Is My Daughter Autistic or Just Beig Stuborn?

Hi J.;
The diagnosis of childhood psych disorders is a speicalty reserved for childhood psychologists. If you are wondering, I would start there. Also take her in for a auditory test with an EENT. Autism is less common in girls. She could have allergies that is giving her some hearing problems? On the otherhand, she may just be a little delayed or have PDD (progressive developmental delay). My husband specializes in Austitic Spectrum disorders in the area of alternative treatments. he is a DAN practitioner and an ND in Boulder. Best of luck and maybe addressing her overall health from an alternative perspective would be helpful.

In my opinion, she may just be developing language late. I would look into an early intervention proram such as AZEIP (Ariizona Early Intervention Program). Kids under three can receive services throught this for speech and language delays.

In a child with Autism, they typically develop language normally and then around 2 there is a regression in their skills.
Good luck!

If your doctor is concerned I would at least keep an eye on it. If she isn't Autistic and she gets early intervention there is no harm done. If she is Autistic then the earlier she recieves intervention the better she will be helped. BTW, having your daughter use you like a tool to get what she wants is another sign of Autism. I have a 7 y/o with Asperger's (a form of Autism) and a 2 year old with PDD-NOS (also Autism). My 2 year old has recieved a lot of early intervention and has GREATLY benifited from it. The Autism is already a lot harder to see. If you or your doctor continues to have concern it would probably be a good idea to get her evaluated.

at this point she doesn't really sound autistic. I know many autistic children babble like the same things over and over. But in her case she is just 18mos old and she may just be slow to talk like my son was. Autistic children usually kind keep to them self and aren't very affectionate also you can use that as possible sign as well. I'd just wait till she gets closer to two and see what milestones she has reached. My friends son is autistic and showed many signes well before two. Try not to panic she may just be stubborn as many girls are! I have a very stubborn 3 yr old!

Here are just a few signs if a child may be autistic:

Child may avoid eye contact with you (majority of the time)

child doesn't like to snuggle or lay in you lap

child doesn't respond when you call his/her name.

Child may need loud stimulation like a lot of banging or screaming, more than typical.

Walked on toes when learning to walk

shaking of arms

Child tends to repeat things right after you've labeled the item.

Please keep in mind that this is just a few things and if your child only shows signs O. of them or two, then I wouldn't be too concerned.

One other thing, Does your child understand things? For example if you tell him/her that it is time to brush his/her teeth, will they go to the bathroom to brush? Or does the child need direction on everything?

My daughter is 19 months and she is hardly speaking at all. However, she seems to understand everything. So I wouldn't be too concerned, but you may just want to get your child screened and then you can will know for a fact. Because if there is a problem, hearing, autism, or something, then it is really is important to get help now. The sooner the better. I have a friend who had found out there son was autistic and when they finally did diagnose him he was 4. They ended up getting him detoxified when he was 6, and it did a lot of good, but since they waited so long to dignose him the outcome was maybe not as well as it could have maybe been if they did it when he was younger.

Hi J.:

A lot of the things you've described your daughter doing (taking your hand to lead you somewhere, or following you, waving goodbye, etc.) are the same things that my child does. My daughter is 20 months old. It sounds like your daughter is just slower in her speech development. And there's a ton you can do to help her there. When she leads you somewhere, clearly ask her what she wants and say the word to her several times. Read tons of books to her; Don't talk "baby talk" (if you are); engage her vocally as much as you can and encourage everyone in your family to do the same. And as for not turning when she heard her name, it could be as simple as that she doesn't hear her name enough at home, or like mine, she may hear it so much that she doesn't always feel like paying attention to the person speaking (LOL). If your daughter isn't showing any other signs of autism, and you've had her hearing checked, then you really shouldn't worry about this. Kids develop at different rates. And if the speech thing doesn't improve with time, then you have several other options. Don't stress out about it too much. Have a great holiday and enjoy your children. Take care.

J.,
You really won't know until she is tested and had a total evaluation. The earlier the better and you can help her.
I wouldn't worry but check the milestones and it never hurts to find out how to help your child the best.
C.

I just watched a show today on dr.phil about Austsim. maybe you can go to his web site and see clips of the show. they talked alot about early intervention.

I would rule out other diagnoses first. Have her hearing checked, eyesight checked and if still concerned seek out an occupational therapist who can help you determine if that is something to be concerned about.

J.,

There is a saying that "when you meet one child with Autism, you've met one child with Autism". I have a daughter (6) with Autism. We had an early diagnosis of mild Cerebral Palsy. She is very intelligent, exceedingly social, charming, verbal, affectionate, but she has Autism.

For years we have had her in lots of therapy and even the therapists were left scratching their heads. It has always been in the back of everyone's mind...Maybe she is on the spectrum..but she defies what you would think of as "Autistic". Remember it's a spectrum disorder. I would HIGHLY encourage you not to wait. She may or may not have Autism, but early intervention is key and would help all kids. So why not seek it? If there is any inkling at all about one of these disorders, opperate under the assumption that something needs to be done. Time is of the essence.

In the state of Arizona (as in most states) early intervention services are free. They go from birth to 3. The therapists even come to your home! Also remember it is all play based therapy, so even though the kids are working, it's still fun.

Also contacting your local autism society would be really important as well. At this stage you are looking for resources and a quality diagnosis. I know this is all so difficult emotionally. Even the thought that something may be wrong is very difficult to bear. Grieve, worry, but push through it to get answers and get help if needed. Opt for being more aggressive than passive. You are her advocate, and if you don't advocate for her nobody else will.

Also remember that pediatricians are not Autism experts. They often miss signs and precious time is wasted. My doctor told us everything was "in the range of normal" when my daughter was 17 months and still not walking. I was a first time Mom and I believed her. Don't take their word for it. If you have a concern seek a specialist. And please, don't hesitate to email me. Hang in there!

Hi J.,
I don't think it's wrong to "over react" whenever you think there could be an issue. My advise is to investigate it further if not for anything but peace of mind. My best friend has two boys with autism. They were not diagnosed until age 4 and 5, but I always knew there was something "off" and I had encouraged her to have them evaluated by a program here called "Child Find". Since the diagnosis, I've been learnign more and more about autism so I can help understand my friends stuggles. There is a great web site where you can learn more about the signs to look for. I'm attaching a link here directly to the "Learn the Signs" page. Boys are actually 4 times more likely than girls to have autism, but that doesn't exclude them. If you do find out your daughter has autism, the good news is that you learned about it early on and in time to make a huge difference. Here's that link http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/learnsigns.php

S.

My son is 1 and he only responds to his name some of the time, if he is busy doing something or watching tv he rarely looks!! Sometimes I think he is just ignoring me! He also only says dada and ya and babbles a little bit. In what to expect when expecting the toddler years it says they should say 2 words by 17 months. My son has some of the signs that they say are autistic, but I know many kids who are not autistic who have/do autistic traits, I wouldn't worry too much, sometimes I think we assume its autism because its in the media so much. It def would hurt to get her hearing checked...my daughter ended up getting tubes in her ears because she always had fluid in them, after the procedure she started talking alot more!! Good luck, I am sure everything will be fine though :)

If she's being as interactive with you as it seems, then I wouldn't worry TOO much, but I WOULD get her ears checked just in case. I had the same thing happen, and our daughter was just being stubborn. She's also like me: when involved in something, we literally have to be peeled away or we don't hear anyone. That same stubborn-ness showed up at her 2 year screening as 'being shy' while the doc was in the room but interacting with everyone else in the office!
And finally, remember that kids are different, and that as long as she interacts voluntarily with y'all that she is more than likely just fine.

Of course you have to listen to your doctor, but my cousin has a son who is perfectly healthy and in the third grade now. He didn't talk until he was almost 3 and then talked in complete sentences almost immediately. He had an older sister who would frequently talk for him so he didn't have the need.

Hope that helps.
C.

Umm, my 2 year old doesn't always turn around when you say her name. It's a contest of wills, I think.

If your daughter has hit the majority of the milestones listed on the sheet, I think you're probably fine.

Oh, and you may want to kick your doc in the neck for freaking you out like that!

I would take the time to have her tested for your own peace of mind, and if she is autistic the early the better for all of you. I had my third child tested because he would not talk at 20 months, but had hit all the milestones and even many beyond his age. But the talking just wouldn't come and his two older siblings have not stopped talking since they were one! It turns out that my baby is just a man of few words, even now at 27 months he still has very little to say, but is extremely smart. My daughter (8) is strong willed (there are other words I could use for that :) lol) and still will only acknowledge that I am speaking to her only if she wants to, I learned that it is best to be at her level and in her face before talking to her so I am not yelling to get her attention all the time. If your daughter has had her hearing checked I would look into having her tested for autism to help you make the right decisions in her care. God bless

There are lots of different things available. If you're worried, why not just have her checked out. Child Find is free and would be able to give you lots of contacts. I don't know much about autism, but I have a friend who has two autistic kids. Her second one was diagnosed very early and is doing great with the early intervention. There's a great place out in Aurora, too, but I can't remember the name, but they give lots of information and help for free as well.

It sounds like you are a busy mom. I suggest that you talk to her all the time and try to not respond with her requests unless she verbalizes what she wants. Don't give her anything for just pointing or grunting... make her verbalize in the best way that she can. She is learning that she just has to do the least amount of work for what she wants... not a good thing... you do want her to work... and she may just be stubborn but keep an eye on things. If she is showing signs of autism, early detection can make all the difference in the world. Good Luck.

J.,

It is very difficult to determine developmental progress
based on one doctor's visit. However, autism is a growing
concern for all parents with 1 out of 150 children in the
US who have an autism spectrum disorder. What is even more
frustrating is that we do not know what is causing this rapid
rise. All pediatricians and family practice physicians are
screening for autism more aggressively as early intervention
is the key to success for these children. Missing only one
of the milestones does not make the diagnosis of any autistic disorder. You may want to ask your childcare provider if
she has noticed anything different about your child's interactions compared to other children her age. If you have
any concern, visit your pediatrician again in a few months
for a follow up evaluation and see where her developmental
progress is. With increased screening for autism, all parents
will be asking more questions about development. Remove any
fears you may have because of the stigma of autism and just
focus on doing what's best for your child. Once your child
has several developmental evaluations, it will be easy to
know her progress. As a caring parent, you will always be
the best judge of your child's progress, but it never hurts
to consult with your physician.

My eldest son was originally moderately autistic. Signs I saw in him were lack of eye contact, lack of vocabulary, lack of interaction with people, becoming frustrated, played with toys differently than intended (lining up hot wheels), liked shiny or spinning objects as a baby, and later the hand flapping. Even IF she is diagnosed as autistic or a lesser Asperger's, do not despair! There is a ton of things to help her normalize including diet, Navigating the Social World by Dr McAfee, anything from Dr. Toni Attwood, and routines. I've listed information on my web site to help anyone dealing with autism... www.farmerchick.com Bottom line: she'll be fine with a loving, concerned mom like yourself!!!

We have four kids, one of which has autism (my step son) and we STRUGGLED to get him diagnosed between 1-2 years of age, and it wasn't until he was (4) that they finally did so. So, on one hand, it's great to hear that your provider is being proactive and open-minded to the possibility of autism - which is so prevalent nowadays!

But, I would continue to keep an eye on her and just see if she happens to develop milestones appropriately in other areas. There are a lot of factors that go into an autism diagnosis and most times, it wouldn't be until she is (2) when language and social skills differences are most evident, unless she was severely affected.

I would suggesst going to www.google.com and doing a search on "autism diagnosis" and just keep yourself informed about the disorder so you can know what to be on the look out for.

Best of luck!

Autism is so misdiagnosed. I do not feel you should be worried. You should be on top of things and if you feel you need to go, than go to multiple doctors for their opinions. Alot of doctor's will give a answer even when it is not always the right answer just to cover themselves. Just do as much research as you can and maybe call the Autisn Network here in town for more information as well.

First thing first. I would ask your doctor to set an appointment up with a hearing specialist. My husband's grandma, who has past on, was partial deaf since birth. They did not find out until she was your daughters age. If you daughter is speaking, then it's most likely partially deaf. Ask yourself this question, when she waves "bye-bye" is she looking at you when you do it? or is she off to the side, a little? If she is in front of you, then it's because she can see you leave. If she is off the side, her side view may catch you leaving, and turn towards you. I would really sit down with your doctor, and say, "Hey, I want a professional hearing test done on her." This way you can rule out the hearing problem. If she is partially deaf, don't fret. It happens to more children than you think.

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