I have a friend who's daughter is was born at start of June (so about 9 weeks old). She was born a couple of weeks early and is still very small but they're working on that. they are having regular checks with health nurse who mentioned because the baby is not smiling very much, that it could be a possible sign of austism!
WTF - at 9 weeks they can make this diagnosis? To even mention that to me is ridiculous and mean. As far as I knew autism can't be diagnosed until at least one year of age and usually there are many signs showing this.
Considering she was acouple of weeks early, she just may be a bit later on reaching the milestone. What a terrible thing to say. Now that mother will panic about it for a long time to come.
I don't have any kids but i have 5 nieces and 2 nephews and i have watched them grow up. And from what iv noticed they didnt start smiling until 12 weeks. Some of them smiled sooner but it all depends on the child, its like saying they should all speak full sentences at 1 years old.. it takes time for some children. And i think that what they said is WAAY out of line! that is such an awful thing to say about a baby who was born a few weeks early. My youngest niece is 15 months old and she cant walk yet shes just started to crawl and the paeditrician (sp?) just said its because she was born early.. They need to take that into consideration.
Holy moly!!! I would be telling your friend to find a new MCHN cause this one has no idea what she is on about. I was going to say the same thing as megie and that it would be due to her slight prematurity as opposed to anything else. I know in some babies the *signs* of autism can be there from the start, but not smiling yet at her age isn't reason enough on it's own for her to make such an ill-informed judgement about her.
silly cow. as if a new mother needs a thought like that planted in her head. i too would tell her to change health nurses. All you have to do is go to the new one and they request all your paperwork for you.
It's absolute codswollop! A diagnosis of autisim cannot be made at 9 weeks nor should it even be suggested. Imogen didn't smile until she was about 11 weeks adjusted fwiw...
Can you believe they said that?
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