Do children who are diagnosed with Autism smile and laugh when they were babies?

[NewMom]

My son is five and a half months old. He is generally a happy little baby. He is makes good eye contact, and tracks people as they move about the room. He smiles often at people, usually in response to their voice or smile, and laughs although not as often as he smiles. He babbles a lot, but usually to a toy although he will tell us stories when we're changing him, or playing with him.

I've read that many babies who are later diagnosed with Autism have large heads. His head size was in the 69th percentile at birth, and is now in the 75th. But he is also a big boy, with weight in the 69th, and height in the 95th.

He likes to cuddle and be held. When he is upset/crying, he usually stops when he is picked up and held or rocked.

He sometimes flaps his arms and kicks his legs repetitively, when he is excited and happy. We haven't really started solid foods yet, but we tried him on rice cereal one day, and he kept trying to grab the spoon out of my hand and use it himself. He also holds a bottle when being fed, although he isn't coordinated enough yet to hold it on his own.

He can roll over quite easily both from back to front and vice versa, and can sit well when supported and hold his head up just fine.

Any opinions on how he's doing developmentally? Should I be concerned. I have a very big fear of an Autism diagnosis.

 

[CherryNeptune]

Sounds like he's doing just fine!

 

[JsyfldRednekGurl]

Sounds like he's doing great developmentally. He's too young to even consider Autism. Most children that recieve a clear diagnosis of Autism are older than 2 years old. Most parents that have a child with Autism don't even notice the symptoms untill the child is around 1-2 years old, so it's way to early to tell. I have a nephew with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and we didn't notice anything with him untill he was about 18 months....he just wasn't talking. He recieved early intervention when he was 3 (he still was not talking then either) and he learned to talk and was caught up developmentally and physically. He entered a normal kindergarten and is now a happy, healthy 10 year old in the 5th grade. He is the smartest kid in his class. He was officially diagnosed with Aspergers...a "high functioning" form of Autism when he was 9.

Autism is not the end of the world. I was almost offended when I read your last part about having a big fear of an Autism diagnosis. You should have a bigger fear of the chicken pox or cancer. Autism is not a disease. It's a developmental disability. Autistic kids are great kids. If a "cure" was discovered tomorrow, I would not want my nephew to be any other way. I know plenty of moms that have kids with Autism and they all say the same thing. That is what makes thier kids unique. The world would be pretty boring if everyone were all the same now wouldn't it?? BTW, in my house, EVERY DAY is Autism awareness day. Trust me. There is just too much ignorance surrounding Autism.

If your baby's pediatrician feels as though he is doing well, then I would not be so concerned. As of now, you have nothing to be concerned for. I have a 2 year old and since birth, I have tracked her milestones using the website BabyCenter. It has EVERYTHING you will ever need to know about parenting. I use it daily.

 

[ArtyMaMammmmmmm]

Don't be scared of Autism - Autism does not define the child... The child wil still be your son, he will still have his funny little traits, he will still laugh and smile, and you will still be proud when you see him developing... It is absolutely impossible to see autism in a baby so young... Most diagnosis' come around 2-3 years old when children should be verbalising their feelings, and forming emotional attachments... An autistic child looks just like any other child - their heads are not bigger, they do not have flashing light above their heads and they do not have the mark of the beast upon their heads...