) but decided to observe her a little bit longer before asking for referrals. I know better safe than sorry and the earlier the better for intervention, but we were also a little concerned about over intervention and my husband didn't see things exactly the same way I did. I'll definitely bring up my concerns and ask for referrals at her 18 month check up in a few weeks.

Up until about one year she hit milestones as expected...some on the late end of normal, but nothing outside normal range. She was walking by one year. The only area she was lacking in was babbling consonants/speech.

I think around 15 months I felt like she hadn't regressed, but hadn't progressed at all either. Since then she has started doing some things she wasn't doing previously (like playing with toys more appropriately, though not always), pointing (though more so at things she's looking at, like books and pictures, not so much at things she wants or people or in response to questions). She's started babbling better too. But...

Her eye contact is inconsistent. She does make eye contact, but only when she initiates it. If you try to look at her in the eye, she tends to put her face down or avoid eye contact in general. She almost never responds to her name. It's extremely difficult to get her attention. She's interested in other children but only at first. She loses interest quickly and doesn't really try to engage them. I see her twin brother trying to initiate games of chase with her (he actually pushes her to try to get her to run so he can chase her) but she's mostly indifferent. She doesn't say any words. Her brother has said very few, but he babbles like a champ (speaks jibberish as though he's having actual conversations) and finds ways to communicate yes or no clearly and understands or at least shows that he understands way more than she does. A speech delay in and of itself wouldn't worry me (it doesn't with her brother) but combined with other things I'm concerned about it with her.

I don't know if this is anything, but she gets really obsessive about her soothers. If she has one, it's not enough. If she sees another she's have a fit until she gets it. If she sees a third, she needs that too. Then she'll alternate them like a chain smoker.

If she wants something, she won't point. If you're holding her brother, he points and "uh"s where he wants you to go. She will lunge for what/where she wants.

Overall she's always been pretty easygoing, but sometimes she gets a little...whacked?

I know there's more, but I'm tired and I guess you get the idea.

Thanks again, everyone for your input. I'm not really sure what to think at this point but am definitely concerned.

Conky3000 · May 2013

KC_13:
15 months. I noticed while her language didn't regress, it really hadn't progressed in three months.

Exactly the same here.

MaxandRuby · May 2013

DS2 is a 3.5yr old with CP (born at 35wk, 5d via emergency c/s). In hindsight, I suppose I could go as far back as 2mos old in regards to "seeing"/wondering if something was wrong. He had torticollis at the time. But when I really started wondering what was up would have been between 6-9mos old. Most things were physical in nature (right handed at 6mos old, wasn't hitting milestones, eye crossing).

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