Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello.
My wife and I have very recently realized that our daughter Chloe of almost 11 months almost certainly has autism.
We live in Portugal and are currently in voluntary self isolation.
We are first time parents and up to recently we assumed everything was relatively normal with Chloe. She has always been a very good baby that seldom cries and sleeps well.
Non of her doctors or pedestrians have mentioned anything to us. Her nursery teacher mentioned that she should be responding to her name by now and that and a combination of other symptoms has lead us to believe she has autism.
Chloes symptoms are:
- does not look at us when we call her name.
- does not react to a loud noise (although will turn and look if ongoing)
- Very little eye contact.
- only smiles/laughs while being interacted with such as tickling.
- very often fixated with materials or patterns.
- bangs toys or repeatedly spins or rotates it.
We know we need to take her to see someone asap.
We would really appreciate any kind of advice.
Thank you.
I would make checking her hearing your first call. Secondly, I would start to keep video diaries of her behaviours so that you can show them a clinician at some future point. They will want several weeks of written diaries. If she is autistic - she may like light and water. Have a look at youtube for what techniques they use with youngsters on how to engage them more - and that way you can use this time of social distancing to do some of those activities. Keep a journal.