• Replies 13 replies
  • Subscribers 72 subscribers
  • Views 2845 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Could my daughter have ASD?

NAS74413

I'll try and keep this as brief as I can. I have an 18 month old daughter and I can't help but wonder if she is showing early signs of ASD. I know its very early to be thinking about this but I want the best for her and don't always feel like I'm doing a very good job.

Its just certain things, like she will walk round in circles until she falls over from dizziness, pull her hair and get very frustrated, she shakes her head and hands a lot too and runs around on her tiptoes and sometimes even with her eyes shut! Its hard to engage her in anything for very long before she wants to get going again! She will climb on the furniture and seemingly purposely throw herself off, we have to catch her like goalkeepers! Sometimes she gets so angry she'll do little fists and her little knuckles will go white from clenching them and there's no obvious reason for her to be angry. She's had a few bumps like most toddlers but I get so worried about her getting seriously hurt and feel on constant alert!

She has difficulty with sleeping even when we try and keep everything as consistent and relaxing as possible. She also doesn't respond to her own name, or say hello or goodbye or wave to anyone. When out for a walk she wants to walk a particular way (like along all the white lines on the football pitch in the park or over every grid or along straight lines in the pavement) and if you stop her, she will throw a tantrum.

She will cuddle and kiss but its not often and she is only comfortable when she initiates it, and she's been this way from quite young. If someone cuddles her and she hasn't initiated it then she will push away even if its mum or dad. 

Last week she started a little football group and spent the first ten minutes of the session running around the goalposts, and then wanted to kick all the footballs, including everyone else's! The other parents and the coaches were good about it but I'm not sure if it will be something that she'll want to do every week. 

I don't want this to sound like I'm complaining because I'm not, I'm super proud of her, I'm just worried because as a first time mum during the pandemic I don't feel like I have had a point of reference as to what to expect, and I want to be doing the right things for her development and I never feel like I'm doing enough! 

I have also had very little input from the health visitor because of the pandemic. My daughter's health review at 10 months was conducted over the phone and was focused more on milestones, which she has been consistently ahead of. The lady doing the assessment even called her super baby! She was walking at 8 months and can already count to 10, knows her alphabet and a lot of words for her age, she loves learning and seems to pick things up pretty quickly.

So should I try and get in touch with my health visitor to talk about any of this or am I overthinking things completely? I just feel like I'm struggling, and so does my husband. We both work and when one of us isn't working then we're taking turns looking after our daughter. We don't get any downtime really and we're both on edge most of the time.

If you've taken the time to read all this then thank you, and thank you in advance for any advice or information. 

  • I wouldhave the same worries. Try to get an assessment. Good luck. Claire

  • in reply to NAS74413

    You're welcome! We didn't wait long for my daughter to be assessed BUT she was already under a Paediatrician due to Global Developmental Delay, so I guess they were already looking to find a reason for her symptoms. When I reported that I thought she was displaying signs of Autism and disclosed my own recent diagnosis, they put her through for assessment quite quickly. I think we waited a few months from referral to assessment and diagnosis.

  • in reply to NAS74413

    I’d enquire about what waiting times for diagnosis are in your area (probably through camhs). Subtract that from her school start date plus a margin for error. If you’re still worried about autism at that date ask for a diagnosis.

  • in reply to Kitsune

    Thank you, its really good to hear your perspective. I'm sure the waiting lists have only got longer in the last two years but how long did you and your daughter wait for an assessment? 

  • in reply to Giraffe

    Thank you for your kind words. Yes you're definitely right about there being much more understanding now, even when I went to school in the 1990s ASD wasn't really something that was spoken about all that much. 

    The remote nature of the support has definitely been challenging at times but I think I will definitely try and get in touch with my health visitor and see where it goes from there. 

  • Hi there! Both myself and my youngest daughter are diagnosed as Autistic. My youngest was diagnosed at 2 1/2, 2 years ago. Some of what you describe sounds really similar to my daughter. I would suggest contacting your health visitor and asking them to refer her on for further assessment.

  • You are doing a great job. What a caring attentive mum you are shines through your post. I'm a primary school teacher so have worked with lots of parents over the years and the fact that you're thinking in this way clearly shows that you want nothing but the best for your daughter.

    As someone who was diagnosed as an adult, I wouldn't wish my childhood on anyone, and feel I'd have had a much easier time in lots of ways if I'd grown up nowadays when there's much more understanding. I definitely think speaking to your health visitor would be a good start. I hope you get the answers you're looking for. It must be so frustrating and daunting trying to bring up a baby in these times of uncertainty, with support mostly being remote.

  • in reply to Pikl

    Thank you for reply, its good to hear your perspective as I'm just viewing this as a concerned parent. I'll have to think about whether I want her to go on the long list for an assessment, its not that I want to label her but I just want her to her have the support that I haven't had as undiagnosed and in my 30s and that my mum didn't get having been diagnosed in later life. 

  • Hi, I work with children aged 2-4 years who have SEN. I understand your concerns as a parent completely. I cannot make a diagnosis nor would I want too. All I can say is although I can see why you are considering ASD, those same behaviours are also common for your daughters age. It is a very tricky age for professionals to diagnose at. The only thing I can suggest is to do what feels right to you. Of course you want the best start in life for your daughter, and she deserves that too. 

    It can take a long time for an assessment, so if you are concerned then I feel you should get the ball rolling. Your daughters behaviour may change over that time, or it might not. Keep doing what you have been doing in the meantime,  providing opportunities for her to learn and develop,  and monitor her progress.

    I wish you all the best.

  • in reply to GuybrushThreepwood

    Thank you, you make a good point about the lockdowns, I hadn't really considered that.

    I wasn't too worried about the football to be honest, I actually found it quite funny, I just noticed that her behaviour was a bit different to her peers, and hoped that I wasn't going to be constantly apologising! 

    I'm more concerned about her throwing herself all over the place but hope its a phase and and will pass!

    I was actually looking into nurseries the other day as I thought it would probably be good for her social skills, not sure about the funding, but I'll definitely look into it, thank you! 

  • in reply to Peter

    Thank you for your reply. I understand, it probably is quite hard to tell at this stage, I might be overthinking it. You see my mum is autistic and although I have never gone through an assessment, I suspect that I am ASD too so I'm possibly a bit hyper aware..

  • It’s quite hard to tell at that age, it could be signs of ASD but could also be normal toddler behaviour  especially when she’s lived her whole life during lockdowns. Don’t worry about the football I’d be more surprised if kids that age didn’t run around and kick everything in sight! She should get used to what is expected once she’s been a few times and watches everyone else. She should be due another health visitor review within the next 6 months, you could mention it to your health visitor but it wouldn’t surprise me if they asked you to wait until the review because of her young age. Will you be eligible for free childcare when she turns 2? Might be worth looking into to give yourselves a break and help her social skills

  • As I understand It the ados-2 test for autism can be applied to kids over 12 months So you could seek a diagnosis but really at that age it can be quite hard to tell. And I’m not sure it would be that useful to you. The main thing if she is autistic would be having a diagnosis in place before she enters school. That would make school a lot easier for her (if she is autistic)