Autism!!!!!!!!!!!! - Dallas,TX

J.,

I see you are in Dallas. My son had a seizure disorder the pediatrician did not originally catch (altho a great doctor). I went to see a neurologist where my son was diagnosed. I asked him why the pediatrician didn't catch it when I explained the symptoms. He said, "You were just speaking to the wrong doctor." He wasn't putting down the other doctor, but sometimes you need to have a specialist. I would recommend a trip to the neurologist, especially if you have insurance. If it is nothing you can then relax. If it is something then you can take care of your baby properly.

If you would like the name of the neurologist (he is awesome) then email me.

Best,
P.

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J.,

I don't know that this is typical behavior, but it is not what I noticed first with my autistic kids, so while I would mention to your pediatrician that she is doing these things, I would not try to draw any conclusions myself about them. I think that doing the diagnosis may be the thing that causes your doctor to think that you are over exagerating things. Tell them what she is doing, and leave the conclusions out of it.

Does your doctor suspect seizures or is this a conclusion that you have made? Once you ask about a rare condition (both autsim and seizures are) you raise the bar with the doctor, and they may judge what you say in a "hyper parent" light and not take you seriously. Just tell the doctor what you see in a calm, direct, and specfic way and if you think a symtom is troublesome, then insist that the doctor take you seriously, or seek a second opinon. Be careful rolling everything into a ball, the more issues you try to put together into one overall problem, the more likely it is that the doctor will tune you out as a nut.

1. She has low weight
2. What ever you see (make sure it is relevant!) that makes you think seizure
3. you see some biting (make sure it is not teething!)
4. you see some hand flapping and head shaking

Let the doctor help you sort out what the important questions are about these things when you ask at the office. Make a list of items, and stick to it so that you are taken seriously.

M.

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I've been through the testing to see if my son was on the Autism spectrum and I have done a lot of reading about it. I believe it is too early to tell but it would be important to share your concerns with your pediatrician. They can point you in the right direction so your child can be tested. Early therapy is extremely important. The state provides free speech and occupational therapy up to three (in CA they are called regional centers) and then the school district should take over.

With that said, this could be something else entirely. Was she premature at birth? Premature babies develop at a different rate than full term babies. Is she reaching other milestones? Is she saying some words, crawling, walking, pointing to objects, etc.... If she is late on her milestones again, you should seek therapy for her. If she is significantly late in one or two areas, you should qualify for the free services through the state. It does not matter what income you make.

On a whole other point, you should feel very comfortable telling your pediatrician any of your concerns. I just had to change my pediatrician because I was frusterated that he was taking my comments out of context and never addressing the issues I felt needed to be address. Please find an individual you feel comfortable with. They are a 'partner' in the raising of your child.

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Your child has a medical problem and you need to discuss it with your pediatrician. Next, I would laly off vaccinations until I am confident that your child isn't allergic to anything in them. You must be completely truthful with your doctor in order for him/her to help. Get a second opinion if your doctor just shrugs it off.

Oh trust me, the dr is used to parents calling about the stupidest things. And this, IMO, is a valid concern that you should talk to your dr about. That said, I think those behaviors are pretty typical of babies/toddlers. My son at one point in time exhibited all of the behaviors you mentioned and he is perfectly healthy and does not have autism (he was just screened when he was evaluated by the SLP - I guess it was a requirement of the assessment).

Good luck mama, give the dr a call.

I believe that it maybe too early to have testing done for autism. My son has high functioning autism. At 12 months old there were not signs or clues that he might have autism. He still does not display the "typical" signs of autism like hand flapping or walking on toes. If one was to look at him or talk to him you would not know. You actually have to spend time with him to see his unique quirks. His problems are more in the areas of concentration, focus and some social interactions.
I'm just saying this to to let you know that autism comes in all forms and no one person will have the same issues to address.
You may find that this is all typical behavior that your baby will outgrow and like all children you will eventually deal with another type of behavior to solve.
However, if you still have concerns I would go through with the testing when she is old enough. I held off on having my son tested because everyone around me was saying that I was making much of nothing. Even my husband and my son's Peditrician when I knew something was off. So, my son was almost 3 1/2 when he was eventually tested. So, go with your gut feelings because as a mom they are always right. And you will be surprised at the Peditricians out here who don't have a clue when it comes to autism.

I don't have an answer for you, but if you do discover there might be GI issues or Autism, I highly recommend looking at the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (www.breakingthesviciouscycle.info). A pediatrician came up with the diet in the 1920s and a mother of a child with ulcerative colitis made it "popular".

There is a site that focuses on children with Autism and GI issues who follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. It's www.pecanbread.com. There are yahoogroups for these sites too where parents discuss the diet and their kids.

There are children who are infants and toddlers on the diet so 12 months is not too young. It's a healthy diet - getting rid of complex carbohydrates and all artificial foods. My daughter has ulcerative colitis and her health has improved greatly since starting the diet. So... if weight gain and/or autism are concerns for you, I would definitely try the diet for a month and see if your daughter improves. Apparently after a month if there are no signs of improvement (and you strictly followed the diet), then the diet won't work.

Good luck!

I'd go ahead and ask your daughter's doctor - every loving parent is concerned about their little one's health and I don't think the doc is going to think you're exaggerating, just that you have normal concerns and worries about your child.

Hi J.-
I am a chiropractor and I do nutrition response testing. I treat a lot of children with what you are describing. I'm guessing at this point and would not know for sure until I saw her, but it sounds like she needs to be detoxed from heavy metals. This helps with behavior, weight, seizures, add, adhd, autism, etc. I know I could help her. If nothing else you could bring her in and I could check her out. Let me know. Call my office and one of my assistants can help you. ###-###-####. Thanks and good luck. Dr. J.

My child has autism and I was the one to tell my ped. At every appt he was a few developmental steps behind, enough for me to worry but not the doc. My son didn't have a vaccine regression like most of the autistic kids I know but he didn't talk, wave or point at 12 months and he was always crying and had chronic diarrhea. At his 18 month app after I'd done research I concluded he has autism. I presented this to my ped and he agreed. Early intervention is key if this is the case. Do talk to your ped and call ECI(they can't diagnose but can provide services). I hope it isn't that but do your research to be sure.

It is truly wonderful that you are intune to your baby and concerned - there is alot of good information on websites concerning early signs of autism that I would encourage you to look at. I have twin neices that have autism and from very early on I could sense that there was something different about their social/emotional capabilities. Some early things that have been noted to check for include - eye contact and responding to social cues, example may be does baby respond with a head turn when you call their name from the other side of the room? Do you notice babbling, pointing to objects, making meaningful gestures? These would be all good things to observe over the next few days and document to help ease your mind or bring up with doctor. Best to you and your beautiful baby.

there is a federally mandated program in every state that will provide a free examination to determine if your child has developmental disabilities, including autism, learning disabilities and other issues. This program will also provide free or low-cost services for children 0 to 3 years old. In Texas, contact http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/index.shtml to get information on the Early Childhood Program in your city.

You can also contact the federally mandated Parent Training and Information Center for your state. I've included the contact info for Dallas below:
(Serving Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Wichita Falls, Southeast and East Texas)
PATH Project
1090 Longfellow Drive, Suite B
Beaumont TX 77706-4819
###-###-####
(800) 866-4726 (in TX)
____@____.com
www.partnerstx.org/

A developmental pediatrician might make you feel better about what you are worried about with your daughter. I would really consider taking he, J.. I admit that her weight concerns me. Perhaps taking her to a different doctor for a "second opinion" would be in order. Make sure that you have a food diary for at least two weeks written down, and document all of her activities.

Most likely autism isn't the issue. But you need to keep an eye on her weight issue in the ensuing months.

All my best,
D.

It's definitly something to look into, Trust your instict.Nothing is ever too little to have concerns over and looks into esp when it comes to your precious child.
My son now 5 was diagnosed at 2 1/2 yrs old with Autism. He did flap his hands when he got excited, head banging which he still does. I would look into it without a thought. I would look for signs of autism and right down what she's doing. Repetive behavior, meeting milestones, OCD, lining things up, things have to be in order, not socially interacting with peers.

I hope this helps and I would google signs of autism as well. I Pray that you will get some answers soon. If your Pedi doesn't believe I would go to developmental pedi.

M.

are all her milestones otherwise being met? does she talk, walk, or crawl? i would start keeping a journal of her day to write down any behavior that you are concerned with. if you have a video phone, maybe even have a video to bring to your doctor to show the behavior. this helps you keep track, as well as shows a doctor a better picture. i would mention your concerns.

i also agree that you should contact the office in your state which provides child services. ask them at what age they do testing. it is extremely important to have testing done at the correct age. where we live, if you arent diagnosed by 3, they cant assist, so everyone has to be in the program by 3. its just good to have the knowledge in case you ever need it.

if you are concerned, take that to heart. as parents, its okay to overact, but we may not forgive ourselves if we underact and there are consequences. she may be perfectly fine, may have something minor or temporary, or maybe something that will need assistance. at her age, its very difficult to separate normal baby behavior, medical issues, and behavior issues. who knows at this point, but why not push it until you feel comfortable.

Almost everything you described is totally normal. Babies explore their world through taste and touch. They put just about everything in their mouths, and their feet are often a favorite. Flapping and clapping are great! She's showing her excitement (and disappointment). It doesn't hurt to ask your doctor, but this sounds normal.

I know nothing about seizures.

Hi J.: Only a doctor is going to be able to diagnose a problem, if there is one. However, you need to go with your instincts. You obviously have some very serious concerns here, and you should never think that you are overreacting in this kind of situation. You spend all of your time with her - the doctor doesn't - and the dr. needs to address your concerns. If not, I would get another opinion, whether from another pediatrician or a hospital pediatrics dept. etc. Do not stop until you get an answer. Some of the things you describe do sound unusual for a 1 yr. old (plus I read your post about seizure-like behavior), so I would schedule a meeting with your dr. and put this all out on the table. Again, if you don't feel like you are being heard, go elsewhere. If it is autism, it is very important to start therapy as early as possible. If it is something more acute, she needs to be treated promptly. Don't feel silly about any of this - you are your daughter's advocate! P.S. Was your daughter premature? If so, remember that some of the milestones won't be reached on the same schedule - talk to the dr. about that, also.

You have gotten some good advice but one thing I would add is to look into food sensitivity testing. Many autistic kids have a lot of GI problems and they often get at least somewhat better when those issues are taken care of. Holding and biting her stomach as well as her low weight make me think that she may not be digesting food correctly. I also second being really careful with vaccines if you have any developmental concerns.

Don't be nervous about talking to your doctor. My son had sensory integration disorder. I knew something was "off" with him from about 6 months of age. I KEPT bringing it up with the doctor and he did get evaluated at 12 months. But, it wasn't until he was over 2 that other people finally starting seeing what I was seeing and they "got" it. He entered therapy at that time and now I would say he is "cured". Thank goodness. But, I honestly 100% believe it was the early therapy that cured him. But, what I learned from the lesson is that YOU are your child's advocate. NO ONE else will speak for her. And, unfortunately, your pediatrician is probably not well versed in autistic characteristics. You may want to fight for an occupational therapy eval (that is what finally diagnosed my son).

Just as an FYI, also, my brother dated a woman that had a little boy. When he was 1, I thought something was off with him. By the time he was 18 months, it was obvious that something was off. They did not deal with it until he was 3 (when he was diagnosed as obsessive compulsive). Finally when he was 4, he was diagnosed as autistic. Personally, I believe they lost years of therapy that could have helped. Now that I see what therapy can do for you, I am a HUGE advocate of getting help early. And, because of my son's diagnosis with the sensory issue, the daycare had to make accomodations for him (he absolutely refused to go into the sand box area - which is where the whole class went at one time).

If you feel like you need help, you need to seek it out. Trust me, it is VERY tiring to fight and be an advocate for your child. When the therapist told me my son had sensory integration disorder, it felt like a giant weight had lifted off of my shoulders. You would think that it would be the opposite - that you would feel more oppressed with a diagnosis. But, a diagnosis opens so many doors for you. Other people start to help.

And honestly, I would be concerned about 14 lbs at 1 year. I would talk to your doctor extensively about that as well. Has your daughter been tracking on a growth chart appropriately? Maybe she should at least be drinking Ensure or something else that would give her some "good" calories.

Good luck!
L.

Hi, sounds like a neurological problem. I have a 12 mth old and she doesn't shake her head back and forth. I know you know when she is playing and when she is doing it uncontrollable. Go with your instincts, maybe get a second opinion. but also be informed with vaccines... you are the on ly one who really knows your child and you ultimately are the one who will take care of her not the doctors. check out this website....just be informed with making vaccination decisions....http://specialchildren.about.com/od/autismandvaccines/i/v...
hope this helps.

While what you described are some symptoms of autism... they're also totally normal baby behavior. "Toes in the nose" (aka their feet up in their face, and sticking them in their mouth), I have never met a baby that doesn't do it. Ditto arm and hand flapping (they don't have good motor control yet), ESPECIALLY when they're excited. Shaking head, ditto (in fact at 2ish head shaking is almost always present during tantrums... but from neck control through elementary age it also makes them "dizzy" & "blurs the world" which many kids enjoy, not to mention cartoon characters do it when startled or confused, so kids copy it. The sheer number of times I've had to tell kids not to "rattle their brains"... well if I had a nickel for each, I could buy a new laptop.

It's sort of like how a headache can be a symptom of bright light OR a deadly disease.

Mewing at birth (unable to cry as an infant except in cat-like noises), inability to make eye contact, not reacting to external stimuli, ... at 1... those would be symptoms that would worry me. HFA you usually can't determine until quite a bit older... so as an infant you're really looking for something major.

HINT: I've found walking into the doctor's office, blushing, and saying "I'm having a Paranoid Mom Moment... could you let me know about ________? If it's serious, something to keep an eye on, or I'm just being the crazy mom that needs a pat on the shoulder and a chill pill?" has elicited a fantastic response from Peds all over the country. They bend over backwards to reassure me I'm not nuts, listen to me fully, and then do some quick tests. Whereupon I get one of my 3 requests (reassurance, "good catch, lets keep an eye on this, but not worry about it too much now", or the big smile and "He's Fiiiiiiiine. Doing grand." When it's the "Fine" answer I always heave a big sigh of relief (real), and then ask me to show me the difference between what he was doing and what I was freaking over.

In fact, I'll even schedule an appointment as a "Paranoid-Mom well child checkup", which tends to get a laugh from the receptionist. You have to realize, they're people, too. So pick something normal your son does. Anything TOTALLY normal. And they've had a call from a nervous parent in tears or screaming at them like it's a severed artery and their kid is going to die if they aren't seen that SECOND for that very normal behavior (seriously, my girlfriend got a call once from parents who were horrified that their baby was closing her eyes when she slept, and kept waking her up to make sure she was alive, because they couldn't tell for *sure* unless she was awake, and another who called in screaming that her baby was having a stroke... the symptom? Drooling. Seriously. She googled something and found out that stroke patients drool, looked at her drooling infant, and lost it). Dealing with a nervous, but relaxed and aware that they're nervous, parent is a relief.