Autism/am i paranoid?

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Expert: - 5/3/2009


Question
I have a 6 1/2 month old son and i am so paranoid about him and autism.  I cannot sleep and I am weepy at times.

He is a generally happy and smiley baby and loves playing peekaboo.  He recently started babbling (mmms, boos, girks etc) He usually responds to his name UNLESS he is playing or crawling... he would ignore me whenever he is playing.

Motor skills are good.  He can sit unsupported and is starting to crawl.

The thing that bothers me is the tilt test that i read in the internet.  I would do it and often times, he would pass it by keeping his head vertical when tilted but there would be times that it seems as if he is not... :(  i would repeat it and repeat and he would again pass it.  

What should I do? I cannot sleep and i am even taking xanor (an anxiolytic) just to get by.  My husband thinks he passes it all the time.

What is wrong???

Answer
Hi Belinda,

I understand your concerns. Try to calm down.

First of all, not all babies reach developmental milestones at the same time. The age for a test like this is approximate. A child who fails at 6 months may pass at 8 months.

Second, we all tend to see what we fear. Ask your son's doctor, at his next check up, to do the test for you. Stand back and watch. Don't project your fear onto your baby.

Third, I am going to ask you to read this article by Dr. Alan Greene. Dr. Greene is a noted pediatrician whom I have worked with, via Internet, at parenting web site chats. He thinks this kind of test is a start at identifying children early, but not definitive by itself.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_1813.html

Ignoring Mommy is a common baby behavior. Crawling is so interesting! Get down on the floor and play with him. Enjoy his babyhood. Our parental anxieties can actually transfer to our children which can make them behave strangely.

I get the feeling this is your first child. Try to spend time with other moms and babies about the same age as your son. Watching them will give you some perspective on the wide range of what normal behavior can be.

Best wishes,
Catherine

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Catherine Ridenour

Expertise

I can answer your questions about parenting your High Functioning Autisic or Asperger`s Syndrome child. In particular, questions about family life, discipline, siblings, finding resources, and working with (sometimes opposing) the educational system are welcome.

Experience

I am the parent of an Asperger's Syndrome child who is now 22 years old. She went undiagnosed for 14 years of her life, so I have done extensive reading and Internet research into the possible cause of her difficulties. Even a short 8 years ago, A.S. was practically unheard of by the public educational system.

We fumbled our way through her childhood and early adolescence without any effective outside support. In some ways, that may have been a blessing as we were focused on her abilities rather than a label for her disability. However, I can think of many times when knowing WHY would have been comforting.

Had we known very early on, some social skills interventions might have made her life in school easier. At this point, I like her for who she is so I do not regret how things have turned out. More importantly, she likes herself.

Education/Credentials
I have a Bachelor of Science in Education.

I have worked to educate myself about Autism in general and HFA/AS in particular.

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