Expert: Catherine Ridenour - 7/21/2009

Question
My 7 month old daughter does a couple things that concern me, and I wanted to get your advice.  She had accomplished many of her physical milestones early on.  She was holding her head up and sitting unsupported very early.  Other milestones she is lagging on.  She just recently started smiling a lot. She would smile before, but it would take a lot of work.  She still doesn't really giggle.  She makes little chuckle noises, but nothing like the typical giggle you hear babies making. She doesn't really make any talking noises.  She grunts a lot and sometimes will make raspberries and do little squeals when she gets excited.  She hates being cuddled, but LOVES to be picked up and carried.  After she nurses, she pulls off and starts throwing a temper tantrum.  She will stop screaming to nurse after I change sides, and then start again when she is done.  That particular behavior started at 3 weeks old and is still going strong.  She has never really liked to be cradled in my arms, or rocked.  She always wanted to be upright and looking around.  When she is tired, she would rather you just put her to bed and leave the room.  She throws a tantrum if you stay in the room and talk to her or rub her back.  She loves to watch people.  She likes to go shopping and to restaurants so she can just look at all the people.  But she doesn't smile at them.  She really only smiles at people she has been around a lot.  Are any of these things I should be concerned about?

Answer
Hi Jamie,

While this does sound somewhat unusual, it may be more a feature of temperament than something like autism. She may not smile at strangers because she already recognizes "safety" in familiar people.

Talking sounds vary in babies. Repetitive "bubububub", "Mamamamam" does not really start until about now in many children. More importantly, you keep talking to her. Not just baby talk but sort of narration of what's happening.

Keep playing with her, keep going places. I think she will be fine.

If, however, she does not begin copying sounds and using them to tell you what she wants, by age 9 or 10 months, I would ask her doctor for an evaluation. Real words can be as late as 14 months, but most children have a "vocabulary" that parents understand well before that. "Ba" = bottle, or "Num" = nurse, for example.

Try not to worry too much. You are aware of the signs and that's good, but don't look for them behind ever rock. Enjoy your baby. At this point, there would be no intervention even if she were diagnosed. You are not "losing precious time."

Best wishes,
Catherine