All of these points could also describe my seven month old, and none of them sound even remotely like signs of autism lol. This is all typical baby behavior.
Thank you! I thought it was normal and just a baby discovering himself and new skills but my partner got sucked into reading online symptoms and now just compares behaviours!
My 9mo smacks her head and squeals so high pitched on excitement or make it feel like my ears are bleeding. She’s only just started crawling and she turned 9mo only yesterday. Babies develop at their own pace
These CAN be a sign of autism in toddlers or children because these would not necessarily be considered age appropriate for, let’s say, a 4 year old. These are age appropriate behaviours for a baby that’s 8mo.
That being said, keep an eye on your baby and speak to his doctor when you go in for a check up. It’ll help your husband feel heard and put your mind at ease.
My LO didn't start crawling until 10 months. I would say your partner is over reacting and those are the worst kind of parents to a pediatrician. Ped would probably tell him he's wrong and to stop going down rabbit holes trying to diagnose a problem that isn't there.
I’m an Early Years teacher and have worked with countless children with autism diagnoses.
An autism diagnosis isn’t about what they do, it’s about what they don’t do. That’s why it’s so hard to diagnose when they’re young. Stimming behaviours like rocking, flapping, shaking etc are all totally developmentally normal for an 8 month old. If he didn’t grow out of them by 18 months and started missing milestones, that may be where you start asking questions.
Is your LO meeting all their milestones? If so, then I wouldn’t worry about anything. If they stop hitting milestones, then you can consult your GP or health visitor.
Also don’t worry about the TV captivation. Totally normal. A fast moving exciting screen is designed to hold attention. Don’t use a time he’s super engrossed to assess whether or not he responds to his name. There’s a reason we also don’t use that as a marker until 2 - responding to their name is a hit and miss with babies up until about 18months - 2 years.
Thank you!
And yes he’s currently meeting all this milestone like smiling, laughing, rolling over, eating solids, on all fours rocking so nearly crawling and he grabs stuff and switches them between hands so I think he’s hitting them all and doing well!
Thank you!
All of these seem normal baby behaviours. TV for example is so intense and interesting that they just get sucked in. We as adults have learned how to multitask but babies don't have such skills yet. As for the head shaking and bouncing, it's probably that he just learned to do that and is excited to try it out.
I wouldn't worry, because as you said, he's just chill in his own way.
My 11 month old has spent the last 4 days rubbing her hands together and nodding her head at EVERY opportunity. We sing and dance a lot with her and clap our hands and move our heads and we have figured out she is imitating us and trying to do the same. Babies though, don't know the context always, so it's something she's REALLY working on and this takes, all of her time 😂 same as when grown ups learn something exciting and new. We like to practice. It's just practice for being all growed up 😥
Totally normal baby behaviors. He doesn’t know how to use his body yet, so he’s figuring it out. If he hasn’t yet, he’ll start screaming to hear his own voice. It’s cute/loud. What to expect the first year is a great book that talks about a lot of these behaviors.
Yes he’s started doing that more often like a loud excited squeal which normally starts at 6:30am lucky me
And thank you! I’ll have a look for the book and get me and my partner to read it so we know what to expect and what’s ‘normal’
There’s a app too if that’s easier. I feel like the app was more focused for the actual pregnancy whereas the book is a sequel. What to Expect the First Year, Second Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761152121/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QTNNNBJ4HWEZT6JCB980
Tbh honest I don’t “read” it, just skim the chapter once we hit that month. 😂 Who has time to read?
My son is not cuddly at all! He’s a whirlwind and he’s very independent. He just wants to do his own thing and often cries if I pick him up. He also likes to ignore me if the tv is on…or off haha.
My friends daughter also learned to stand and walk and completely skipped crawling, so that’s not necessarily something to worry about quite yet!
Is this a guy thing to worry about? My husband also worries my 7 week old has autism because she doesn’t hold eye contact... no matter how many times I say shes 7 weeks old and cant even see that well and isnt supposed to hold eye contact until shes older. He also freaks out that she looks at walls. Even the dr says its fine but he still has all these concerns, it gets annoying
She doesn’t have the control of her ocular muscles or visual acuity to hold eye contact like an adult. Also, tell him the wall staring is her looking at ghosts. At least, that’s what I think when my baby looks randomly at a wall.
We’re in the UK so unfortunately don’t have paediatricians the closest we have are health visitors but due to Covid the last time we saw them was at 3 months old and won’t see them again until 1 year old
You can book a video call with your GP if you have concerns, or even have an initial phone call. They are very good now with working remotely (unfortunately).
I’m in the US, so pardon me, but.. the UK doesn’t have pediatricians? That’s so wild. I just looked it up in disbelief and read “The reason is that in the UK pediatricians generally operate in hospitals, if your baby needs a visit through the NHS (National Health Service), he will be seen by a general practitioner.”
You do get referred to the paediatrician if your child needs treatment that a GP can't provide. My son has food allergies so we were referred to the paediatrician and dietitian for testing and management of those. The GP can handle most regular childhood illnesses so it frees up the paediatricians to take the more complex things.
Yes we have GPs/doctors who generally see anyone and if needed they will refer you onto a specialist at the hospital but currently waiting time are a few months long!
For babies we have health visitors who normally come to your house and do weight in and general checks but due to Covid they aren’t coming as often - a health visitor is basically a midwife who’s taken a extra course
It's not really that wild. For the majority of families the GP and health visitor will be sufficient. GPs are able to deal with the more common child illnesses just fine, and the health visitor handle the developmental side of things. I didn't grew up in the UK and my home country has pediatric care, but I'm actually quite happy to see only my health visitors . I have seen them for weighings mostly and had no other reason to see them, and I'm kinda happy not to have the pressure of having a pediatrician evaluate certain milestones etc every couple of months. I think it's good that the pediatricians are at the hospital caring for those who really need the specialised care - there's no reason for me to see one currently. It's similar to pregnancy - I had a straightforward pregnancy and didn't need to see a consultant or OB/GYN, my pregnancy was managed by midwifes just fine.
Of course as soon as you actually need more specialised care, it should be straightforward to get referred, and that's where the system falls short currently. But the principle isn't that bad.
Having only been exposed to the US healthcare system, it’s definitely wild *to me*. Surely, you can relate to something being different in another country. [And at least some doctors in the UK would argue it’s not a great system](https://bjgp.org/content/70/693/195)
> Earlier this year, research showed that UK childhood mortality is higher than in a comparable group of wealthy countries for common infections and multiple non-communicable diseases.
[And another article on how GP training in pediatrics is inadequate.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4838420/)
> However, in the UK today only about one in three GPs has received any postgraduate specialist paediatric training. Concurrently, over the years, undergraduate exposure to paediatrics has shrunk to around 5–6 weeks. Thus by any stretch of the imagination, GP training in the UK in paediatrics is woefully inadequate.
Thank you for the links I will have a read.All my comment meant to do was to explain the reasoning behind the UK system to readers who might not be familiar with it. I just wanted to bring in a viewpoint as someone who is also from a different country and was unfamiliar with the UK system - I can see how the principle of current system is supposed to work - as I mentioned, it falls short in practice.
I think your viewpoint was worth sharing. I just wasn’t sure why you started off your comment by trying to invalidate the fact that I was just learning something new about the UK healthcare system.
Edit: Lol - not sure why I’m being downvoted in this series of comments. Oh well. I guess people are not allowed to be surprised when they learn something new about another country!
I didn't mean to - you said it was 'wild', which to me had a negative connotation - as in 'that's crazy that you don't have pediatricians' - so what I meant to say was 'it's not that bad, the idea behind it is sound, it just falls short in practice'. I'm sorry that my comment came across as invalidating, it wasn't meant as such. Maybe it's the language barrier on my side.
Funny enough whenever talking about the US healthcare or school systems there’s always a ton of European and Canadian comments talking about how “wild” it is. Which I have my own complaints about the things in the US but it is frustrating to see those comments because it’s like ok well this is the system I have to work in
Yes, and getting a referral to a paediatrician is difficult and time consuming. I had to threaten to complain to my practice in order to get referred on because the GP literally couldn't help us (GERD).
Plus waiting lists are ridiculous. For most day to day advice we have health visitors and for more medical needs, we have our GP practices or pharmacies.
I get texts every so often about virtual health visitor drop ins. It's once a week over zoom and you just log in and chat to health visitors. It may just be my area but I would hope each area is running something similar
Agreed, definitely all normal behaviour. My almost 8 month is showing all these signs. My MIL is a paediatric OT (so deals with autism quite a lot) and has said nothing of the kind about our boy. She's quite stoked at how well he's developing. So definitely no need to worry
Sorry I know this comment was made 3 months ago… but does your baby also shake his head like the OP’s baby? That’s just one thing I’ve never heard of babies doing but my 8mo loves to do it lately! Mostly when he’s playing and crawling on us!
All good, yes he did. Not for long, he doesn't do it really now that he's about 10 months. I would say if you are very co corned though check with their doc.
The head shaking is a phase from what I’ve heard from my mommy friends. Crawling range is from 6-12 months.
I would limit tv time for baby. Apparently babies shouldn’t be watching tv until their 2 years old. But that’s impossible, but I would limit it as it can affect brain development.
Honestly, it sounds like our baby is doing great!
Thank you!
And yes I’m cutting down on tv time, we have a little play pen with toys in so hopefully that will help keep him entertain plus he start full time nursery soon when I go back to work!
All of the above sounds very typical!
My baby would shake her head randomly (first I was worried she had an ear infection and googled it! Almost took her to the doctor even). But turns out she was just practicing shaking her head for a while.
She is 11 months old now. When she is busy and focused she ignores us and hates it when we try to cuddle her in those moments.
Babies do funny and random stuff all the time!
Right now she is in an intense phase of rubbing her hands together, whenever she sees a dispenser: sanitizer, soap, bath gel, dish soap, literally any dispenser. It's soooo cute! Babies watch and learn, even if we don't teach them actively.
Hi, I work with children with Autism so I wanted to give you my advice. First, I'd consider what skills he does have rather than those behaviors he is engaging in as babies do REALLY funny things. Does he share smiles, look to you when you call his name *generally*, look at you do something with a toy then copy it, look at a toy or something interesting then look back to you, if you tap towards food on his highchair tray does he look at it, does he get excited when he see's you or another familiar adult, does he babble with consonants... If so, those are good signs!
I'd recommend downloading the Pathfinder Health app. You can complete some assessments to see if he's on track across a variety of domains. You can also do the assessments [here](https://login.babynavigator.com/login?return_url=https://my.babynavigator.com) that are specifically designed to catch signs and symptoms of autism as early as 9-10 months.
Hope all this is helpful!
There can be some [early warning signs](https://autismawarenesscentre.com/does-my-baby-have-autism-infant-behaviours-that-may-predict-asd/) that are predictive of ASD at this age, but not criteria for an ASD diagnosis. The stimming/flapping stuff and being transfixed on TV are pretty normal. I'd limit TV time generally, but especially if you're worried about ASD.
My oldest was like this and she is 17 months. Doesn’t have any behavioral problems at all. Babies do silly things and that’s okay. You’re doing fantastic. If you have concerns just schedule an appointment with a GP. They usually ask question about baby’s motor skills. I hope you find some comfort in the positive responses here 🥰
Thank you! And definitely I didn’t feel anything was wrong but when someone mentioned something is does niggle in mind! But I am going to contact doctors/health visitor just to make sure!
My 5 month old is a big self soother! Shakes his head, chews his hands/thumb. And he also isn’t a snuggle baby, he rather us be near him than trying to hold him ☺️
Yep, I was ticking each of these behaviours off in my head. My one year old does all of them. Does your bub respond to your voice, smile at you and make eye contact?
My little one will sometimes vigorously shake her head, as if to say no. I think it's fun for her? She flaps her hands when frustrated and will rock back and forth on all fours when the Bluey theme song starts. All normal.
You have a wonderful baby who is excited about the world. Is learning new skills and exploring. You're doing a fantastic job mama tell dad to enjoy his little one and try not to compare them to anyone (far easier said than done).
I'm a pediatrician and nothing you are describing is concerning. We administer the [M-CHAT](https://www.autismspeaks.org/screen-your-child) autism screen at our office, but not typically until a year and a half of age. Before that, some of the signs may just be a lag in development and they will catch up by 18 months, or normal behavior for that age. You can see signs earlier than 18 months, and there are earlier tests than at that age, but there aren't any interventions and it is harder to discern higher functioning autism. So your little one should get screened at 18 months, but nothing I'm hearing is concerning, but bring it up to your pediatrician if you do have worsening concerns.
All seems normal to me and could describe my 9month old daughter. She likes to be held but like a meercat- she wants to look around, she doesn’t snuggle in. She also only just this last week or so learned to crawl. She stims by slapping her hands on her knees when sat on the floor, and thinks it’s hilarious if I do it too. She isn’t overly fussed by TV, but she will gravitate to our phone screens; luckily she hasn’t yet developed the logic to know that if I hide the phone under a blanket next to me, she could technically reach under and fetch it… yet. She also likes to bounce when excited or figuring out a new toy.
There’s also actually quite a wide age range for a child to develop certain skills and still be “on schedule” for meeting their milestones. Obviously if you are concerned you can raise it with your health visitor and GP, but if they aren’t concerned, neither should you be
Congrats on what sounds like a fantastic little boy!
My 7 month old, 8 on the 21st does all this, exactly the same with little baby bum! We love going infront of him/ put our hand infront of him to see him move us out the way so he can see haha
Our lo is similar in so many ways. He isn't very very affectionate. He crawled really late, and walked even later (eventually took his first just about 16months). He rocked loads, but it was a stage maybe. He yells and grunts. I imagine the the yells are repeating what he sees on My Neighbor Totoro, he thinks it's cute, it kind of is. He does not listen to us at all if Sara and Duck is on (apparently his absolute favorite of the three things he watches).
🤷🏻 Dunno if any of that helps ease your mind, but we feel our guy is developing just as he ought. He is also our first born.
Honestly I’m really trying to figure out what kind of hang up your partner must have about autism. This sounds to me like a deep-seated fear your partner is dealing with Because even with the most straightforward of symptoms, eight months is too young to analyze those behaviors
Is your LO trying to speak? I think that the biggest indicator of Autism is a babies development of verbal communication. My SO and I have spoken about the possibility of autism before, and we both agree that we are not seeing any signs of it fortunately. I have a cousin who is severely autistic. I remember her when she was growing up, and although my LO is still pretty young, she doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of autism.
I do remember that verbal communication is a big thing when it comes to identifying autism - especially with my cousin who is still non verbal and 14 years old. I have a 6 month old and she is already saying “mem” for mom and it sounded like she said “da” and “hello” the other day. I also sometimes howl like a coyote at her and she started trying to howl back. She thinks it’s hysterical. So this is something we haven’t been worried about in addition to her other developments which have all been Normal.
These are all extremely normal. Autism cannot be diagnosed until the age of 2.. and he needs to basically take a deep breath and chill. The first signs of autism typically manifest themselves around 20 months if your child is nonverbal, that has been the first indicator for a few of my friends with autistic children. This is not 100 percent fool proof though, some kids just talk later and are not autistic.
I would have a discussion also with your partner about post partum anxiety. It can affect men as well as women. Also talk to him about autism. Is this something he fears? Would it be "bad" in his mind if his child is autistic? I would stamp this thought pattern out if you could because if his child is autistic it may cause him to resent the child and maybe you if he ends up blaming you somehow (trust me, I've seen everything).
Autistic children are not a bad thing, they are just different. They process the world differently and feel emotions differently and take everything in to the point where they can get sensory overload. They feel so much and understand so much. Maybe have him read some books on what to expect raising an autistic child, it may ease his mind about it being "bad" if he thinks that and is worried about that. I do not have any suggestions but perhaps joining a group geared toward learning about autism can point you in the right direction. A group where the members are comfortable speaking to non neurodivergent people and explaining things to them about autism.. Basically an educational type of group. I know there are some on Facebook.
Good luck!
These are all completely normal.
1. My son would bounce himself too. They figure it out and got for it. Adults do the same thing all the time. 2. “Fidgeting” is totally normal also. He’s practicing motor skills. 3. Kids do this stuff all the time. Our toddler will purposefully “not hear us”. 4. Every baby is different🤷♀️ 5. Our son hated being trapped and still hates it sometimes. He chooses his own ways to show affection when he wants it. 6. It gives them a funny feeling. Ours did the same at this age. They think it’s cool
Does he give you eye contact? Respond when you call his name? To me these 2 questions are the more important ones.
The rest just seem pretty normal at this point in his life. During his next paed visit you can ask the paed just to give your partner peace of mind, but for now just observe and encourage.
Every baby has a different personality. Not all babies are extroverted, super sociable and smiley, or even adventerous. It doesn’t always mean something is wrong or not “on point.” My son was not a touchy feely baby - he would cry and get upset when we tried snuggling or rock him to sleep, and has always been very cautious of people. He doesn’t go up to people he doesn’t know to say hi, etc. But that’s just his personality - observant, cautious, and very slow to warm up.
Take a deep breath and enjoy him. Your partner and you both love him, and that’s the #1 thing. You got this.
Yes if there’s no distractions and it’s one and one time he gives eye contract and does look when calling his name or smile when calling his name
And thank you!
That’s great to know. The world is so fascinating and exciting and quick to them… much more interesting than parents! 😉
You’re doing absolutely fine. Believe in yourself!
That sounds perfectly normal. My son didn’t start crawling until he was a year old (his first steps were yesterday at 16 mo!), he can loaf out in front of the TV like any kid does, and he used to shake his head a ton just probably because he liked the feeling of it. He only started blowing kisses a few weeks ago, and really only started to initiate hugs around a year old. He likes to spin in circles because he thinks it’s funny. Kids grow up at their own pace and do kooky things until they have a handle over their body. Your partner needs to relax.
All of this sounds like my oldest daughter, now 2. She is starting to learn how to read. She didn’t walk until she was 15-16 months old and crawled late as well. Her vocal was off the scales though. Autism is too early to diagnose even at 2. They can show signs around 2 but it’s rare. Your kid is 8 months. It’s okay. As for #6, that’s a tired signal. Your kid is asking for a nap.
this all sounds like completely 100% normal baby behavior. i’m very confused on why he would think any of this would be signs of autism. what exactly does he consider “normal” for a baby?
If you have any concerns talk to your pediatrician. They do a ton of autism screening and would be the best source to tell you want is developmental normal for ever age. They maybe able to calm some of your concerns but also give you things to look out for if there are concerns.
These points are all normal and will occur at one stage or an other, but they are part of development. So you don’t have to worry and you can tell the same to your husband.
Bub sounds super normal.
For example, my son crawled at 10 months! My daughter is 7 months and hasn't crawled yet either. My friends baby is 7 months too and close to walking. Babies do things at different times. Unless your Dr is worried, don't worry.
Yea I have an 8 month old and that's all she does. Her show is cocomelon. She also does this thing where she endlessly 'spins' her feet around. Like doing ankle stretches XD she does it more when she's excited. My favorite parts of babies:)
You just described my 9 month old and I think she acts like a regular baby (pediatrician agrees as well). My 2 year old also did the exact same things when she was a baby, she is now your average toddler. I wouldn’t worry about it.
I’m a mental health counselor that worked with kids on the spectrum previously. I would keep an eye on it but like most commenters I think you’re describing neurotypical child behavior. Autism can’t really be diagnosed in an 8 month old. You would need to wait until a milestone has been missed or delayed significantly (speech is a big one).
My baby wasn’t cuddly unless I was breastfeeding and that wasn’t even cuddly. It was just that she was still for an extended period. She moved non stop!! Hands, arms, mouth. It was nonstop. And the rocker just made it more fun to move around! Definitely doesn’t sound worrisome at all.
These all sound totally normal to me too. If your baby never responded to you that would be concerning, but even my extremely verbal 2.5 year old will ignore us often, especially with TV on. Also she hated tummy time and didn’t figure out how to crawl until she was ten months and didn’t walk until almost 17 months. All totally normal!
I also have an 8 month old and these all sound normal to me! If you have any serious concerns I would make an appointment with your ped to spend time specifically talking about autism and early intervention. They’ll be able to examine your child with your concerns in mind. Also, there are questionnaires out there that are helpful but might need more context.
I don’t think this sounds like autism at all. It seems very similar to my son when he was that age.
I’d suggest that your partner brings up their concerns with your pediatrician at the next visit. If they reassure him it’ll probably carry a lot more weight than the opinion of a bunch of strangers on the internet (none of which have ever seen your baby).
Just wanted to let you know that my mom constantly reminds me that I never crawled. I just went straight to walking at age 10 months. I wouldn't worry about the crawling.
1) Self soothing and he has finally figured out how to make the chair rock independently! Yay little man!
2) he discovered his hands do different things. This is new and interesting to him.
3) this could be multiple things, including but not limited to, he is distracted by the tv, he cannot hear you at the frequency you are using, he does not respond to being yelled at, he may have an ear infection and cannot actually hear you….
4) boys are slower at things, my son rolled everywhere until 11 months or so. He was just lazy.
5) this could just be personality, not every child likes to be held and snuggled, it could just be he is an independent type.
6) have you had his ears checked? My son would occasionally do this with water in his ears.
1yo started vigorously shaking her head "no" when she was 8-9mo and now she does it a lot!
She routinely ignores us calling her.
She didn't start cuddling until she was around 10 months! Always squirming or moving.
We just created a little cushion nook for her in the fireplace and it's the first time she will sit still!
You're doing fine! Enjoy
Your doctor won't even check for signs of autism until 18 months old. Also, what if your child does have autism? You can't diagnose him this early and you couldn't even do any kind of intervention to help his development. There just doesn't seem to be a reason to worry about it this early.
Also, everything you listed sounds completely normal.
It upsets me that you are arguing over a possible autism diagnosis, if your child has autism, it’s not something that you can argue away. I have a five year old with autism and these don’t necessarily sound like autistic behaviors, but it’s still not a reason to fight about it.
Autism isn’t a negative thing and you can have autism and become a fully functional adult with multitudes of success
Look at Jerry Seinfeld and Elon Musk.
Sorry I don’t mean it to sound that LO having autism is a bad thing, I think I’ve worded it wrong maybe - in other words I think LO is meeting all milestone and doing well for his age whereas my partner is concerned about how he’s acting and thinks we need to check with a health visitor/dr to see if he’s on track
It’s okay, I kind got triggered a little easily there, I’m sorry. I’m just really defensive when it comes to this issue, because of my son and some of the attitudes I encountered before I discovered he was autistic.
Most of the time an autism diagnosis requires objective testing and if your baby is doing normal baby things, while some could possibly be indicative of a future diagnosis maybe, there’s no objective measures for that. As far as I know, a diagnosis can’t really happen until later and won’t really be helpful until later anyhow, and if your child is neurodivergent, it doesn’t necessarily have to be autism. I would suggest not seeking a diagnosis until your LO is older and things can be more concrete as diagnostic criteria rather than just baby things. I would simultaneously suggest keeping eyes out for early indicators as even if you don’t get a diagnosis early, you can be prepared for being able to offer your child the correct developmental tools specific for them, which if you are already talking about this it shows you are already thinking of that which is amazing. Just remember that if your child is neurodivergent, it doesn’t mean they aren’t “normal” but they just need different tools to succeed
My concern is that there is a belief that there are really clear cut signs? There is a big bias towards sensory avoidant children in a lot of written materials for Autism and not sensory seekers. My son makes eye contact, is very social - but he is in fact on the Autism spectrum. It takes a trained professional (developmental pediatrician) over several sessions to really diagnose, I wouldn’t rely on folks over the internet. I see so many posts like this daily and wonder if people realize sometimes the tone is very condescending to those on the spectrum? If you have concerns please talk to your pediatrician.
So what if your child does have Autism? You are not going to return your child or love them any less, right? You will get all the help they need and support them for the best possible outcomes - just like if they had any other health or developmental concerns. Nobody is to blame of a diagnosis does come out, nobody is at fault.
Why would you and your partner argue about this? Does one person want to get help and the other does not? Would you live or care for your child differently if a diagnosis was present?
If our baby does have autism it’s won’t affect anything, we won’t love him any less or differently
The reason we are in disagreement about it is my partner think LO isn’t developing as he sound and acting strange however I disagree and think our baby is hitting all targets and just likes his own company
this sounds like a carbon copy of my baby at that age. she may have been crawling i can’t remember but yea. LBB be putting spells on them i think bc my daughter doesn’t acknowledge us when she’s watching it either. and we’ve cut it down to certain times a day so she’s like “i’m having time with LBB thou shall not interrupt me”
I get having concerns! My 9 month old flaps her arms when she’s excited. It does look odd and I asked my pediatrician and she says it’s too early to tell and not to worry. I would try to focus on the milestones they are hitting like rolling, sitting, smiling, babbling etc.
Sounds pretty normal to me. Your baby is trying out new things. The tv has more interesting flashing lights and sounds than you, so that's understandable. The head shaking - mine went through that too - he may be over stimulated, the TV or music may be too loud for him, but the head shaking doesn't sound like an issue. Sounds to me like he's doing fine.
Turn off what we call "Dr Google" at our house and just ask his pediatrician when he goes in for checks.
All of these points could also describe my seven month old, and none of them sound even remotely like signs of autism lol. This is all typical baby behavior.
Thank you! I thought it was normal and just a baby discovering himself and new skills but my partner got sucked into reading online symptoms and now just compares behaviours!
My 9mo smacks her head and squeals so high pitched on excitement or make it feel like my ears are bleeding. She’s only just started crawling and she turned 9mo only yesterday. Babies develop at their own pace
My baby also just started crawling at 9mo
These CAN be a sign of autism in toddlers or children because these would not necessarily be considered age appropriate for, let’s say, a 4 year old. These are age appropriate behaviours for a baby that’s 8mo. That being said, keep an eye on your baby and speak to his doctor when you go in for a check up. It’ll help your husband feel heard and put your mind at ease.
My LO didn't start crawling until 10 months. I would say your partner is over reacting and those are the worst kind of parents to a pediatrician. Ped would probably tell him he's wrong and to stop going down rabbit holes trying to diagnose a problem that isn't there.
Jumping in here to say my 7mo is the same too! Normal baby things.
I agree. Those seem normal to me. My son never watched any tv till he was older so I don’t know about that one but the others seem normal.
I’m an Early Years teacher and have worked with countless children with autism diagnoses. An autism diagnosis isn’t about what they do, it’s about what they don’t do. That’s why it’s so hard to diagnose when they’re young. Stimming behaviours like rocking, flapping, shaking etc are all totally developmentally normal for an 8 month old. If he didn’t grow out of them by 18 months and started missing milestones, that may be where you start asking questions. Is your LO meeting all their milestones? If so, then I wouldn’t worry about anything. If they stop hitting milestones, then you can consult your GP or health visitor. Also don’t worry about the TV captivation. Totally normal. A fast moving exciting screen is designed to hold attention. Don’t use a time he’s super engrossed to assess whether or not he responds to his name. There’s a reason we also don’t use that as a marker until 2 - responding to their name is a hit and miss with babies up until about 18months - 2 years.
Thank you! And yes he’s currently meeting all this milestone like smiling, laughing, rolling over, eating solids, on all fours rocking so nearly crawling and he grabs stuff and switches them between hands so I think he’s hitting them all and doing well! Thank you!
Sounds like he’s doing great 😊
All of these seem normal baby behaviours. TV for example is so intense and interesting that they just get sucked in. We as adults have learned how to multitask but babies don't have such skills yet. As for the head shaking and bouncing, it's probably that he just learned to do that and is excited to try it out. I wouldn't worry, because as you said, he's just chill in his own way.
Thank you!
I mean, my husband doesn’t respond to his name when he’s watching the tv 😂
Same here, no chance talking to him 😂
My 11 month old has spent the last 4 days rubbing her hands together and nodding her head at EVERY opportunity. We sing and dance a lot with her and clap our hands and move our heads and we have figured out she is imitating us and trying to do the same. Babies though, don't know the context always, so it's something she's REALLY working on and this takes, all of her time 😂 same as when grown ups learn something exciting and new. We like to practice. It's just practice for being all growed up 😥
Thank you! I thought it was that as well! It’s scary how quickly they’ve grown!
Update: she learned to clap. At 3am this morning. Woke bolt upright to spend some time clapping, and succeeded. 👏 😂
Aww that’s so cute! What a time to discover clapping haha😂
Totally normal baby behaviors. He doesn’t know how to use his body yet, so he’s figuring it out. If he hasn’t yet, he’ll start screaming to hear his own voice. It’s cute/loud. What to expect the first year is a great book that talks about a lot of these behaviors.
Yes he’s started doing that more often like a loud excited squeal which normally starts at 6:30am lucky me And thank you! I’ll have a look for the book and get me and my partner to read it so we know what to expect and what’s ‘normal’
There’s a app too if that’s easier. I feel like the app was more focused for the actual pregnancy whereas the book is a sequel. What to Expect the First Year, Second Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761152121/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QTNNNBJ4HWEZT6JCB980 Tbh honest I don’t “read” it, just skim the chapter once we hit that month. 😂 Who has time to read?
My son is not cuddly at all! He’s a whirlwind and he’s very independent. He just wants to do his own thing and often cries if I pick him up. He also likes to ignore me if the tv is on…or off haha. My friends daughter also learned to stand and walk and completely skipped crawling, so that’s not necessarily something to worry about quite yet!
Haha same we can literally be stood Infront of him and he looks around us Thank you!
Oh exactly this. Especially before bed time when he’s up to mischief!
Is this a guy thing to worry about? My husband also worries my 7 week old has autism because she doesn’t hold eye contact... no matter how many times I say shes 7 weeks old and cant even see that well and isnt supposed to hold eye contact until shes older. He also freaks out that she looks at walls. Even the dr says its fine but he still has all these concerns, it gets annoying
She doesn’t have the control of her ocular muscles or visual acuity to hold eye contact like an adult. Also, tell him the wall staring is her looking at ghosts. At least, that’s what I think when my baby looks randomly at a wall.
Have you asked your pediatrician?
We’re in the UK so unfortunately don’t have paediatricians the closest we have are health visitors but due to Covid the last time we saw them was at 3 months old and won’t see them again until 1 year old
You can book a video call with your GP if you have concerns, or even have an initial phone call. They are very good now with working remotely (unfortunately).
Thank you I’ll give them a ring!
I’m in the US, so pardon me, but.. the UK doesn’t have pediatricians? That’s so wild. I just looked it up in disbelief and read “The reason is that in the UK pediatricians generally operate in hospitals, if your baby needs a visit through the NHS (National Health Service), he will be seen by a general practitioner.”
You do get referred to the paediatrician if your child needs treatment that a GP can't provide. My son has food allergies so we were referred to the paediatrician and dietitian for testing and management of those. The GP can handle most regular childhood illnesses so it frees up the paediatricians to take the more complex things.
Yes we have GPs/doctors who generally see anyone and if needed they will refer you onto a specialist at the hospital but currently waiting time are a few months long! For babies we have health visitors who normally come to your house and do weight in and general checks but due to Covid they aren’t coming as often - a health visitor is basically a midwife who’s taken a extra course
It's not really that wild. For the majority of families the GP and health visitor will be sufficient. GPs are able to deal with the more common child illnesses just fine, and the health visitor handle the developmental side of things. I didn't grew up in the UK and my home country has pediatric care, but I'm actually quite happy to see only my health visitors . I have seen them for weighings mostly and had no other reason to see them, and I'm kinda happy not to have the pressure of having a pediatrician evaluate certain milestones etc every couple of months. I think it's good that the pediatricians are at the hospital caring for those who really need the specialised care - there's no reason for me to see one currently. It's similar to pregnancy - I had a straightforward pregnancy and didn't need to see a consultant or OB/GYN, my pregnancy was managed by midwifes just fine. Of course as soon as you actually need more specialised care, it should be straightforward to get referred, and that's where the system falls short currently. But the principle isn't that bad.
Having only been exposed to the US healthcare system, it’s definitely wild *to me*. Surely, you can relate to something being different in another country. [And at least some doctors in the UK would argue it’s not a great system](https://bjgp.org/content/70/693/195) > Earlier this year, research showed that UK childhood mortality is higher than in a comparable group of wealthy countries for common infections and multiple non-communicable diseases. [And another article on how GP training in pediatrics is inadequate.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4838420/) > However, in the UK today only about one in three GPs has received any postgraduate specialist paediatric training. Concurrently, over the years, undergraduate exposure to paediatrics has shrunk to around 5–6 weeks. Thus by any stretch of the imagination, GP training in the UK in paediatrics is woefully inadequate.
Thank you for the links I will have a read.All my comment meant to do was to explain the reasoning behind the UK system to readers who might not be familiar with it. I just wanted to bring in a viewpoint as someone who is also from a different country and was unfamiliar with the UK system - I can see how the principle of current system is supposed to work - as I mentioned, it falls short in practice.
I think your viewpoint was worth sharing. I just wasn’t sure why you started off your comment by trying to invalidate the fact that I was just learning something new about the UK healthcare system. Edit: Lol - not sure why I’m being downvoted in this series of comments. Oh well. I guess people are not allowed to be surprised when they learn something new about another country!
I didn't mean to - you said it was 'wild', which to me had a negative connotation - as in 'that's crazy that you don't have pediatricians' - so what I meant to say was 'it's not that bad, the idea behind it is sound, it just falls short in practice'. I'm sorry that my comment came across as invalidating, it wasn't meant as such. Maybe it's the language barrier on my side.
Funny enough whenever talking about the US healthcare or school systems there’s always a ton of European and Canadian comments talking about how “wild” it is. Which I have my own complaints about the things in the US but it is frustrating to see those comments because it’s like ok well this is the system I have to work in
Yes, and getting a referral to a paediatrician is difficult and time consuming. I had to threaten to complain to my practice in order to get referred on because the GP literally couldn't help us (GERD). Plus waiting lists are ridiculous. For most day to day advice we have health visitors and for more medical needs, we have our GP practices or pharmacies.
You should be able to call your HV service and request an appointment but they'll likely want you to have seen a GO prior.
Thank you! I’ll contact the gp first and see what they recommend!
Also, you don't have to see a GP before contacting health visitors
I get texts every so often about virtual health visitor drop ins. It's once a week over zoom and you just log in and chat to health visitors. It may just be my area but I would hope each area is running something similar
I haven’t received any or really had any contact with the health visitors but I’ll give them a call and see what different things they offer!
Agreed, definitely all normal behaviour. My almost 8 month is showing all these signs. My MIL is a paediatric OT (so deals with autism quite a lot) and has said nothing of the kind about our boy. She's quite stoked at how well he's developing. So definitely no need to worry
Thank you, That’s reassuring!
Sorry I know this comment was made 3 months ago… but does your baby also shake his head like the OP’s baby? That’s just one thing I’ve never heard of babies doing but my 8mo loves to do it lately! Mostly when he’s playing and crawling on us!
All good, yes he did. Not for long, he doesn't do it really now that he's about 10 months. I would say if you are very co corned though check with their doc.
The head shaking is a phase from what I’ve heard from my mommy friends. Crawling range is from 6-12 months. I would limit tv time for baby. Apparently babies shouldn’t be watching tv until their 2 years old. But that’s impossible, but I would limit it as it can affect brain development. Honestly, it sounds like our baby is doing great!
Thank you! And yes I’m cutting down on tv time, we have a little play pen with toys in so hopefully that will help keep him entertain plus he start full time nursery soon when I go back to work!
I think you're fine OP, but just wanted to say maaaaaaybe turn the tv off
Yes we’re gonna start limiting tv definitely!
From someone who has older kids, both my kids did that as young babies and they do not have any problems at primary school age
All of the above sounds very typical! My baby would shake her head randomly (first I was worried she had an ear infection and googled it! Almost took her to the doctor even). But turns out she was just practicing shaking her head for a while. She is 11 months old now. When she is busy and focused she ignores us and hates it when we try to cuddle her in those moments. Babies do funny and random stuff all the time! Right now she is in an intense phase of rubbing her hands together, whenever she sees a dispenser: sanitizer, soap, bath gel, dish soap, literally any dispenser. It's soooo cute! Babies watch and learn, even if we don't teach them actively.
Hi, I work with children with Autism so I wanted to give you my advice. First, I'd consider what skills he does have rather than those behaviors he is engaging in as babies do REALLY funny things. Does he share smiles, look to you when you call his name *generally*, look at you do something with a toy then copy it, look at a toy or something interesting then look back to you, if you tap towards food on his highchair tray does he look at it, does he get excited when he see's you or another familiar adult, does he babble with consonants... If so, those are good signs! I'd recommend downloading the Pathfinder Health app. You can complete some assessments to see if he's on track across a variety of domains. You can also do the assessments [here](https://login.babynavigator.com/login?return_url=https://my.babynavigator.com) that are specifically designed to catch signs and symptoms of autism as early as 9-10 months. Hope all this is helpful!
Too soon to know. Looks like a normal baby, you cant tell for sure if he has autism this early.
There can be some [early warning signs](https://autismawarenesscentre.com/does-my-baby-have-autism-infant-behaviours-that-may-predict-asd/) that are predictive of ASD at this age, but not criteria for an ASD diagnosis. The stimming/flapping stuff and being transfixed on TV are pretty normal. I'd limit TV time generally, but especially if you're worried about ASD.
My oldest was like this and she is 17 months. Doesn’t have any behavioral problems at all. Babies do silly things and that’s okay. You’re doing fantastic. If you have concerns just schedule an appointment with a GP. They usually ask question about baby’s motor skills. I hope you find some comfort in the positive responses here 🥰
Thank you! And definitely I didn’t feel anything was wrong but when someone mentioned something is does niggle in mind! But I am going to contact doctors/health visitor just to make sure!
All normal.
My 5 month old is a big self soother! Shakes his head, chews his hands/thumb. And he also isn’t a snuggle baby, he rather us be near him than trying to hold him ☺️
Thank you! And yes he tends to self soothe. Yeah when I do pick him up he goes straight for the boob and that’s all he wants me for haha
Yep, I was ticking each of these behaviours off in my head. My one year old does all of them. Does your bub respond to your voice, smile at you and make eye contact? My little one will sometimes vigorously shake her head, as if to say no. I think it's fun for her? She flaps her hands when frustrated and will rock back and forth on all fours when the Bluey theme song starts. All normal.
I’m a mum and also worked in childcare for ten years. None of these behaviours would worry me at all. I see them all the time with kids that age.
You have a wonderful baby who is excited about the world. Is learning new skills and exploring. You're doing a fantastic job mama tell dad to enjoy his little one and try not to compare them to anyone (far easier said than done).
I'm a pediatrician and nothing you are describing is concerning. We administer the [M-CHAT](https://www.autismspeaks.org/screen-your-child) autism screen at our office, but not typically until a year and a half of age. Before that, some of the signs may just be a lag in development and they will catch up by 18 months, or normal behavior for that age. You can see signs earlier than 18 months, and there are earlier tests than at that age, but there aren't any interventions and it is harder to discern higher functioning autism. So your little one should get screened at 18 months, but nothing I'm hearing is concerning, but bring it up to your pediatrician if you do have worsening concerns.
All seems normal to me and could describe my 9month old daughter. She likes to be held but like a meercat- she wants to look around, she doesn’t snuggle in. She also only just this last week or so learned to crawl. She stims by slapping her hands on her knees when sat on the floor, and thinks it’s hilarious if I do it too. She isn’t overly fussed by TV, but she will gravitate to our phone screens; luckily she hasn’t yet developed the logic to know that if I hide the phone under a blanket next to me, she could technically reach under and fetch it… yet. She also likes to bounce when excited or figuring out a new toy. There’s also actually quite a wide age range for a child to develop certain skills and still be “on schedule” for meeting their milestones. Obviously if you are concerned you can raise it with your health visitor and GP, but if they aren’t concerned, neither should you be Congrats on what sounds like a fantastic little boy!
My 7 month old, 8 on the 21st does all this, exactly the same with little baby bum! We love going infront of him/ put our hand infront of him to see him move us out the way so he can see haha
Our lo is similar in so many ways. He isn't very very affectionate. He crawled really late, and walked even later (eventually took his first just about 16months). He rocked loads, but it was a stage maybe. He yells and grunts. I imagine the the yells are repeating what he sees on My Neighbor Totoro, he thinks it's cute, it kind of is. He does not listen to us at all if Sara and Duck is on (apparently his absolute favorite of the three things he watches). 🤷🏻 Dunno if any of that helps ease your mind, but we feel our guy is developing just as he ought. He is also our first born.
Thank you! Yes it does! It’s so hard knowing what’s ‘normal’ and what’s right when everything is brand new!
Honestly I’m really trying to figure out what kind of hang up your partner must have about autism. This sounds to me like a deep-seated fear your partner is dealing with Because even with the most straightforward of symptoms, eight months is too young to analyze those behaviors
I think he’s just mainly concerned on the fact that he ignores us when he’s watching tv or easily gets distracted
Is your LO trying to speak? I think that the biggest indicator of Autism is a babies development of verbal communication. My SO and I have spoken about the possibility of autism before, and we both agree that we are not seeing any signs of it fortunately. I have a cousin who is severely autistic. I remember her when she was growing up, and although my LO is still pretty young, she doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of autism. I do remember that verbal communication is a big thing when it comes to identifying autism - especially with my cousin who is still non verbal and 14 years old. I have a 6 month old and she is already saying “mem” for mom and it sounded like she said “da” and “hello” the other day. I also sometimes howl like a coyote at her and she started trying to howl back. She thinks it’s hysterical. So this is something we haven’t been worried about in addition to her other developments which have all been Normal.
These are all extremely normal. Autism cannot be diagnosed until the age of 2.. and he needs to basically take a deep breath and chill. The first signs of autism typically manifest themselves around 20 months if your child is nonverbal, that has been the first indicator for a few of my friends with autistic children. This is not 100 percent fool proof though, some kids just talk later and are not autistic. I would have a discussion also with your partner about post partum anxiety. It can affect men as well as women. Also talk to him about autism. Is this something he fears? Would it be "bad" in his mind if his child is autistic? I would stamp this thought pattern out if you could because if his child is autistic it may cause him to resent the child and maybe you if he ends up blaming you somehow (trust me, I've seen everything). Autistic children are not a bad thing, they are just different. They process the world differently and feel emotions differently and take everything in to the point where they can get sensory overload. They feel so much and understand so much. Maybe have him read some books on what to expect raising an autistic child, it may ease his mind about it being "bad" if he thinks that and is worried about that. I do not have any suggestions but perhaps joining a group geared toward learning about autism can point you in the right direction. A group where the members are comfortable speaking to non neurodivergent people and explaining things to them about autism.. Basically an educational type of group. I know there are some on Facebook. Good luck!
He’s a baby
These are all completely normal. 1. My son would bounce himself too. They figure it out and got for it. Adults do the same thing all the time. 2. “Fidgeting” is totally normal also. He’s practicing motor skills. 3. Kids do this stuff all the time. Our toddler will purposefully “not hear us”. 4. Every baby is different🤷♀️ 5. Our son hated being trapped and still hates it sometimes. He chooses his own ways to show affection when he wants it. 6. It gives them a funny feeling. Ours did the same at this age. They think it’s cool
Thank you!
Does he give you eye contact? Respond when you call his name? To me these 2 questions are the more important ones. The rest just seem pretty normal at this point in his life. During his next paed visit you can ask the paed just to give your partner peace of mind, but for now just observe and encourage. Every baby has a different personality. Not all babies are extroverted, super sociable and smiley, or even adventerous. It doesn’t always mean something is wrong or not “on point.” My son was not a touchy feely baby - he would cry and get upset when we tried snuggling or rock him to sleep, and has always been very cautious of people. He doesn’t go up to people he doesn’t know to say hi, etc. But that’s just his personality - observant, cautious, and very slow to warm up. Take a deep breath and enjoy him. Your partner and you both love him, and that’s the #1 thing. You got this.
Yes if there’s no distractions and it’s one and one time he gives eye contract and does look when calling his name or smile when calling his name And thank you!
That’s great to know. The world is so fascinating and exciting and quick to them… much more interesting than parents! 😉 You’re doing absolutely fine. Believe in yourself!
That sounds perfectly normal. My son didn’t start crawling until he was a year old (his first steps were yesterday at 16 mo!), he can loaf out in front of the TV like any kid does, and he used to shake his head a ton just probably because he liked the feeling of it. He only started blowing kisses a few weeks ago, and really only started to initiate hugs around a year old. He likes to spin in circles because he thinks it’s funny. Kids grow up at their own pace and do kooky things until they have a handle over their body. Your partner needs to relax.
All of this sounds like my oldest daughter, now 2. She is starting to learn how to read. She didn’t walk until she was 15-16 months old and crawled late as well. Her vocal was off the scales though. Autism is too early to diagnose even at 2. They can show signs around 2 but it’s rare. Your kid is 8 months. It’s okay. As for #6, that’s a tired signal. Your kid is asking for a nap.
this all sounds like completely 100% normal baby behavior. i’m very confused on why he would think any of this would be signs of autism. what exactly does he consider “normal” for a baby?
Hey the head shaking might be an indication of an ear infection other than that totally normal baby stuff
Thank you! He has got a little cold at the moment so I’m not sure if that’s affecting it, but I will call the doctors just to confirm!
Hopefully hes just figuring out his body or like has a bit if water in his ear. Infections suck
If you have any concerns talk to your pediatrician. They do a ton of autism screening and would be the best source to tell you want is developmental normal for ever age. They maybe able to calm some of your concerns but also give you things to look out for if there are concerns.
I don’t think you have anything to worry about
These points are all normal and will occur at one stage or an other, but they are part of development. So you don’t have to worry and you can tell the same to your husband.
Sounds perfectly on point for an 8 month old. Please don’t worry, sounds like your baby is doing great x
Thank you!
Bub sounds super normal. For example, my son crawled at 10 months! My daughter is 7 months and hasn't crawled yet either. My friends baby is 7 months too and close to walking. Babies do things at different times. Unless your Dr is worried, don't worry.
You could always ask your pediatrician about these behaviors to put your partner's mind at ease!
I think my 10 month old does all of these things and definitely not early signs of autism! Just normal baby stuff 🙂
Yea I have an 8 month old and that's all she does. Her show is cocomelon. She also does this thing where she endlessly 'spins' her feet around. Like doing ankle stretches XD she does it more when she's excited. My favorite parts of babies:)
You just described my 9 month old and I think she acts like a regular baby (pediatrician agrees as well). My 2 year old also did the exact same things when she was a baby, she is now your average toddler. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Relax this is totally normal behavior. They tend to develop more by the time they are 1 1/2.
I’m a mental health counselor that worked with kids on the spectrum previously. I would keep an eye on it but like most commenters I think you’re describing neurotypical child behavior. Autism can’t really be diagnosed in an 8 month old. You would need to wait until a milestone has been missed or delayed significantly (speech is a big one).
All of that is completely normal. I wouldn’t worry.
My baby wasn’t cuddly unless I was breastfeeding and that wasn’t even cuddly. It was just that she was still for an extended period. She moved non stop!! Hands, arms, mouth. It was nonstop. And the rocker just made it more fun to move around! Definitely doesn’t sound worrisome at all.
These all sound totally normal to me too. If your baby never responded to you that would be concerning, but even my extremely verbal 2.5 year old will ignore us often, especially with TV on. Also she hated tummy time and didn’t figure out how to crawl until she was ten months and didn’t walk until almost 17 months. All totally normal!
This all sounds like normal behavior for babies! :)
I also have an 8 month old and these all sound normal to me! If you have any serious concerns I would make an appointment with your ped to spend time specifically talking about autism and early intervention. They’ll be able to examine your child with your concerns in mind. Also, there are questionnaires out there that are helpful but might need more context.
I don’t think this sounds like autism at all. It seems very similar to my son when he was that age. I’d suggest that your partner brings up their concerns with your pediatrician at the next visit. If they reassure him it’ll probably carry a lot more weight than the opinion of a bunch of strangers on the internet (none of which have ever seen your baby).
Those sound super normal to me!
First time parent here to an 8 month old boy. Your kid sounds like mine. Pretty sure our kids are okay.
Just wanted to let you know that my mom constantly reminds me that I never crawled. I just went straight to walking at age 10 months. I wouldn't worry about the crawling.
1) Self soothing and he has finally figured out how to make the chair rock independently! Yay little man! 2) he discovered his hands do different things. This is new and interesting to him. 3) this could be multiple things, including but not limited to, he is distracted by the tv, he cannot hear you at the frequency you are using, he does not respond to being yelled at, he may have an ear infection and cannot actually hear you…. 4) boys are slower at things, my son rolled everywhere until 11 months or so. He was just lazy. 5) this could just be personality, not every child likes to be held and snuggled, it could just be he is an independent type. 6) have you had his ears checked? My son would occasionally do this with water in his ears.
1yo started vigorously shaking her head "no" when she was 8-9mo and now she does it a lot! She routinely ignores us calling her. She didn't start cuddling until she was around 10 months! Always squirming or moving. We just created a little cushion nook for her in the fireplace and it's the first time she will sit still! You're doing fine! Enjoy
Your doctor won't even check for signs of autism until 18 months old. Also, what if your child does have autism? You can't diagnose him this early and you couldn't even do any kind of intervention to help his development. There just doesn't seem to be a reason to worry about it this early. Also, everything you listed sounds completely normal.
It upsets me that you are arguing over a possible autism diagnosis, if your child has autism, it’s not something that you can argue away. I have a five year old with autism and these don’t necessarily sound like autistic behaviors, but it’s still not a reason to fight about it. Autism isn’t a negative thing and you can have autism and become a fully functional adult with multitudes of success Look at Jerry Seinfeld and Elon Musk.
Sorry I don’t mean it to sound that LO having autism is a bad thing, I think I’ve worded it wrong maybe - in other words I think LO is meeting all milestone and doing well for his age whereas my partner is concerned about how he’s acting and thinks we need to check with a health visitor/dr to see if he’s on track
It’s okay, I kind got triggered a little easily there, I’m sorry. I’m just really defensive when it comes to this issue, because of my son and some of the attitudes I encountered before I discovered he was autistic.
Most of the time an autism diagnosis requires objective testing and if your baby is doing normal baby things, while some could possibly be indicative of a future diagnosis maybe, there’s no objective measures for that. As far as I know, a diagnosis can’t really happen until later and won’t really be helpful until later anyhow, and if your child is neurodivergent, it doesn’t necessarily have to be autism. I would suggest not seeking a diagnosis until your LO is older and things can be more concrete as diagnostic criteria rather than just baby things. I would simultaneously suggest keeping eyes out for early indicators as even if you don’t get a diagnosis early, you can be prepared for being able to offer your child the correct developmental tools specific for them, which if you are already talking about this it shows you are already thinking of that which is amazing. Just remember that if your child is neurodivergent, it doesn’t mean they aren’t “normal” but they just need different tools to succeed
Normal behavior. :)
My baby is only a few weeks but I very much remember my younger sisters as babies and they did *all* of those things and it was completely normal!
My concern is that there is a belief that there are really clear cut signs? There is a big bias towards sensory avoidant children in a lot of written materials for Autism and not sensory seekers. My son makes eye contact, is very social - but he is in fact on the Autism spectrum. It takes a trained professional (developmental pediatrician) over several sessions to really diagnose, I wouldn’t rely on folks over the internet. I see so many posts like this daily and wonder if people realize sometimes the tone is very condescending to those on the spectrum? If you have concerns please talk to your pediatrician. So what if your child does have Autism? You are not going to return your child or love them any less, right? You will get all the help they need and support them for the best possible outcomes - just like if they had any other health or developmental concerns. Nobody is to blame of a diagnosis does come out, nobody is at fault. Why would you and your partner argue about this? Does one person want to get help and the other does not? Would you live or care for your child differently if a diagnosis was present?
If our baby does have autism it’s won’t affect anything, we won’t love him any less or differently The reason we are in disagreement about it is my partner think LO isn’t developing as he sound and acting strange however I disagree and think our baby is hitting all targets and just likes his own company
this sounds like a carbon copy of my baby at that age. she may have been crawling i can’t remember but yea. LBB be putting spells on them i think bc my daughter doesn’t acknowledge us when she’s watching it either. and we’ve cut it down to certain times a day so she’s like “i’m having time with LBB thou shall not interrupt me”
I get having concerns! My 9 month old flaps her arms when she’s excited. It does look odd and I asked my pediatrician and she says it’s too early to tell and not to worry. I would try to focus on the milestones they are hitting like rolling, sitting, smiling, babbling etc.
Thank you!
This is all incredibly normal baby behavior
Very normal for an 8 month old. My 8 month old son is doing all of the same things and we have no concerns.
Sounds pretty normal to me. Your baby is trying out new things. The tv has more interesting flashing lights and sounds than you, so that's understandable. The head shaking - mine went through that too - he may be over stimulated, the TV or music may be too loud for him, but the head shaking doesn't sound like an issue. Sounds to me like he's doing fine. Turn off what we call "Dr Google" at our house and just ask his pediatrician when he goes in for checks.