Not just develpomental delay. Autism?

Our miracle baby was born on time at 40 wks gest.  From the very beginning she was Inconsolable.  Normal comforting techniques like rocking, cuddleing, singing never worked.  She cried all the time.  She seemed very uncomfortable when nursing/taking a bottle.  She was diagnosed with moderate reflux at about 3 months and was put on medicine and soy formula.  She reached all her milestones late.  By age three she had a vocabulary of about 20 single words, no sentences.  From infancy she was alwars very detached and emotionless.  She didn't play with toys.  She couldn't eat without choking until age 2 because she didn't always chew her food.  She never wanted to be held or comforted.  When we would leave her with a sitter she never protested nor was she happy to see us when we would return. Her behavior has been very concerning.  She hits, kicks, screams and throws things. Conventional discipline does not work.  She could care less about rewards or punishment.  I can't think of anything she truely likes.  She was tested at age 3 for the Exceptional Students Education program and it was determined that her delays were enough to be enrolled. In the past year I have seen improvement with her speech however, she still has a hard time expressing herself.  When we took her to the Pediatric Neurologist at age 3 he said she wasn't autistic because she wasn't totally in her "own world".  Katie is 4 now and we have since gone back to the Nurologist, with the advice of her Ophthalmologist to find out if she could have something with her muscles that causes these surgeries for a lazy eye not to work.  The Neurologist said she is moderately hypotonic and ordered a blood workup and EEG but he doesn't think it will show anything.

She has so many signs of autism but then again there are some that she doesn't have.  Do you have any opinion?  Her teachers answer is that she is so young and lets wait and see if she grows out of it but she just has too many strange behaviors for it to be only a "developmental delay" My gut instinct is that something is wrong in her brain and Ive suspected something since almost birth.  And now that my twin boys are 12 months, I see how different her development was compared to them.  Also, will the EEG show something if it is a brain disorder?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Lori,

The EEG could well be entirely normal if your daughter is displaying a neurobehavioral disorder, such as one of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (of which Autistic Disorder is one type).

All of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders occur on a spectrum from severe to higher functioning. Thus, simply because a child is not completely in her 'own world' is not suuficient to rule out Autistic Disorder. The Pervasive Developmental Disorders have in common: (a) qualitative impairment in social interaction, (b) qualitative impairment in communication and (c) restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities.

It is quite likely that your daughter does display PDD. It would be wise, as part of the diagnostic process, to have your daughter seen by a developmental pediatrician and psychiatrist, as well as by the pediatric neurologist.

[Helen Warner]

Just a note from a concerned parent with next to no medical background.  Have you tried an elimination diet testing for an allergy to wheat or milk?  My daughter had many of these symptoms until we switched her formula.  I am CONVINCED she would have ended up like yours had we not have discovered her allergy.  Look up Dr Doris Rapp on her web page.  Also try to find a book called Fighting For Tony by Mary Callahan.  All I can give you is anecdotal experience but I know in my heart that some behavioral problems have allergies at the root.

[Renee]

Lori,

I read an article that you might find interesting in the February 2000 issue of Parents.  The article is about autism being caused by food allergies.  The article mentions several parents that eliminated certain foods from their autistic children's diets and the improvement they noticed in their children right away.  It also stated that one of the parents has treated over 500 children and over 90% have improved.

There are some web sites mentioned in the article that might help as well.    The first site is The Autism Network for Dietary Intervention (ANDI) at www.AutismNDI.com.  The second, The Autism Research Institute at www.autism.com/ari.  

Hopefully this article and these web sites will provide you with some useful information.