Should I worry?...

[paruchan]

Hello again, I've finished work early so I had some time to watch movies from YouTube... I'm actually looking for videos of cute babies... While browsing I came across videos of children with autism... I immediately became teary-eyed... After watching and learned the common symptoms, I became worried that Shaun can be one of them. too... They say it usually has something to do with late speech development, wanting to do the same things (repetition), and moving constantly... Shaun already has a routine... When he wakes up he'll smile and then point downstairs so that he could listen to his favorite kids' songs... He sometimes have tantrums if he didn't get what he wants... At 19 months, he still has a very small vocabulary... He loves conversing with us, though... I love my son very very much... After I watched the movie clips I want to hug him real tight (but can't right now, I'm still at work)...

Should I worry?

 

[Trina]

Sounds like perfectly normal toddler behavior to me. If you're concerned, talk with your pediatrician and ask what types of things to look for concerning autism, but I think it's too early to be worried at this point.

 

[Kaytee]

most autistic signs are exactly the same as normal behavior of children. It is when they have many of the signs that you should at least mention it to your doc.

 

[NiallNai]

First thing you learn in psychology is don't look for the symptoms in yourself or others. You'll just drive yourself crazy with worry.

Almost all children start out "autistic" in the sense that they are caught up in their own inner world. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Lissa]

Out of curiosity I looked up autism videos on You Tube and I too am very startled. These children seem like completely normal toddlers to me. Or maybe something is wrong with my son. But I can completely see your worry now. Oliver stacks things repetitively with no eye contact and he spins wheels and flaps his arms. Yikes.

 

[Lissa]

Here are a few examples I found. These kids seem normal to me.

<YOUTUBE id="BoLFLOZVB0A" url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=BoLFLOZVB0A">http://youtube.com/watch?v=BoLFLOZVB0A</YOUTUBE>

<YOUTUBE id="4w_-nekcPSY" url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=4w_-nekcPSY&amp;feature=related">http://youtube.com/watch?v=4w_-nekcPSY&amp;feature=related</YOUTUBE>

<YOUTUBE id="JZHARPuQ6-w" url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=JZHARPuQ6-w&amp;feature=related">http://youtube.com/watch?v=JZHARPuQ6-w&amp;feature=related</YOUTUBE>

 

[Lissa]

<YOUTUBE id="6uYTmr-zqS0" url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=6uYTmr-zqS0&amp;feature=related">http://youtube.com/watch?v=6uYTmr-zqS0&amp;feature=related</YOUTUBE>

<YOUTUBE id="J3yQHyXHmYc" url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=J3yQHyXHmYc&amp;feature=related">http://youtube.com/watch?v=J3yQHyXHmYc&amp;feature=related</YOUTUBE>

 

[HappyMomma]

Wow, I see your point. Those videos could scare the heck out of any new parents! They look like any other kiddo at that age to me.

 

[Lissa]

I know! Now I'm freaked out!

 

[NiallNai]

The thing with autism is that there is a spectrum of severity and Autism and Asperger's are grouped together as Autism Spectrum Disorders. Again, there are a number of behaviors that many children do that are perfectly normal. It is when it exceeds a certain age or certain developmental milestones are missed that it becomes an issue and there is a wide range of what is "normal" in infants and toddlers.

Also, you have to be careful with what you see on youtube. You don't know who made it. You are better off getting information from the Autism Society of America. If you become really concerned you should discussed with with your pediatrician. If he/she demonstrates concern, you may also approach your school district regarding an evaluation, even when your child isn't of school age. The most recent update to special education law places greater on early identification of students with special needs.

But I would be very careful of any videos on the internet no matter where they claim to be from.

 

[Kaytee]

I also want to add why what those kids are doing is not appropriate.
For example the stakcing of the blocks. That is completely normal to do. But do you notice how when the blocks fall, teh child NEVER looks up at that parent? Never smiles? Never reacts? He just keeps doing. I know when Nichole stacked things at that age and when they fell, she would look at me and look at her pile and laugh or clap or at least smile, tehn stack again.

 

[Lissa]

I also want to add why what those kids are doing is not appropriate.
For example the stakcing of the blocks. That is completely normal to do. But do you notice how when the blocks fall, teh child NEVER looks up at that parent? Never smiles? Never reacts? He just keeps doing. I know when Nichole stacked things at that age and when they fell, she would look at me and look at her pile and laugh or clap or at least smile, tehn stack again.

Isn't that called concentration?

 

[Kaytee]

lol, yes if it is done appropriately. IF you are calling your child and they do not look at you over and over and over, something is not right. If it happens once in awhile, then no that is normal.

Children will give eye contact when you call them most of the time. If they NEVER give it, then something is not right

 

[Ari2]

If you are concerned, I agree with the other posters who suggested talking with your ped.

"Austism" is, of course, a spectrum of disorders, so the presentation varies. My nephew has Aspergers, which is generally very high functioning. He is in middle school and has an IEP that adjusts 3 classes for him (like modified mainstreamed special ed). He gets mainly As and Bs.

When he was 18 months or so, it was completely obvious something was very wrong. He would sit behind a couch with a puzzle for 4+ hours and not make a sound. He wouldn't look at people when his named was called. He didn't point at anything, smile, or interact with people. Now he appears much more normal (most people probably think either there's nothing wrong with him or he just has very bad manners and is immature). It's a long story, but my family intervened with my brother and got my nephew evaluated. The diagnosis came back quickly.

What you are describing sounds normal. I don't know how much use YouTube vids will be because they can't show child's entire day. At any given time, any toddler will stare at spinning wheels, flap their arms, etc. It is the degree and duration and lack of other behaviors (such as reciprocity - e.g., returning smiles, making eye contact) that raises red flags. I could have made a YouTube vid of my nephew, and - the exact opposite of the this thread - everyone would have just thought this was a kid who was very into puzzles.

 

[paruchan]

oh thanks everyone for the replies, when I went home Shaun looked straight at me, called me, "Mama" and pointed at Barney (that means he wants me to watch Barney with him)! gee, the mysteries of a growing child! perhaps Shaun is a little late with words but he loves conversing with us in his own baby language... the babies in the videos seem very normal maybe that's what freaked me out... how could it be that something is wrong with these little angels? but no matter what, we will always love Shaun for who he is and whoever he will become... sometimes what worries me is his tantrums but I guess he is just in a stage when he is trying to figure how to express feelings and determining what things or favors he could get with that kind of behavior... I would very much like to share pictures of Shaun with you but I don't know how (it's asking me for a url, where could I upload Shaun's photos?<EMOJI seq="1f615"></EMOJI>), can someone please teach me how, thanks!

 

[Kaytee]

I use photobucket. I am sure there are other sites as well though

You seem like you just want whats best for your son and I bet he is a perfectly normal child.