in August 2023 Babies 🇺🇸

Autism screening ?

Apparently my 20 month old needs to be screened because he doesn’t point at things, and if I tell him to grab something and bring it to me he doesn’t listen. There aren’t any other babies or kids around since he’s an only child and his cousins are older so they don’t really have an interest in playing with him. He talks a lot.. says a ton of phrases, is affectionate, makes eye contact, and I just felt like he was learning other things at his own pace since all kids and babies are different. Ever since they told me I have been crying and looking for signs of something. When he is excited he does flap his arms around but I just thought that’s something babies do? Since I was told this I cut him off from having any screen time, and have been working pretty hard to try and teach him to grab things and bring them to me. I don’t know how to feel I guess and I’m just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this Also am I alone in thinking it’s kind of crazy since he’s only 20 months old? I mean.. they are still learning!! Should I wait to have him screened and avoid a diagnosis until he’s older if these “signs” continue or worsen?

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My son is 1 year and 7 months and he’s autistic, he is slow to do milestones but when he does he is REALLY good at them and catches on fast they go at there own pace and if your baby is autistic it’s not scary or anything or atleast I’ve noticed

And honestly it sounds like he’s super smart it takes them all different times to develop different things my son talks and walks and runs and draws etc but he won’t bring me stuff either or anything of that sort unless he wants to

I don’t think a screening would hurt. I don’t think a diagnosis either way really changes what you are already doing though! I would do whatever makes you feel better and what provides the resources and reassurance you feel would find helpful. I worked this children on the spectrum and it’s very different from each child- I understand the thought it daunting, however it does not change who he is right now, and you are doing all the right things. I just think of it as if he does get diagnosed in some form, you would just be able to have access to more helpful resources with that. But I have seen kids with high functioning autism go on to live completely “normal” lives given to tools to help navigate.

Honestly my oldest has been diagnosed with autism since he was 3 it hasn’t made a difference to how I feel about him but yes u do understand a lot more once the diagnosis comes and there’s a lot off help

I wouldn’t worry too much about it, they’re just going to evaluate him. I would make it a game to listen to directions. Like maybe gets a little trash bin he can reach and crumple up some pieces of paper and ask him to throw them away :) they love dumping things in bins.

I’m in the same space ! My 19 month old flaps his arms when he’s walking and he doesn’t really talk as well. He doesn’t bring me things or point at stuff, he’s going to get examined in may and i have been a wreck. He is also an only child and doesn’t interact with other kids, and when he has i notice he doesn’t really pay them attention. I also think they maybe are expecting too much from him but i also see other kids his age who do these things. We have limited screen time and spend more time out doors and reading our books. It’s been so heartbreaking. Within the last two weeks i noticed he started to line objects up and stack them together. I feel like I’ve been looking for signs in everything he does. It’s been hard

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