What Are the Signs of Autism, or Sensory Perception Disorder?

He may be just fine, he may be reacting to someting happening at daycare, or he may be showing the beginning signs of special needs. Before you visit the doctor, make a chart of the time of day he has tantrums, food eaten, and any changes in schedule. ALso list the things you suspect he may be responding to: itchy clothes, bright lights, noisy sounds at the mall, overstimulation, etc. This should help both you and the doctor determine if more testing is needed. Some signs to watch for: being rigid, not letting family touch him, tantrums at dinner time (smells of food), handwashing, not touching door knobs, falling often, losing balance and lasting changes in mood or behavior. Since you have two older children, it appears you are not hypersensitive, but rather noticing changes that appear different from other kids. Read some info on aspergers disorder,OCD, or visit the websites.

Find opportunity to spend lots of time with the child to observe his behaviors. It wasn't until I quit working full time, stayed home and then noticed how odd my child was behaving. Before that, I just thought the problem was the nanny or the daycare and blamed them for the behavior. I was constantly telling the doctor that she was acting strangely- getting on a pile of baby blankets and rocking herself to sleep. LOL, the doctor never considered that this could be autism! After the diagnosis at age 7, all the puzzle pieces fell into place. Do not rely on the peditrician to recognize the symptoms, speak to someone in the mental health dept.

hi liana:

all children are unique, and many times labels are more a way to explain all their short comings in life...... for we all have things that we must work on in order to grow and mature..

i have three great boys.. my older son aaron has always been very particular about people touching him, he used to love to talk to the flowers, and used to say that he was green because he was with the trees for ever...... that hummingbirds were ferries and that stars are just lights that live outside of us, but we have that light too...

aaron is 17 now, still does not like to be touched by many people, turned out to be a genius and teaches himself everything he wants to learn.... he has been accepted in to usf besides mit, and many other universities, because he did college along high school through the concourse program... and internships .... so i had to research on schools that have gifted programs, concourse programs, small schools are best for this kids, because other wise do not socialize as other teens.... aaron is loved and well liked @ soccer and school..... but, all the people that know him, know he is a special kid.... he is serious, does not have too many friends, very selective of people, and does things his way.... so i had to read alot about autism,etc,etc, because there are many degrees of all kids of things, that i decided not to label aaron and instead focused on the special person i have with me, and helped him grow...

he is in bolivia,leaving to argentina right now... in a soccer camp in order to meet maradona, he said to me that as a present for graduating early,etc,etc, he wants to do something stupid that only is allowed when we are 17.... he already went to australia and new zealand, alone with people to people when he was 12, representing san francisco to promote peace...
we been to the amazon, majchu pijchu the pyramids of mexico (various locations),salt plains, sacred lakes and places.... because this children get bored easily, and have to be learning all the time....
my other son , andy , is a delight... always smiling.... charismatic with a bunch of friends... and yes many kids tell him that his older bro is smart and weird.. and andy answers, aren't we all kind of weird? and yes he is the smartest person i know, and best big brother i could have ever had as a gift from the universe..art and music have helped my children so much.... aaron is a concert pianist and andy concert classic guitar player, a few years ago had the opportunity to meet paco de lucia, when he came to berkeley university... i am a health science teacher and my husband an architect....

my youngest son, israel... fell down 13 steps when the babysitter was not looking at him....he was only five months old.... so he had some brain injury and he has trouble learning , needs to be taught in different ways... is not the best in music or at soccer, but he is the sweetest one, all the teachers that know his older brothers can't believe israel is related to the older two..... because along with being gifted, it also comes with certain eccentric behavior, some different ways of seeing things, so finding the right small school was my task, so they could thrive , not just learn..

i always remember that einstein was thought to be retarted , was kicked out of school, and was not accepted to a university the first time he tried, because people did not understand him, instead labeled him with all kinds of disorders, when all he needed was something different, something more than the average kid.....
einstein is my boys hero in many ways... they are subscribed to the discovery magazine for teens..... and read like crazy...

please learn to help your son achieve his best, do not let teachers tell you anything negative, because all they are is unique...... and as such need different things to help them thrive... not just exist...
warmly,
sandy

'Your out of synch child' is a really good resource and there is a new one called I think 'Your out of sych child at Play' I found these books to be compassionate and knowledgeable. I raised one too - he's 18 now and doing great - but the key is to really accept that these kids do need to be accomodated and accepted for how they are especially at home - that is how they can learn to take care of their own very sensitive selves ie create their own accomodations which is what your son is trying to do already in the way of
a three year old.

Also here is a hard question to ask yourself - what is the level of conflict in the home and how is it handled ? It can have a very severe impact on a developing nervous system with long term consequences. An example of that I learned recently is when a child is exposed to a lot of yelling the ears and eyes are so close in their neurological corridors that things can be affected in the eyes - creating visual learning differences - like difficulties 'tracking' when reading and writing.

Best of Luck,

R.

Liana,
He sounds very much like my son (who is now 18). My regret is I didn't take my son to a Occupational therapist to help with the sensory stuff. My son still has issues, although managable. Also, you might want to find a diagnostic pediatrian to check to see if he has autistic traits. There is a wide spectrum and he might just have mild traits (as my son does). I wish they knew as much 18 years ago. Early intervention is really the key. I am sure he will be fine.

There is a great chat room where you can go. I have learned tons there from other Moms. CafeMom.com then go to the PDD chat site.

Good luck

Hi Liana:
These are some of the symptoms of autism (individuals with autism usually exhibit at least half of these traits).
Dificulty interacting with other children
Insistence on sameness; resists changes in routine
Does not point
No real fear of dangers
Little or no eye contact
Sustained odd play
Apparent insensitivity to pain
Echolalia
Prefers to be alone
Uneven gross/fine motor skills
May resist cuddling
Spins objects
Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf
Difficulty in expressing needs
Tantrums: may display extreme distress for no aparent reason
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
Oversensitive or undersensitive to sounds, touch, smell, light, textures, etc.

Most doctors don't know much abaout autism (or pediatricians). So, please, do your research on line.

www.tacanow.com
Autism Research Institute (ari)
www.sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html
http://autism.about.com/

My best wishes and good luck.

Hi Liana,
Here are some of the signs of sensory perception disorder. Resists being held or cuddled.
1. Cries and/or arches back when people try to hold him/her.
2. Distressed by baths and/or water splashing on him/her.
3. Doesn’t fall into a predictable sleep/wake pattern or cycle.
4. Cries excessively throughout the day (more than a half hour or hour at a time)
5. Doesn’t smile often, appears “sad” or “uncomfortable” much of the time.
6. Has distinct preferences for adults of certain energy levels or voices (i.e., intonation, loudness, high pitched, low pitched, etc.)
7. Avoids eye contact, has difficulty focusing on objects or following them with eyes.
8. Distressed when moved suddenly or whole body and/or head is tipped.
9. Distressed by rocking motions.
10. Distressed when moving in space (i.e., swinging around, bouncing up and down, or being “thrown” up in air.
11. Doesn’t appear to respond to a name or familiar voice.
12. Can’t seem to calm baby down no matter what you try (or there is only ONE thing that does, i.e., a car ride).
13. Difficulty breastfeeding.
14. Difficulty with sucking, chewing, or swallowing.
15. Doesn’t tolerate new foods well.
16. Does not seem to sense when diaper is wet or dirty.
17. Can’t seem to calm baby down no matter what you try (or there is only ONE thing that does, i.e., a car ride).
18. Difficulty breastfeeding.
19. Difficulty with sucking, chewing, or swallowing.
20. Doesn’t tolerate new foods well.
21. Does not seem to sense when diaper is wet or dirty.
22. Cries inconsolably until a wet or dirty diaper is changed.
23. Prefers to be without clothing.
24. Severe separation anxiety.
25. Distressed by sunlight or bright lights.
26. Distressed in public places, especially if crowded or noisy.
27. Difficulties with excessive reflux or allergies to foods and/or formulas.
28. Frequent ear infections.
29. Sensitive to sounds others don’t seem to be bothered by.
30. Appears overwhelmed, cries, or falls asleep when over stimulated.
31. Refuses/distressed by certain positions, i.e., being on tummy, on back, sitting, etc.
32. Stays in one position and becomes uncomfortable when moving to another, if moving on own has significant difficulty transitioning to another position (hard to do, awkward).
33. You find you are always trying to be one step ahead of baby; trying to control his environment and “warning” people what to do/not to do so baby is comfortable.
34. Difficulty staying asleep for more than 30 minutes at a time, or wakes up frequently throughout the night, unable to soothe himself back to sleep.
35. Seems to get too much sleep, very short time when he/she is alert, playing responding and interacting.
36. Has significant difficulty waking up.
37. Needs a particular sound to stay asleep, i.e., fan, nature tape, white noise, music, etc.
38. Will not sleep if there is any noise.
39. Wakes with the sun.
40. Can not fall asleep anywhere but home, in familiar environment.
41. Needs excessive help to fall asleep … rocking, bouncing, singing, rubbing back, etc. for long periods of time.
42. Uncomfortable if not swaddled tightly; or, if older, needs heavy blankets, stuffed animals, or tighter pajamas for weight and pressure on them to fall asleep well.
43. Distressed by textured materials under themselves.
44. Appears distressed by movement; i.e., a startled response, arches back, frightened look in eyes, etc.
45. Craves movement, distressed if not moving, being swung, rocking, bouncing, rocks self constantly.

You child will not have all these characteristics. If he has a fair number of them you may what to check it out. If he has just a couple don't worry about it. A good book to read is "The Out of Sync Child". It will give you resources and activities as well as good information.
Just wanted to add, the advice about not labeling is excellent. You can seek help on your own without bringing schools ect into it.
D.
Mom and Grandma
retired elementary and early childhood teacher
CranioSacral Therapist
Maternity Massage

My five year old son is on the autism spectrum. The signs we were told to look for were:
does not respond to name
has less then a 100 word vocabulary at age 2
does not make eye contact
repetitive motions such as hand-flapping
lines things up- toy cars for example

That's all I can remember off hand. A regular pediatrician isn't going to be much help. We went to five before one finally told us to take our son to a regional center to have him evaluated. Good luck in finding an answer.

Hi Liana,
You might want to check the website www.autismspeaks.com. It has lots of useful information about Autism, including lists of possible symptoms and videos of children displaying behaviors associated with Autism. Some of your son's behaviors sound quite normal -- especially with wanting things his way and crying and throwing a bit of a fit when that doesn't happen. I think it's actually great (and not unusual) that he does not want strangers touching him (not sure about other kids at daycare, though). As for sensory integration issues and the like, there are places that can diagnose and address these difficulties -- ask the doc (as it sounds like you plan to do). You son actually sounds like how I feel with a migraine. Are those the kinds of headaches you and your husband get? I'm not sure children this young get them, and usually migraines are better after sleeping, not worse. Anyway, I think looking at autismspeaks.com might help give you a sense of whether autism is really a concern. My son had some sensory integration issues -- easily overwhelmed in large, noisy environments; disliked short sleeve shirts and shorts; sensitive to the softest of tags in clothes; refused to eat food of certain textures; etc. He was fine with having his hands in sand, feeling blades of grass, etc. Does your son have issues in any of these areas? While my son did have some of these issues, I'm in no way an expert on this topic. I hope the doc can provide you with answers.
K.

Some of the main signs of autism are speech delay, not wanting to socialize with others (i.e. prefers to play alone), repetitive behaviors (i.e. twirling the wheels on a toy car over and over and over again without ever really playing with the car itself), injurious behaviors (i.e. banging head on the wall), as well as overstimulation issues(i.e sensitive to touching, not wanting to be touched)or understimulation issues(i.e. wanting to be touched all the time). The strange thing about autism to me is that some of the behaviors are typical behaviors of a young child so it is easy to overlook certain things.
To be on the safe side, I would ask the pediatrician about it, like you mentioned you would do anyway. It may be nothing at all. If you mostly notice though that your son has issues around touching or other sensory areas like vision or sound sensitivities, ask your pediatrician if he can refer your son for an occupational therapy evaluation. I am an occupational therapist and though I do not work primarily with children, I do know many occupational therapists (OTs)who do work with kids. Pediatric OTs can give you suggestions for what to do at home with your son, etc. The pediatrician may be able to refer you to a specific OT he/she knows or at least can refer you to the regional center in your county so that your son can be evaluated by the school district OTs. That's what I had to do for my son.
Good luck with everything. I hope this info helped you.

the biggest alarm of what you have said is not likeing to be touched, but with a child with autism they are tactile defensive to everyone and aren't usually selective to just people outside the family. An autistic child usually has trouble dealing with transitions from one activity to another or changes in schedule. They do much better with a predicatable routine. Eye contact is usually lacking, they don't try to play or engage with other children. Depending on his age children parallel play (play next to each other) before they play together. Delays in language can be present. Flapping or steming. Like to line up toys(cars train etc) in a particular order, they know if one is missing and if it is given back they will put the piece back in the order it was in. The lining up is the play not using the cars to pretend they are driving down the road or where ever there imagination goes. These are some of the signs but it is a spectrum. If you really are concerned take your child to your family doctor, or if he is old enough for early start, or 3 and above your local school district can do testing on written request from a parent. I would go with your medical doctor first, since it would probably help the process go faster if you go to your school district. I am a special ed. Adpated P.E. Specialist. Use the internet also to look up autism and it can give you a much better explaination of signs then I have done here. J.

Liana, I am later in my response to you, but as I scrolled through your responses, I did not see a reference to Asperger's Syndrome, or Dr. Tony Atwood. This syndrome is a name on the high end of the autism scale, and it is often not diagnosed until 8 or 9. My ten year old son was first considered hearing impaired( he was temporarily), having auditory processing disorder, being unique with no diagnosis, and finally with Asperger's. He is in a regular classroom, and continues to grow and mature,at his own pace. He is an awesome gift from God, and he blesses me every day. The more I understand how to work with him and help him, the better it is. Just remember, the helping professionals can focus on what needs to be fixed, while you may focus on what is going well. The combination of knowledge will give you all the resources you need to parent your precious child. I"ll be praying. A.

Just in case, get him to a child psychologist or psychiatrist for an evaluation right away. Sometimes regular pediatricians just don't get it. An autism clinic would be great.We have an autistic son and lost lots of time because the pediatrician said he was just fine even though we saw and reported major signs to him. Early intervention is a must for these kids. If he is autistic, get intervention right away - occupational therapy, speech therapy - there's lots of help but you have to be proactive. If he does not have any problems, great! At least you know for sure. Good luck, dear.

Liana, My now 4 1/2 year old was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, and what I have learned are there are no "common" indicators of autism as kids display different symptoms and severity. It is a very good sign that he interacts with his peers though and that he is cuddly. Erik also had sensory issues, and it sounds like that is more of what this may be. You are on track to talk to your doctor, you might also go to a pediatric neurologist to discuss the symptoms, that is what we did. A good one in Los Gatos is Dr. Ted Guarino. Good luck!

Hi Liana,

I think in our highly medicalized times we are much too quick to pathologize human behavior. Lots of people, young and old, don't like to be touched by strangers, for instance. The things you describe can definitely be considered within the range of normal. The more you treat him like he is different or strange, the more potential for the formation of a neurosis. Please take care to let your kid develop more and feel accepted for who he is. Please don't worry!

Regards.

K.

The other day I questioned my mom about autism (my cousin had it though at the same time he was absolutely brilliant in many areas, so fairly high functioning other than his social skills) as my 3 year old was exhibiting some different behaviors. She is fine with light and sound but does not like being touched unless on her terms... and that is just starting to change (she is 40 months old) where we can snuggle her some or grab hold of her without her reacting poorly. She is only cuddly when she feels like it and can get very angry and frustrated easily. I have begun to see how very intelligent she is and understand why she is acting out. One, she has been slower on her verbal skills than her older sister so she could not communicate and would get angry when I was unable to understand her. Two, her impulse control is limited at times when it comes to hitting someone when angry or even kicking the dog. Aggravating! Three, she has been in trouble a couple times for not obeying when she actually was, in her own way. Example: Audrey, rocks do not belong in the house and those are big rocks that need to be outside. Please put them back. So she goes to her room and I have no idea why she is not listening when she arrives with a toy shopping cart. Why is she not listening and obeying? Well, she was... she immediately realized what a chore that would be and got the cart to take it all out at once. Very bright! Another time she kept apologizing for what she had done while I asked her to use her words and tell me why she did what she had done. She kept repeating me... (that is when I called my mom) FINALLY I realized what was going on. She was taking me literally. She used her words and told me exactly what I had just said... just how I said it. "Use your words and tell me why blah, blah, blah." Her response was why blah, blah, blah.

I encourage you to double check to be sure but kids are funny and their personalities are very much in place.

Blessings to you all! J.

Hello Liana,

I agree with Amanda, since he is three the school district would assess him and see if he needs some early intervention.
My grandson has sensory integration disorder. At first I thought he may be on the autism spectrum, but his is stricktly sensory. He is also very sensitive to lights and sounds. Sounds like clapping, singing, car noises, etc would bring out crying spells. He has been receiving occupational therapy and other early intervention help which helps him (and us) cope with the various situations.
Please DON'T hesitate to contact the school district. The earlier he can be helped, the better for your child and for your family as well. I am so glad that we found out that our grandson had a sensory integration disorder. It gave us a much better understanding on how to cope with it.

I am or was a preschool Special ed. Teacher. If you have ANY concerns about your child's development you can contact your local school district and your son can be assessed. This may just make you feel better. Lots of Pedi's say to wait and don't ever really take the time to assess a child. Just an idea!

I have an 8 year old daughter who has Autism. I noticed signs when she was about 1 year old. Her eating habits changed. Their tongue is very sensitive to foods. She would run and hide from strangers, and would not look at me in my eyes. It was like she was there but was not. I had two pyschologist dignosis her. She is border line autistic. I put her in autistic classes for 3 years. She is no able to go to regular grade classes. They are also very highly intelligent. They just do not know how to communicate and say what they know or feel. They can become very fustrated and will hit themselves and others. Your son sounds to me like a normal toddler. But just have him checked just in case. I hope I helped.

C.

Hey. My son is also three with a most of those same issues. The director of his day care even called me to ask if I've had him tested for developmental issues. BROKE MY HEART. He is VERY smart-- knows his ABCs, can count to 13, knows all his shapes and colors and the names of dinosaurs I can't even pronounce-- but he seems to be slower than other kids his age when it comes to cause-and-effect relationships (you didn't listen, now you're in time-out). He just doesn't seem to connect a lot of things. Refusing to label him when he's this young, I started playing games like Memory with him and other board games that get him to concentrate and all that. He seems to get less frustrated now = less tantrums. He still has a hard time with other kids at times, understanding that they don't always want to do what he wants them to, but he is getting better. I'm not saying you shouldn't ask your pediatrician -- I asked mine -- but don't rule out simple things you can do to calm him down and get him to think about things a little differently than maybe he was before. The last thing you want to do is give him a label and excuse his behavior rather than trying to find the real solution.

Good luck, girl! I know how frustrating it is!!!

There are two excellent books you might find helpful: The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine N. Aron, PhD, and The Out-of-Sync Chid by Carol Stock Kranowitz, MA. They both give very detailed lists of symptoms, and shed a lot of light on the child's inner experience.
If you are concerned about autism you might look at "Asperger's syndrome."
Please remember as you read these books that it is common to "over-diagnose," that is you may ascribe disorders to your child that may not be really there. Every child has his own sensitivities, and he may grow out of them or adapt as he grows older. Some toddlers have lots of tantrums (I am a teacher and a mom).
Your pediatrician's office should be able to provide you with a behavioral checklist that you can fill out, and your day care provider can fill out. If you get it now, you could turn it in prior to or during your wellness check up and alert the doctor to your concerns.
But the fact that your child loves group activities and plays with other children speaks volumes; those are the tasks of a toddler! And really, those are the skills we need most in life, to interact and participate with other people. Your son is well-loved and cared-for and very fortunate to have parents atuned to his sensitivities. Enjoy your son!

HI Liana,

In addition to the previous response you recieved, add food textures. That would fall in the sensory disorder area. My son was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 yrs. By 18 mos we knew that his developmental state was alot slower than most. Ask his doctor to refer you to VMRC--Valley Mountain Regional Center. Which can send someone to your home to screen him. If they feel his needs further assistance than additional screenings maybe scheduled. Also, The county pays for this and any therapy his may need.

I have a son w/ Autism. The characteristics that you are discribing isn't common,as far as all the research I have done on this disorder. Sounds like to me to be the behavior of your average toddler, I have one of those too:) Hang in there! If for your own peace of mind it dosen't hurt to have him evaluated to rule any of the disorders you mentioned out. Good Luck!

How much language (speech) does your son have? At age three you can call your local school district and ask them to evaluate your child. If they think he needs services (speech therpay, occupational therapy), they should provide in. When my 17 year old autisic son was three, the school district was much more intunned to his developmental delays than this pediatrician, but things have changed since then.

Occupational therapists are trained in sensory issues.

What county do you live in? In California different "regional centers" (San Andreas Regional Center for Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties) can also be called for "intakes" to evaluate a child's developmental delays including autism.
see websites http://sfautismsociety.virtualave.net www.php.com (Parents Helping Parents in Santa Clara)
for more information

My children do not have Autism, however Itry to keep up with the news about anything thathas to do with chidren and this is an important topic. Do tons and tons of research. Try to contact an association that helps children with Autism and see if they have any information.

My daughter has ADHD which is not autism and my cousin of 15 years Sean does have Autism. Sean was a normal child until 3 years old when his parents noticed changes. I am not saying that you should be worried, but I would contact your pediatrian before your wellness visit and see if there is anything you can start now. Ask about a Neuro Psychological evaluation. I had my daughter done at Stanford and at UCSF in the San Francisco Bay Area and it did help me see other things like a depression disorder that my daughter also has. Suggest this to your doctor and see if this type of evaluation can help your child. If your son does have Autism you can catch it early and get him the medical assistance he needs.

Holly Robinson Peet is an advocate for Autism as her son has it. Please check out www.squidoo.com (if you hav'nt already).

May god bless your son and your family. My prayers are with you and your son.

I am a Working Mom of two children, Savannah 10 (ADHD) and Julian 4 also with two step sons 19 and 15.

Liana, check out autismspeaks.org for great information--lists of symptoms, and videos that let you compare "normal" behavior with behavior of children diagnosed with autism. That should either ease your concerns or be a good place to learn how to go about getting a more careful look at your son (based on your description, I can't really tell you; many autistic symptoms sound like things that are also totally normal--it's more the pattern of symptoms and severity--that's why the videos can help). Hope that helps!

Liana, I didn't know there was such a thing as sensory perception (or processing) disorder until I started doing searches about my son's sensitivity. He is almost five now, and is very bright and verbal and dramatic and strong willed by nature. About a year ago, he started saying he didn't like his grandpa because his voice was "rough" and "old sounding." At first I thought maybe his grandpa had been harsh with him, but a pattern of sensory sensitivities started to emerge. He started complaining about the stubble on his dad's cheek and hair on his uncle's arm. He noticed smells all the time too and was very cranky about loud noises. (He could be loud, but no one else,including other kids.) He's picky about the texture of his food. He also said positive things like things being "smooth." He even said at one point he liked his aunt because her voice sounded pretty. After discovering the terminology and reading about it online, I bought a couple books on SPD and skimmed. I could tell that my son may in fact have a mild form of the disorder, but not on the level the book described some kids suffering. I never felt the need to take my son to a specialist. His "symptoms" didn't really interfere with his life, apart from a temporary aversion to one grandpa. Now at almost five, he reacts much less strongly to various stimuli. The most helpful thing to me as a mom was realizing he wasn't just being a major brat, you know? It helped me to be compassionate and patient knowing that he was dealing with a world that really was more annoying to him than most people. And like I said, he is either growing out of the sensitivity or growing into coping with it better. I hope that helps!

You might want to contact Alta California Regional Center and ask for an intake appointment. This agency does assessments for kids who are suspected of having Austism spectrum disorders, as well as assessments for kids with other developmental problems. The assessment would be free to you. If your child qualifies for services under the Autism category, you can get services to help support your family and your child. The agency can provide support in the educational system as well. If your doctor tells you everything is okay, but you still feel that something is up with your child, I would contact the regional center anyway. The number to contact the regional center is ###-###-####. I am assuming that you are in the Sacramento area. If you are located in the San Joaquin Valley, or in the bay area, there are different regional centers for those areas.

Hi,

It can be hard to identify "common signs of autism" because each child can be so different. Although you have received a lot of good information. There is no one thing the dx hinges on. I would just like to point out that many autistic kids are very cuddly and like group activities, contrary to what you may have heard. But don't wait for your pediatrician - they are not typically trained to diagnose. Good luck

If in doubt call your doctor and make an appointment and have him evaluted. It is better to be safe than sorry. If he does have Autism you need to get intervention ASAP.

Mercury Toxicity & Autism:

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQYISvsgq6s&feature=re...

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbcngSD0K90&feature=re...

3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v0s8XHFSBo&feature=re...

4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jwnYTgToiA&feature=re...

Lack of eye contact...
Don't like to be touched or held...
Picky eaters...
Waking up in the middle of the night screaming or laughing like mad...
Tantrums...
Stimming ( hand flaping, looking through the corner of the eye, spining them selves or objects like spoons!!!)...
Lack or absence of languaje...
Upset with noises like blender, vaccum or hair dryers...
Cronic costipation or non formed diarrheas...
Obsesive Compulsive disorders (opening and closing doors and/or lining up toys)...

They can have all the above symptoms or just a few... it depends on how much the child was affected...Love, G.. :0)

Hi Liana!

I think you are doing right by asking the doctor more about your questions for your son.

I have no advice on "autism", I only know what I have experience with 2 boys at that same age. They are now 5 and 9, and are normal, whatever that is :o)...Both of my boys had to have their things in absolutely "perfect" order. If they lined up cars, and one got knocked out of line by a millimeter, then I had a tantrum on my hands! It was frustrating for everyone. I thought maybe I had an Obesssive Compulsive situation ahead. Same thing with who they "allowed" to touch them.

I think at this age, they are finally being able to do things for themselves, and they take it very seriously. They begin to want to do everything by themselves, no matter how long it takes them...and especially no matter how much in a hurry we are :o) You know, like putting on their own seatbelt on, or getting dressed :o)

As far as your son being easy to wake to light and sound, I would double-check my "system" and make sure he's getting enough sleep. He's at an age where he may/may not take naps regularly, and he may need more sleep at night. If he's not getting enough sleep, then this could be why he wakes up easily.

Let's say the worse case scenario is he DOES have a form of Autism. Then you are doing the right approach by getting an understanding of how to help him more. Our school systems have changed dramatically to help these individual kids on a daily basis. So, the sooner a parent can accept and identify the problem, there will be TONS of help for you and your child. My son has an Autistic boy in the classroom next door (they play regularly). The boy always has an Aide with him, provided by the District, just like all the other Autistic children at his school. I've also seen a boy who "enrolled" a month ago at the school. The very first day he was in the Principals office for biting the teacher! Come to find out, his parents refuse to believe he is Autistic, and were "jumping schools" to try to keep him in a regular program. This will NEVER help their son. Sad.

Having 2 boys with similar characteristics, you may not have an Autistic problem at all. But you ARE being aware of the possibilites, and THAT will help him in the long run.

Good Luck to you, Liana. I'll be thinking of you next month when he has his appointment.

:o) N.

Hi,
I have a son who is 5 with autism. He didn't have all the signs, but he still has it. He is cuddly with his family but not thrilled to cuddle or hug people he doesn't know well or outside our immediate family. He's not sensative to light but really sensative to noise. He is always putting his fingers in his ears. I hope your dr. can give you some advice. We go to the dr. in Eureka and two dr.'s there approached me about thinking my son had autism. They seem to know a lot about it there. B.

Hi Liana,

Your son sounds like he has sensory intergration disorder. My son has it but at the opposite end of the spectrum, e.g., he is too INsensitive. Only an occupational therapist can make the diagnosis...they have a battery of tests they will do to make the assessment. There is an organization - Defeat Autism Now -- that has helpful information about autism and doctors who specialize in treating hit. Act now...there's a lot you can do at this stage to mitigate symptoms and self esteem issues for "being different."

Good luck,
P.

Hi Liana--

It sounds like there may be some concerns. I am unsure if its related to autism. But sometimes children have sensory integration issues. The best way to determine these needs, contact your local reginonal center if you live in California or you would contact your local Early Start Program. To get the # of your local regional center or Early Start. Google Early Start (Then the state name). It should link you to the program, its aimed at determining services for children under 3 years old. If you child is over 3, then call your local school district for a no cost assessment.

I hope this helps.

Send me an e-mail and I can put you in touch with our Autism specialist next week when I return to work at a Special Ed Preschool. You in Palo Alto? Free assessment. Don't wait.

Since he loves group activities and is cuddly with his family I doubt your son has autism, only look at the positive and everything will seem better.

Best of luck.....

These are some of the common symptoms of autism, although having all of them isn't necessary for a diagnosis of autism or PDD. My son is 8 and was diagnosed with autism at age 3. My son still can not stand being touched or held, but it's not just by strangers---by anyone, including his parents.

Social skills

Fails to respond to his or her name
Has poor eye contact
Appears not to hear you at times
Resists cuddling and holding
Appears unaware of others' feelings
Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or her "own world"
Language

Starts talking later than other children
Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences
Does not make eye contact when making requests
Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
Can't start a conversation or keep one going
May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn't understand how to use them
Behavior

Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping
Develops specific routines or rituals
Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals
Moves constantly
May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch