There was an article in Parenting stating that if your child has a habit of rocking back and forth flapping their arms that it could be an early sign of Autism. My 15month old (12months cor.)does this costantly. Should I be worried.

Melissa

MOST
Dominick
Sophia
Gianna
7/9/03

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Melissa,
There is a lot that goes into Autism, and often times rocking and hand flapping are seen, but not always. The key things to look for are actions and behaviors that are very repetetive in nature. These behaviors in autistic children are known as 'self stimulatory' behaviors and each child has their own 'stims'. my son is 2 and he flaps his hands when excited, and also flaps his hands on his ears.
15 months is very young to diagnose autism, but some doctors will do it if all the key things are there. I copied and pasted a website that lists the DSM IV criteria for diagnosing autism. Developmental pediatricians and psychologists often do in depth specific testing to see where a child is developmentally, but here is the basic criteria.
Hope it helps.

http://www.autism-biomed.org/dsm-iv.htm


DSM-IV Criteria, Pervasive Developmental Disorders
299.00 Autistic Disorder
A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

(1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
(a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to- eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

(c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)

(d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

(2) qualitative impairments in communication, as manifested by at least one of the following:
(a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
(b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

(c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language

(d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

(3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities as manifested by at least one of the following:
(a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals

(c) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex whole-body movements)

(d) persistent precoccupation with parts of objects

B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.
C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's disorder or childhood disintegrative disorder