worried father

[delme]

I am worried my 6 month old daughter is in the spectrum. Actually this has lead to me asking questions about myself as well. The problem is, there aren't great resources for 6-month olds, so I thought I'd just throw my concerns to this community. Most information seems to point to the expectation that a diagnosis would not happen until 18-24 months at the earliest. I've read the two papers by Teitelbaum, PNAS '98 and 2004; although to their discredit they seem to think that all babies are crawling upright already at 6 months.

AGAINST:
-she makes eye contact
-she can be vocal
-she reacts to faces, and recognises her father and mother
-nobody other than myself has raised any concerns (over-anxious parent syndrome perhaps)
-no clear asymmetry or weakness in her movement
-doesn't seem in any way unsocial
-doesn't line things up stack things or anything like that
-tilts her head to stay vertical when you tilt her body (mostly)
-enjoys playing in front of mirror

FOR:
-arm flaps a lot. all day long
-clasps hands quite a bit (sometimes whilst flapping)
-over-excited all the time (see arm flapping)
-mouth sometimes has the Moebius look to it (I thought all babies looked liked that)
-from 3 months she prefers standing, and can do so for quite a long time
-since 5 months she started standing on her toes
-now that I think about it, myself and family members have a few traits. Nobody diagnosed or even suspected previously.
-sometimes cross-eyed (not often)
-shrieks and grunts alot ... OK I think all babies do this
-she used to babble and chatter nonsense in the mornings and from time to time. I haven't heard her do it in a while (regression?). Clearly says 'mama' when she wants feeding or mother returns from being away, has done for a long time
-loves books (see over-excited)
-doesn't seem to mimic as much as I would expect, but other people think she does.
-rarely cries, even when given injections etc.. When she does cry, usually no tears. Expresses tiredness etc. more by raging. Smiles and laughs a great deal. Also shrieks and rages.


UNRELATED:
-she is physically quite long and big and strong; looks like much older babies in some ways
-appeared quite aware from a young age
-hearing and sight fine

 

[asnlifecoach]

There is no need to worry. Continue to pay attention to her development, see if she meets her developmental milestones, intervene as necessary. You are being a good parent. Here is a list of developmental milestones for her age:

CDC - Learn the Signs. Act Early. Milestones 6 months - NCBDDD

How about yourself? What questions are you asking about you?

 

[Ste11aeres]

I am speaking as a professional Infant/Toddler Caregiver

She started standing at 3 months? That is incredibly early. Now she stands on her toes? Few babies her age could do that. If her mouth only sometimes has the moebius look, that doesn't mean anything.

The arm flapping and hand/clasping could be unusual. If it really is all day long. Other than that I see no signs of autism/aspergers in your description.

If you have noticed traits in family members, perhaps some of you adults could look into it for yourselves?
You might enjoy this online test which is supposed to be one of the best Aspie-quiz
I can't tell you whether your daughter has aspergers, or whether you do, but, remember, aspergers is not really a negative thing. It only becomes so if no one accepts us (they can dislike us because of our quirks). If we have even one loving person who accepts us the way we are, that's all that we need for aspergers to be a positive thing. You can be that to your daughter whether her development is normal, or however it turns out.

 

[delme]

Well, I am fine with my life (just curious), and I am fine with my daughter's whatever it turns out to be so there's no problem there. I just want to know what I can.

Perhaps I was not clear. When I said she was standing, I don't mean free standing. I can't remember exact dates but I have videos of her at 3 1/2 months standing supported only by holding onto my fingers with her hands. She was capable at that age of standing holding onto something like the edge of a sofa, but mostly was more interested in interacting with it using her mouth. Even earlier than that if you tried to sit her on your lap, she would just straighten her legs and stand up (supported). She still loves to stand and will go up onto her toes now, but she is also happy sitting. She has always had fat strong thighs, a family trait.

I did the Aspie quiz and came out with 71 but felt like I was answering the majority with 'a little'. As I said I don't think I am Aspie but have some striking similarities in places. Thanks also to asnlifecoach, she is hitting all the milestones apart from some of the first few Language/Communication ones are a bit questionable. It's a bit open to interpretation, so I'm not sure. In developmental terms she doesn't seem slow at all, just some behaviour that I don't see in other babies ... admittedly with very little experience of babies.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Well, I am fine with my life (just curious), and I am fine with my daughter's whatever it turns out to be so there's no problem there. I just want to know what I can.
In developmental terms she doesn't seem slow at all, just some behaviour that I don't see in other babies ... admittedly with very little experience of babies.

As long as you are happy with your life and her's, whatever it turns out to be, then things will be fine.
In all honesty, Aspergers usually becomes visible at around 18 months. Very severe autism may be evident as a baby, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Pretty much everything you described sounds normal.
I am glad that you are coming onto this site to learn about aspergers from people who themselves have it. People with Aspergers are far better sources to learn about AS, since people without it usually portray it incorrectly.

 

[Peace]

I too am a worried father, but do not let it be because of Aspergers if that is the case. Having it can actually be a good thing. We do not tend to be very social, but tend not to need much either. We tend to be intelligent and very good at what we do. Like someone else said, as long as we have someone that loves us for who we are, we are fine.
My own experience is that the only time Aspergers turns out to be a bad thing is when you don't know you have it, or cannot get the proper resources.
From one dad to another, don't worry. Your daughter sounds awesome and I can tell you are too. With you as a dad, she will be great.

 

[Arashi222]

Honestly its too hard to tell at that young of age. Its even difficult to tell before the age of 3-4yrs old at the earliest sometimes it is actually more telling once they get into school or in preschool. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just watch the signs and be informed about it. Autism isn't a bad thing it is just a different way of learning and being in the world. Its good to get support early to help with her transitioning to things. Good luck.

 

[asnlifecoach]

Just keep doing what you are doing, being a good father. Stay on top of things and intervene if necessary. But right now I think you are good. It's normal to worry, but don't let it overwhelm you. You and your daughter will discover more about yourselves over time. Just make it a priority!

 

[oscar2012]

I was in your position once it took me 12months for me to get my son diagnosed it took a lot of fighting but i got there my son was exactly the same i noticed when he was bout 8 months old . then at the age of 3 he was diagnosed with autism but people were telling us you no whats up with your son but i wanted them to tell me . i was diagnosed myself 3 years ago with aspergers but i knew there was something different with me but because what i went throu with my son i never bothered so ive struggled all my life with this

 

[oscar2012]

And my son is 16 now

 

[delme]

Old thread for others, but obviously of no less interest to myself.

My daughter is now over 7 months and so her behaviour has moved on. I would say she has gained a few traits that make me wonder, such as constant foot-twirling and a tendency not to look me in face when I am close to her ( but looks at my face when I enter the room or get home from work ... she stares at me for 5-10 seconds before recognising me, then smiles, then gets excited). I always stand at a distance and wait for her to react when I get home. Sometimes I have to say a familiar phrase or something to get her to react. I have been swinging her every other day or so since I read this can stimulate the verbal part of the brain.

On the other hand I think she has gained far more new traits that don't seem so aspie. She's got over the standing for long periods of time thing, and doesn't toe stand so much. Much happier to sit now and crawl around, pull to standing, walk along the edge of something etc. She reacts with anticipation to well-rehearsed interactions seems to have made very small progress in vocalising; having said mama for many months she is now sometimes saying papa, but only occasionally. The flapping and over-excited ness has decreased and she definitely now shows a preference for new things over repetitive actions.

So overall I love her to bits and will love her as she grows up, but as a parent am spending less time worrying about her development even if she seems a bit different from most babies. She's my little superstar and everything she does is special to me. She's probably like me, one or two very aspie-esque things, but a sum total that is not officially on the spectrum.