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HMJ5678 posted:
My 5 1/2 month old is concerning me a bit. I know he is young, but you get feelings when you get feelings.

He definitely engages while on the floor, in his crib, on the changing table, etc. He will look make eye contact with your for minutes at a time when playing. He will smile at you and gets excited to see mom/dad/sister. He really loves to track his sister all over.

However, if I (mom) pick him up and put him in my lap to play with him or sing to him he will not look at me. He will look all over at the dog, his sister, etc. I will call him name and he just isn't interested. He looks all over. The concerns me. He is babbling some. He isn't a big talker, but he does squeal, raspberry, ahh, ooo, etc. I have mentioned these concerns to a few pediatricians and haven't gotten a big red flag response. I think it is just weird.

So, in your experiences with children with autism...do they EVER engage? Will they look at you sometimes but not others? Or do the ALWAYS look away when you talk to them? I have taught older age autistic children, but by then they have learned to be able to give some eye contact, so I don't think it is a fair comparison.
1 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Eye ContactMy 5 1/2 month old is concerning me a bit. I know he is young, but you get feelings when you get feelings. <br /> <br /> He definitely engages while on the floor, in his crib, on the changing table, etc. He will look make eye contact with your for minutes at a time when playing. He will smile at you and gets excited to see mom/dad/sister. He really loves to track his sister all over. <br /> <br /> However, if I (mom) pick him up and put him in my lap to play with him or sing to him he will not look at me. He will look all over at the dog, his sister, etc. I will call him name and he just isn't interested. He looks all over. The concerns me. He is babbling some. He isn't a big talker, but he does squeal, raspberry, ahh, ooo, etc. I have mentioned these concerns to a few pediatricians and haven't gotten a big red flag response. I think it is just weird. <br /> <br /> So, in your experiences with children with autism...do they EVER engage? Will they look at you sometimes but not others? Or do the ALWAYS look away when you talk to them? I have taught older age autistic children, but by then they have learned to be able to give some eye contact, so I don't think it is a fair comparison.
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Indiaguerita responded:
My son gave some eye-contact when he was younger. (He's five now.)

He didn't always give eye contact...preferring sometimes to glance at things sideways.

Now he's much better because we have reminded him over and over again to make eye contact.

I think children with classic Autism have almost NO eye contact at all and throw huge tantrums when forced to have it.

All kids with Autism are different. Just from the description of the other things that you mentioned...it does not sound like Autism...to me it sounds like he just wants to mobile and not "stuck" on someone's lap. LOL

I would still keep an eye on him. I knew something was not quite right with my son well before he was old enough to be diagnosed. If he loses any of the skills that you mentioned: Playing with things on the floor, engaging his sister and father (and you)....then I would be concerned.

As far as speech is concerned...I would not worry too much about that right now. Some kids don't talk until they are two or three.

Stay in touch and let me know if you have any other questions or if you see any other peculiar behaviors that you want to ask about.

-Laura
Report This| Share this:Eye ContactMy son gave some eye-contact when he was younger. (He's five now.) <br /> <br />He didn't <i>always</i> give eye contact...preferring sometimes to glance at things sideways.<br /> <br />Now he's much better because we have reminded him over and over again to make eye contact.<br /> <br />I think children with classic Autism have almost NO eye contact at all and throw huge tantrums when forced to have it. <br /> <br />All kids with Autism are different. Just from the description of the other things that you mentioned...it does not sound like Autism...to me it sounds like he just wants to mobile and not "stuck" on someone's lap. LOL<br /> <br />I would still keep an eye on him. I knew something was not quite right with my son well before he was old enough to be diagnosed. If he loses any of the skills that you mentioned: Playing with things on the floor, engaging his sister and father (and you)....then I would be concerned. <br /> <br />As far as speech is concerned...I would not worry too much about that right now. Some kids don't talk until they are two or three. <br /> <br />Stay in touch and let me know if you have any other questions or if you see any other peculiar behaviors that you want to ask about. <br /> <br />-Laura
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