I wish I could go back and be more aware of the signs Max showed at a baby that he had Autism. We are grateful that we picked up on the signs as early as we did so that he can get the help he needs now, but the guilt is still there.
Why didn't I notice the signs? Why didn't I pick up on little things? Why do people say "don't feel guilty, don't feel bad, you didn't know..." when in all honestly they too know they would feel the same guilt? Max was our first child we didn't know what to expect for a lot of these things.
A lot of things we have learned through Dexter. He IS doing these things, and we are grateful for him because it was Dexter who showed us that Max wasn't hitting the natural milestones.
Here is our list of things we wished we would have noticed:
1. Max could sit on his own and stare at the fan for as long as we would let him. Without needing anything, crying, fussing, or making much noise at all.
We were told time and time again "What a good baby he is, he is so quiet, he hardly needs you for anything..." And he was a great baby, and a very cute one at that.
2. He didn't make eye contact or stay focused. He would turn his head and look at you in the corner of his eyes. He wouldn't follow me around a room and wasn't concerned about where we were.
3. Max wasn't making babbling noises or much noise at all. He wasn't communicating. We taught him some sign language and that was very helpful.
4. He didn't point, clap, or wave bye-bye. These three things are something we now know to be an indicator that your child isn't picking up on social cues.
5. Max didn't reach up for us to pick him up. He would wait for us to pick him up.
6. Max made unusual body movements. He would stiffen his legs, arch his back, flick his fingers in from of his face, or hit his head against the floor repeatedly.
7. Max DID smile a lot, but he wouldn't imitative other emotions like sad, and mad. He still only recognizes happy. Mad and sad are emotions that he just doesn't understand.
A lot of these things Max still does. We are working hard to improve all areas. Right now we are currently working on social cues like saying bye bye and waving.
There is a false idea that autism can't be diagnosed in someone so young. This is false. The earlier the diagnosis the better. Early intervention programs can be so helpful and can encourage your child to have more success in school, and in life.
Here are some links that we found helpful:
http://www.cbsnews.com/media/10-early-warning-signs-of-autism/
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/autism_signs_symptoms.htm
Why didn't I notice the signs? Why didn't I pick up on little things? Why do people say "don't feel guilty, don't feel bad, you didn't know..." when in all honestly they too know they would feel the same guilt? Max was our first child we didn't know what to expect for a lot of these things.
A lot of things we have learned through Dexter. He IS doing these things, and we are grateful for him because it was Dexter who showed us that Max wasn't hitting the natural milestones.
Here is our list of things we wished we would have noticed:
1. Max could sit on his own and stare at the fan for as long as we would let him. Without needing anything, crying, fussing, or making much noise at all.
We were told time and time again "What a good baby he is, he is so quiet, he hardly needs you for anything..." And he was a great baby, and a very cute one at that.
3. Max wasn't making babbling noises or much noise at all. He wasn't communicating. We taught him some sign language and that was very helpful.
4. He didn't point, clap, or wave bye-bye. These three things are something we now know to be an indicator that your child isn't picking up on social cues.
5. Max didn't reach up for us to pick him up. He would wait for us to pick him up.
6. Max made unusual body movements. He would stiffen his legs, arch his back, flick his fingers in from of his face, or hit his head against the floor repeatedly.
7. Max DID smile a lot, but he wouldn't imitative other emotions like sad, and mad. He still only recognizes happy. Mad and sad are emotions that he just doesn't understand.
There is a false idea that autism can't be diagnosed in someone so young. This is false. The earlier the diagnosis the better. Early intervention programs can be so helpful and can encourage your child to have more success in school, and in life.
Here are some links that we found helpful:
http://www.cbsnews.com/media/10-early-warning-signs-of-autism/
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/autism_signs_symptoms.htm
I just found this blog and I find this fascinating. I didn't realize Max was autistic, and I think this is an awesome record of your journey---not to mention an invaluable resource of information and help for others. Thanks for making this, and please continue!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for following our blog. I hope you continue to find it helpful.
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