Expert: James Michael Roan - 4/3/2009

Question
have a daughter that will be 8 months old on 04/11/2009. She was borm 3 weeks early, by c-section, but there were no complications. She was breech. I have been reading alot about infant development and I have a few questions.

She can sit up when you set her down ( She can't sit up from laying on her back or tummy though) and she can roll over if she gets frustrated enough that a toy is out of reach. She smiles and makes eye contact when we play. She babbles and blows bubbles. She respondes to her name most of the time. Sometimes she seems to zone out when she's sleepy. She takes good naps and sleeps well at night. She can do a baby push up, but has not attempted to crawl.

The concerns are two things that seems a little odd thought. When she is excited by something she opens and closes her hands over and over like she is waving bye bye. Also, she is absolutely terrified by the vacuum cleaner. We just had tubes put in her ears last month so at first we thought the fear was because the noise was so loud, but not after reading several sites I am not sure.

Could my daughter have austism? Help. I am so worried.!

Answer
Hi Vickie;

At this point in time, the only researched supported predictor is "failing to orient to name." She does that so probably no worries. The hand thing is "likely" an early form of "flapping," which is common in children on the spectrum; however, 20 percent of typically developing children show some form of stereotypies such as hand flapping. Many children on the spectrum are sensitive to the vacuum cleaner noise along with hair dryers and hand dryers in restrooms.

To be safe, contact the special education department in your school district if you live in the U.S. and refer her for an Early Intervention (Part C of IDEA)evaluation. The evaluation and services if she qualifies for them is at school district expense.

Kind regards,
James




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Bio

James Roan is a certified school psychologist who has been consulting in the areas of autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning difficulties in the United States and in Ireland for over ten years (http://www.jamesroan.com). James earned his M.Ed. in School Psychology and M. Ed. in Adult Education and receives ongoing post graduate training in autism at the University of Washington’s Autism Center. James Roan has traveled to Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Clare, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and other cities and counties across Ireland assessing children and adults, and consulting with solicitors (lawyers) in defense of children with disabilities. James Roan was the consulting psychologist responsible for many of the autism and AD/HD screening tools and other content for Access Special Needs.Com. James Roan consulted with the graduate department of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford Ireland in the development of their graduate program for the certification of private autism tutors. James has conducted formal assessments of students in the Autism Unit in the Claddagh National School in County Galway Ireland.