concerned

[candace_1008]

my son is very smart hes 7 months hes a month ahead of his age on developement..but hes acting like no 1 exists and he dosnt sleep much....he wakes 4-5 times a night...someone told me he could have autism but i dunno..its to early to tell isnt it? im just desprate to figre out how to get him sleeping..so i can...

[candace_1008]

i do everything i should we found out he has pulminary lung disease a few days ago do u think that might have something to do w/ his actions??

[Rachel Thompson, Ph.D., BCBA]

Autism is charaterized by deficits in language and social interaction as well as the presence of repetitive behavior. Therefore, it is difficult to identify this disorder until more social behavior and language are expected. However, please share your concerns about your son's interest in social interaction with your pediatrician, and encourage social interaction as much as you can. It is not uncommon for children at 7 months of age to wake frequently at night. Your pediatrician should be able to give recommendations to improve his sleep. Typically, it is helpful to (a) establish a clear bedtime routine, (b) put your baby to bed when he is tired but awake so that he can learn to put himself to sleep, (c) minimize interaction when your son wakes at night to encourage him to put himself back to sleep. Parents who adhere strictly to recommended sleep strategies typically see major improvements within 1 week.