Although, some parents of babies later diagnosed with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders report that their child was progressing normally, then suddenly stopped and started to regress. Many other parents claim that, in hindsight, they saw indicators from birth.
What are these early indicators that could be missed? Parents should let their intuition be their guide and intervene early if they suspect something is not quite right. If a baby lacks eye contact, avoids hugs, fixates on lights or spinning objects, acts deaf, is excessively passive, these could be potential “red flags.”
New parents may not easily recognize these signs. In the past, pediatricians often advocated a wait-and-see approach. All babies develop at their own rate. This is true. On the other hand; however, the plasticity of the infant brain lends itself to corrections that can become more difficult as disengaging behaviors become more entrenched.
Suggestions to modulate and correct possible problems:
Reduce environmental stimuli. (For example, turn off the TV. Turn off ceiling fans. Turn off spinning mobiles. Avoid excessive use of flash cameras.)
Promote eye contact. Look into his eyes while he is being nursed. Animate expressions to see if that increases engagement. Become more subdued if the baby seems overwhelmed by facial interactions. Play peek a boo games. sing to the child If the baby is being bottle fed, position him as if you are nursing and look into his eyes. During feeding, do not participate in other activities, such as watching TV or checking email. This is a time to bond.
Eye contact is a necessary precursor to joint attention, a process in which the child begins to point and then looks into the caregiver’s eyes to see if they are seeing what it is.
A disconnected baby should look at the caregiver as much as possible. Invest in a stroller where the child faces the parents. Forward-facing strollers increase stress and anxiety and limit opportunities for interaction. The same goes for the back of the tummy which has the child facing outwards, rather than towards the parents. When the child is facing you, she can hear the soothing rhythm of her heartbeat.
If the baby resists hugging and touching him, lean over him while he is lying on his back and look into his eyes. Massage it in to increase tolerance. Lie next to the baby looking into his eyes, gently massaging the arms, legs, hands and feet. Different textures can be used besides the hands. Use these techniques to slowly desensitize the child.
Rocking, spinning, and head banging can all be signs of restlessness. If a baby seems to be having difficulty establishing an internal rhythm, parents should hold her very close so that she can feel her heartbeat/rhythm. Mix it up in a traditional rocking chair. Provide a manual rocking horse or swing. Swings and mechanical devices often provide a faster than normal pace, possibly making the problem worse.
If the child does not respond to name by one year of age, continues to resist eye contact or hugging, does not demonstrate at least the beginnings of joint attention, pointing and sharing, does not babble and/or continues to act out, if deaf, the Parents should ask their pediatrician for a referral for evaluation by a specialist in developmental disorders.
Whether your child has a problem or not, these common sense interventions can’t hurt. Parents may be surprised at how their once distant baby looks into their eyes and gives them a big hug.