Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello my 10 month old son is showing signs of autism and I want to help him. What can I do ...
Red flags:
He is a picky eater
He is not sleeping well
He does not point or cuddle me when upset only when he is tired
He keeps rising his hands above his head and looking at objects through the comer of his eye.
Does not spend more than 2 minutes on game
He gets worried in new situations but eventually seems ok
Only reponds to his name a bit.
However he does smile and laugh and will play with me he also babbles but is not saying any words, always follows people will crawl to babies and tough their face and pass toys.
I am so so worried I love him so much and want to help him
Any help?
Have you spoken to your health visitor he should be due a review very soon. It’s unlikely you will be able to get any referrals yet as most if not all of your list can be quite normal in 10 month olds, especially if there is teething and growth spurts and things going on. With my daughter things didn’t come more obvious until she was about to start school because she was still showing behaviours that NT babies and toddlers usually grow out of. I understand that you want to do the best for him but it really is the truth that 10 months is too early for assessment. If he does have any specific areas flagged on the review questionnaire from the HV then you can help with those without needing a diagnosis. Eg. Certain toys if he is struggling with fine or gross motor skills. There are plenty of ways to help the really little ones become the best versions of themselves and manage their struggles without having to wait however long before they reach the age they can be assessed.
Thanks for taking the time to respond. His motor skills are really good it s just his social and communication skills that are not as refined. His 9 month check was great nothing was a problem. However his feeding has now become a real issue and I am desperate for some support