surfermamma asked:
I took my daughter to her six month checkup with her pediatrician and a few things were brought up at the time. Her doctor said that a baby her age “should” be playing peek-a-boo, clapping her hands and saying mamma and dadda. He wouldn’t just come out and say it but kept hinting that these could all be autistic characteristics. My daughter also cries a lot and sometimes has a difficult time just relaxing when we hold her. She smiles and coos like crazy for myself, my husband and practically everyone new she meets. And she has great eye contact. Is her pediatrician wrong to say these things or is there some truth to what he said.
I took my daughter to her six month checkup with her pediatrician and a few things were brought up at the time. Her doctor said that a baby her age “should” be playing peek-a-boo, clapping her hands and saying mamma and dadda. He wouldn’t just come out and say it but kept hinting that these could all be autistic characteristics. My daughter also cries a lot and sometimes has a difficult time just relaxing when we hold her. She smiles and coos like crazy for myself, my husband and practically everyone new she meets. And she has great eye contact. Is her pediatrician wrong to say these things or is there some truth to what he said.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
NO baby at 6 months old says mamma or dadda. Just doesn’t happen. I also don’t know of any doctor who would say a 6 month old had autistic behaviors unless some of the classic symptoms were present and you haven’t listed any.
all babies are different, my son started crawling at 6 months walking at 8 months, my girlfriend who’s son is just a week younger still isn’t walking but just learning to pull himself up. my son learned mama and dada at a year which my pediatrician said was normal. im sure she is fine.
Sounds like a perfectly normal baby to me! Relax Mom. No worries at all.
A BABY AT 6 MONTHS SAYING MAMA AND DADDA MUST BE A GENIOUS COZ THAT JUST DONT HAPPEN!!
YES HE IS!
Oh….peds like this infuriate me.
Why??? Is your baby responding when you call her name?
Does she make eye contact?
You said she is happy with other people???
More than likely, she is just fine. Our daughter didn’t start to clap her hands until she was 9 months old, and speach was later too- HOWEVER, she was walking at 9 months of age. She didn’t say momma or dadda until she was nearing a year old! Jeez! She is fine- no autism at all and is 18 months old. Our son was diagnosed at 2 years, 3 months of age.
I’d not worry about it…honestly. Our son is 11 and has autism. He didn’t make eye contact, respond to his name (we had him tested 4 times for a hearing deficit but he was fine each time- he wouldn’t answer us at all!), and refused anyone other than me.
Try not to worry- and DO find another pediatrician. Planting a seed like that at only 6 months of age is absolutely ridiculous!
Edit: the normal range for a baby to start talking is until 2.5 years…you have a long, LONG way to go until you begin to worry. Yes, they are diagnosing earlier- but my husband and I worry about that because some babies/toddlers may be diagnosed that don’t actually MEET the criteria once they get older.
I am not just a mom, but an early childhood educator as well.
Well, its way too early to be thinking autism. And for her to be saying your name too, or clapping her hands, or playing peek-a-boo. Some babies can do this at 6 months, but not most.
The signs to look for is if she does not recognize her name in a few months (like at 10 months), that is doesn’t turn her head to whomever is calling her name. For now, she’s perfect, she is obviously interested in you and her dad, and maybe she has a hard time with too much tactile sensation – but that just may be who she is and not a symptom of anything. And remember, autistic kids will stare at mouths and not into eyes.
Get a new doctor. I didn’t talk till I was 2, which is late but ok, so don’t worry. Its a normal baby.
I think it is nuts for him to even hint at such a thing at 6 months! Babies develop at different rates! I say give it time, and find a new ped!
Unless there was some way you could be mistaken about what he said I would find another ped. A 6 month old that says mamma and dadda is very advanced. Clapping, maybe. Peek a boo, not quite. I wouldn’t worry about it right now, just find a new doctor, or at least get a second opinion. He (the doctor) sounds crazy on making you worry. Babies develop at different rates. Get a what to expect book and see what it says about milestones for your daughters age, I bet she’s right where she should be.
Your lil girl sounds perfect…No worries
My 11 month old isn’t even clapping on his own yet..but we do play peek-a-boo..he just started that about a month ago…
He says dada but only when we aren’t around him..I hear him over the baby monitor..
She might be crying because she is hitting a growth spurt…
I cant tell you if they are autistic charetristics, but iw as under the assuption that your baby would have to be a little older to determine autism
Anyway, my two didnt do these things at 6 months! Not even for a while longer!
For one the baby shouldn’t start talking until they are between 9 and 12 months. The most she should be doing with her hands is grasping objects and bringing them to her mouth. I think you need to find a new pediatrician.
Don’t worry yourself mama. I’ve bever met a baby at 6 months that can say mama or dada. As long as your child is able to make eye contact with you, and smile and interact, your child is completely fine. Your doctor doesn’t seem like a very good one, and I’d start looking for a new pediatrician.
I would maybe switch pediatricians… I don’t know any baby who has ever hit every milestone right on time… sorry. My neighbors baby didn’t even start saying mama or dada until she was 1 1/2 years old… she’s not autistic. She just doesn’t like to talk. Not all babies enjoy playing peekaboo. That’s fine. Not all babies are coordinated enough to clap their hands together by 6 months.
You really won’t be able to tell if your child has TRUE developmental delays until she is probably closer to one or two years old. If your child still isn’t talking by the age of 2 or 3, then that’s cause for concern… although my cousins didn’t start speaking much until they were closer to 2… and they’re fine. You just never know. Every baby develops at their own predetermined rate. Just be patient. As long as YOU feel she is developing at a good and healthy rate, who cares what ONE pediatrician said? Get a second opinion if you feel it is that real a possibility. I wouldn’t be too worried if I were you.
She’s happy, she’s healthy. she enjoys being in the presence of other people – so she may not enjoy being held 24/7… some babies are like that. My baby hates to be held in certain positions. He hates being on your shoulder because he assumes you’re trying to put him to sleep. Some babies just fuss.
Best of luck to you. Consider switching doctors…
Don’t worry about a thing. My daughter didn’t start saying mama and papa until she was 10 months old. I agree that the fact she is responding to your stimulus is a clear sign she is not autistic.
Just a trivia: I have a friend whose son hasn’t started talking until he underwent therapy at 6 years old. Further diagnosis by a pediatric psychotherapist revealed that he was actually a genius and that his thought processes were so fast compared to his speech that he could not form the words quickly enough. His therapy included focusing on activities that are slower. Now at age 8, he is at the top of his class.
Change pediatricians. Immediately. Anyone who would diagnose something like that at this stage is absolutely insane- especially when what he was saying is not true.
Oh yeah- your daughter probably cries when you try to hold her because she is 6 months. Babies spend the first 6 months not being able to do much and then the next 6 months making up for everything they couldn’t do with extreme activity! I just put my baby down and let him play. He’ll call me when he wants to be held.
She’s fine.
I don’t think there is anything a 6 mo. old “should” be doing. All babies develop differently and learn things at different times. It doesn’t sound to me like your baby has missed any huge milestones.
my friends is 6mths old,,, he does absolutely nothing but lye there and look adorable!
ive had 4 kids, they dont say mamma and dadda till close to 1, my bub is 14mths now and has only been playin peekaboo for a few months
if your bub acts normal and smiley with you, then thats proof that shes normal xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx shes ok
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