Autism: I would like your opinion, if my grandson is autistic or not?

Question

My grandson will be 13 months old next week. My daughter and I are worried, because he hasn't done everything on this list: The 2 I'm concerned about are,

* Says no single words ("mama" or "dada")

* Does not learn to use gestures, such as waving or shaking head

Developmental Health Watch

Alert your child's doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

* Does not crawl

* Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)

* Cannot stand when supported

* Does not search for objects that are hidden while he or she watches

* Does not point to objects or pictures

* Experiences a dramatic loss of skills he or she once had

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/milestones_1year.html

Please look at these videos and tell me if he looks autistic? Why or why not?

http://www.youtube.com/user/kittykatluvr4

thank you for looking at Alex

Answer 1

As you other answers have noted, every child is different and a language delay does not always spell autism.

A very good sign is that your grandson is attending to your face and imitating. Lack of imitation is one of the big markers for autism. If he is autistic, he is high functioning.

On the other hand, the high pitched screaming is an autism trait. But, I have big concerns that you are imitating his screams. Please don't do that! You are reinforcing the screaming behavior. ALWAYS use words with him. Inadvertently, you are teaching him to scream. So whether he actually does high pitched screaming or if screaming is being reinforced, it is hard to tell.

You might also want to look at your family history because autism is strongly linked to genetics. Any serious learning disabilities, mental retardation or autism can help you determine what is going on. Also there are several rating scales available. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale is for kids 2 and above. The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, which is widely used by school districts is for kids 3 and above. When he turns two, you can start getting a better idea of where he is at.

A couple of other things to consider. There are other disorders that impact language learning besides autism. They include communication disorders, language disorders and learning disabilities. None of these are fatal!

You may want to call your school district to find out what kind of early intervention programs they have. Kids can enter Pre-K at three and testing can be done before that. Every district has a "Child Find" team that determines what kinds of assessments are needed. Don't take no for an answer.

Finally, see if you can reduce the screaming behavior by ignoring it and replacing it with a word. When you are cuddling and playing with him, ignore the screaming and use a word, like you were doing part of the time. When he says the word, praise him and cuddle him. Ignore the screaming entirely and never scream with him again.

Also you may want to check out the Applied Behavior Analysis techniques assist with acquiring language. One such methodology is called "Verbal Behavior." You can look it up on the 'Net and it is something that you can do.

He's a sweetie. Thing will be OK.

Answer 2

Autism is such a broad diagnosis, it's hard to diagnose and can be mis-diagnosed.  Your grandson seems very alert, attentive and involved.  My friend's son didn't talk at all until he was two, and now he's four and never stops.  My nephew was diagnosed with all kinds of ailments after a brain bleed at birth, yet at the age of three he is reading, doing simple math, and has a memory that puts me to shame.  The physical challenges he has faced are overcome with amazing grace.



If you are worried, talk to your pediatrician.  My non-professional (i'm not a doctor, but i work with children) opinion is that your grandson is simply developing at his own pace.  If he is experiencing things like dragging on one side of the body or dramatic loss in skill once had though, get that checked right away.

blessings.

Answer 3

I couldn't tell based on these videos,  but I think that if you or your daughter are worried than that says more than the videos could. I am not a doctor, and can only go by my own experiences. My sister has a daughter who is autistic. She began getting worried when her daughter was about 12 months old and still not crawling. She still only babbled,and had not spoken her first word. The pediatrician said not to worry because some children start to crawl and speak late. Family members told her not to worry, because children develop at different rates. She talked it over with her husband and decided to get a second opinion. So about age 13 months they took her to a doctor who was then able to diagnosis it.  It's been good, too. She has been able to get help and is now almost at the same speech level as her peers. Part of her autism makes her hypersensitive to touch. She used to get nervous and cry around other kids. We think she was afraid that they would touch her, and hurt her. A physical therapist has been working with her on this. It really has made a big difference in her life and my sisters. They now know how to help her. So I would go with my gut instinct. If you think your grandson has autism get him tested. Go to a doctor who listens to your concerns, and will help you find out what is the problem. Get him tested. Maybe he doesn't have autism, and your worries will be relieved, but if he does you can find out how to help him to learn and grow.

Answer 4

He is as far from autistic as he could ever be. He engages with great eye contact and imitates verbalizations, and laughs appropriately.

As far as the speech development goes, he is still within  normal limits for his age. Try having him imitate simple words rather than nonsense utterances. Start with easy stuff, like "ball", "bye-bye", "up", etc.

FYI, even if he had speech delay (which he doesn't appear to show), it wouldn't necessarily mean he's autistic. Autistic kids develop normally until they are about 2, at which time they lose the language function they already have.

Speech delay can be due to many other reasons; not all kids with speech delay are autistic.

Answer 5

I think he is going to talk any day now. He is watching your face and interested in your facial expressions.. He is imitating your sounds and is having reciprocal play back and forth with the verbalization's even though he isn't imitating words yet. It seems he has lots of communicative intent in terms of he knows that communicating is a social action that requires another person. My feeling based on this mini assessment is that he is not autistic. Given these good indicators and he is 13 months I wouldn't worry honestly. If by 2 he still isn't using 1 or 2 word phrases he may have a mild speech delay that is easily treatable and often nothing to worry about at all.

Answer 6

oh how cute and coodley i could eat him up

Answer 7

He is precious.  The videos show me a sweet, playful little boy.  He needs to be seen by a specialist.  Every child is different, so every autistic child is also different.  My son has autism.  I know it is difficult to diagnose, especially in the milder forms.  If there is a problem, then the earlier intervention starts,  the better the prognosis.  My son I talked about above is 21.  He graduated from a regular high school, with some extra help.  While a senior in high school he took 8 hours of college and is now a 4th year student in our local university!  It will take him a while to graduate because of some  problems with some required courses.  But eventually he will have a degree in art from a great school.  It is possible.

Answer 8

I'm sorry I wasn't able to watch your videos, I think I have the slowest computer in the world..lol =(

I have a 3 yr old with low functioning autism..I hope this information will be useful to you..it's come form the American Autism Society.

The characteristic behaviors of autism spectrum disorders may or may not be apparent in infancy (18 to 24 months), but usually become obvious during early childhood (24 months to 6 years).

As part of a well-baby/well-child visit, the  child's doctor should do a "developmental screening" asking specific questions about the baby's progress. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) lists five behaviors that signal further evaluation is warranted:

Does not babble or coo by 12 months

Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months

Does not say single words by 16 months

Does not say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months

Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age

Having any of these five "red flags" does not mean your child has autism. But because the characteristics of the disorder vary so much, a child showing these behaviors should have further evaluations by a multidisciplinary team. This team may include a neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, speech/language therapist, learning consultant, or other professionals knowledgeable about autism.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, and although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities.

Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. They may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Their communication is often described as talking at others instead of to them. (For example, monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).

People with autism also process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits:

Insistence on sameness; resistance to change

Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words

Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language

Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason showing distress for reasons not apparent to others

Preference to being alone; aloof manner

Tantrums

Difficulty in mixing with others

Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled

Little or no eye contact

Unresponsive to normal teaching methods

Sustained odd play

Spinning objects

Obsessive attachment to objects

Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain

No real fears of danger

Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity

Uneven gross/fine motor skills

Non responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range.

For most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand what we are experiencing. For example, our sense of touch, smell and taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe peach: the feel of the peach's skin, its sweet smell, and the juices running down your face. For children with autism, sensory integration problems are common, which may throw their senses off they may be over or under active. The fuzz on the peach may actually be experienced as painful and the smell may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that some of the typical autism behaviors, like the ones listed above, are actually a result of sensory integration difficulties.

Diagnosis of PDD, including autism, or any other developmental disability, is based upon the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association, Washington D.C., 1994, and is the main diagnostic reference of Mental Health professionals in the United States of America.

Criteria for Autism based upon DSM-IV-TR :

The central features of Autistic Disorder are the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interest. The manifestations of this disorder vary greatly depending on the developmental level and chronological age of the individual.

A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction

Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)

Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

2. Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:

Delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gestures or mime)

In individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

Stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language

Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

3. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals

Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

Persistent preoccupation with parts of object

B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:

Social interaction

Language as used in social communication

Symbolic or imaginative play

C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's

Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.