re: ADHD and Autism

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS08}:" from what my Dr stated there are many times that it goes hand and hand with ADHD... we just got his ... [snip!] ... some more about it... my son has just been out of control for years and I don't know what parts go with the ADHD and/or the ODD"

i'm sorry momma. how old is he? i'd be ready to pull my hair out.

Quoting LilyRain12:" i'm sorry momma. how old is he? i'd be ready to pull my hair out."

he will be 7 in march

Quoting wombie:" eye contact was one. When I would nurse him, he never ever looked at me like my other kids did. I also ... [snip!] ... a super stark contrast between him and my other kids.....but now looking back, I see the differences. Does this make sense?"

it makes perfect sense. some things may be DD learning but some things she does is just so odd to me. she does repetitive motions with her hands (that i think MAY be learning motor control), but the eye contact thing has been getting me. she will look at you for the most part, but when you're holding her, she WILL NOT look at you. if you try to get her to, she gets mad. she hasn't wanted to sit still since she was about a month old (if you didn't at least sit her up or stand her up, she'd throw a fit- still does). am i just being stupid?

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS08}:" he will be 7 in march"

o ok, then its probably an obvious thing at that age.

Quoting LilyRain12:" that seems a bit difficult to determine to me. . ."

7 months is pretty early to be trying to figure out if she has special needs because of her sleep habits. My middle baby didn't sleep more than 2 hours around the clock until he was 1. He is a perfectly happy and healthy almost 3 year old.

Quoting Summerfrost:" 7 months is pretty early to be trying to figure out if she has special needs because of her sleep habits. ... [snip!] ... baby didn't sleep more than 2 hours around the clock until he was 1. He is a perfectly happy and healthy almost 3 year old."

its not just her sleep but if she has ADHD, that would explain it some. everyone i know says she fights sleep harder than any baby they have ever seen. i'm not saying she has anything, i just want to be prepared if she does.

Quoting LilyRain12:" o ok, then its probably an obvious thing at that age."

oh yeah but at a younger age everything seemed fine because he developed the way he was suposed to and was on track with everything... he is also a very bright boy so we didnt realize his problems were more then behavioral naughty little boy stuff

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS08}:" oh yeah but at a younger age everything seemed fine because he developed the way he was suposed to and ... [snip!] ... everything... he is also a very bright boy so we didnt realize his problems were more then behavioral naughty little boy stuff"

right. DD seems to be very smart for her age, and i know at times that can go hand in hand with other issues such as autism and what not.

Quoting LilyRain12:" it makes perfect sense. some things may be DD learning but some things she does is just so odd to me. ... [snip!] ... about a month old (if you didn't at least sit her up or stand her up, she'd throw a fit- still does). am i just being stupid?"

it's really REALLY hard to tell when they're so young. Partly because of the diagnostic criteria......the diagnostic criteria would not be appropriate for an infant because much of what they look for when diagnosing autism are things that wouldn't be developmentally appropriate for an infant in the first place.

I do know that they are working on developing other means of diagnosis in hopes that they can diagnose younger children, even as young as infants....as early intervention is so vital.

Quoting LilyRain12:" right. DD seems to be very smart for her age, and i know at times that can go hand in hand with other issues such as autism and what not."

It is good to keep your eyes open but becuase your dd is so young I would not worry too much... just enjoy this time while she is little and if something arises at least you have done your research... Good Luck

Quoting wombie:" it's really REALLY hard to tell when they're so young. Partly because of the diagnostic criteria......the ... [snip!] ... of diagnosis in hopes that they can diagnose younger children, even as young as infants....as early intervention is so vital."

i saw something that showed pulling a baby under 6 months up to sitting by their hands and if their head lags back it can be a sign. it worked for one boy and helped him make great strides, but i don't think it works on every baby.

Quoting LilyRain12:" i saw something that showed pulling a baby under 6 months up to sitting by their hands and if their head ... [snip!] ... lags back it can be a sign. it worked for one boy and helped him make great strides, but i don't think it works on every baby."

yeah, that's the tough thing about infants......there are milestones but "normal" can range so widely. I think it's good to be aware and to voice your concerns to your pediatrician when you have them. For now, I would just keep on doing what you're doing and try not to be too concerned when she doesn't meet milestones exactly when "they" say she should. Believe me, if autism is something that is going to affect her, it will become apparent while she is still young and you can address it then. Good luck! I do hope your concerns diminish as she grows and develops and if they don't, just know that she'll always be that same pretty little girl that you love and adore. When my son was diagnosed, I had to remind myself that the only thing that changed was the fact that the doors opened up for him to receive all the help he needs   He was still the same sweet, beautiful little guy I had been raising all along.

This is my little sweetheart with one of my other little sweethearts <3

Quoting wombie:" yeah, that's the tough thing about infants......there are milestones but "normal" can range so widely. ... [snip!] ... little guy I had been raising all along. This is my little sweetheart with one of my other little sweethearts <3 "

well, her pedi says she's reaching everything as she should be. i just worry about her, i don't want life to be any harder for her than it has to be (as i'm sure all of us as parents feel the same). due to DH's family history, I've been concerned about DD and any future children. Nothing could change my love for my child, esp something they couldn't control. i just want to make sure i do right by DD and any future kids. get them the help they need when they need it. to try to minimize the struggle for her/them.

Quoting LilyRain12:" well, her pedi says she's reaching everything as she should be. i just worry about her, i don't want ... [snip!] ... right by DD and any future kids. get them the help they need when they need it. to try to minimize the struggle for her/them."

I completely understand. Your heart is definitely in the right place. Like I said, keep on doing exactly what you're doing  

my son is on the spectrum and he always fought sleep, still sleeps no where near the recommended amount now at 5.
He has always been different since he was a baby, he was either laughing or crying, he was never just content. Reached every milestone early or right on time. I first started researching autism when he was 1 (just turned) because he did not turn when we called his name, he didn't acknowledge it, but because he was reaching all his milestones we didnt really think twice at the time.
He has Aspergers, a form of high functioning autism.