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More obvious as child got older?

Sparkle555

Has anyone had a child that seemed to have no obvious traits until they were a bit older? Son is 4 and started nursery recently. They were the ones that brought it to our attention. As a family we’ve noticed some new things:
A bit more anxious
Really pining for his dad when he’s at work and repeatedly asking when he’ll be home etc
Walking on tip toes more
The odd time hand flapping (if watching something that has made him excited)
Repeating others questions / sentences etc
He’s extremely caring, affectionate and can deal with change, doesn’t have any rigid routines etc but we do notice a bit of a change in him. Assessment in the new year.

  • in reply to Autonomistic

    Thank you so much for your reply. He met all his milestones apart from speech. He done mama dada at the right time and then they disappeared. He didn’t speak properly until just after 3 and is completely caught up now. 

  • in reply to Martin

    Thank you for your reply. Yes it’s definitely become more noticeable since nursery as we didn’t have any major concerns before. But hopefully he should be assessed jan time so not long to wait Fingers crossed tone1

  • It is likely that the autistic traits have become much more apparent due to the life changes and additional demands resulting from the transition to nursery. He has been taken out of his 'safe' home environment.

    The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria highlights that symptoms may not fully manifest until social demands exceed the child's limited capacities:

    "Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities)"

    It was at nursery where I started to display significant autistic traits and meltdowns, due to the social demands and the noise from the other children. At home, where I was an only child and largely left on my own, my autistic traits were not so apparent.

  • Well, I am autistic and was a happy talkative child until I started infant school at four and a half. I was then selectively mute for three months. Autistic children can appear no different to any other child until their ability to cope with social situations are exceeded, then the stress, anxiety and other autistic traits can become noticeable. It may not be a coincidence that things became more obvious after starting nursery. Most autistic children eventually develop coping mechanisms and after I started talking at school I had fewer and shorter episodes of mutism over time.