Observations of Will since birth (up to 24 months)

0-6 months
• Slept on stomach. Would not sleep on back
• Never liked looking at faces
• Was happiest looking at his mobile or other hanging or waving items
• Smiled rarely – first smile probably after 2-3 months
• Crabby, not colicky
• Not a good sleeper
• Breastfed first month, then bottle fed rotating breast milk and formula till 2 months old, then on solid formula
• Very constipated after formula feeding started and given karo syrup with bottles to help
• Scratched at his face and head a lot. Had to trim nails weekly and wear baby gloves till he was about 5 months old
• Started rolling over around 5 months old

6-12 months
• Never liked to sit and was slow to do so. Preferred laying on stomach. Still likes to play laying on stomach. (Have since discovered that this is a sign that he may have abdomen pain)
• LOVED shiny objects, fans, car seat latches
• More fascinated with the screw on a toy than the toy itself.
• When introduced to solid foods, he would not pick up and feed himself anything slimy – fruits or vegetables.
• Started babbling around 8 months old – mama first, then dada, nana, gi. Never felt specific
• Understood no, kitty, not sure what else
• Loved to stand, not sit and started cruising around 10 months old.
• Learned to clap around 10-11 months old.
• Would imitate head movements and some sounds at 10-11 months old.
• Did not prefer looking at faces, but has many smiles
• Severe skin itchiness - scratches all over body. Would rub him down with itch cream and soothing lotion, no real difference.
• Severe drooling since 5 months old.
• Was very crabby until about 9 months old.
• Was fed a bottle during the night until 9 months old.
• Lots of colds.
• Quit babbling around 10-11 months old.
• Started having tantrums and arching his back when we would come into the house at 11 months old.
• Wouldn’t respond to name often or consistently.
• If holding him, and called his name he wouldn’t look at you.
• If you made animal noises in his ear while holding him he wouldn’t look at you or in your direction.
• Preferred mom to anyone else, but will go easily to strangers.
• Shows no affection to us, only wants to be held to see things or go somewhere.
• Loves kids and will get very excited when he sees a child.

12-15 months
• Started walking at 12-13 months.
• At 15 months still fed baby food fruits and veggies because he won’t pick up slimy foods.
• Started some babbling again around 14 months.
• At 15 months, he had no words.
• LOVES spinning objects, turns over cars and spins wheels, balls – attempts to spin anything.
• Not upset if mom or dad leaves and is left with strangers.
• Doesn’t look in the direction mom or dad is looking.
• No pointing or waving or shaking his head no.
• Doesn’t bring things to us to show us.
• Plays mostly by himself, does not want to be read to, just wants to flip through and look at books alone.
• Still drools a ton.
• Will imitate noises and head movements some.

15-18 months
• Started going to see a speech therapist.
• Have an occupational therapist coming to our home. She's teaching us a lot about how to handle tantrums and how to give the him sensory input he craves, such as spinning and joint compression. Incorporating these things helps to keep him more focused and is a great reward for cooperation.
• Does wave some but needs help to get started.
• At 15 months started to lay his head on our shoulders at bedtime.
• Brings books to us to read.
• Seems to understand more words like book, pig, cow, drink, in, out, no, tongue, and belly.
• Hands us toys sometimes.
• LOVES Baby Einstein.
• At almost 16 months he is drooling a ton! He was in 5 different shirts today.
• When I say uh-oh, he does a closed mouthed version with just the pitch of the sound.
• Can do simple puzzles.
• Seems to spin everything even more.

18-24 months
• Went to see a speech therapist for a couple of months, but had to stop because of Will's obsession with the elevator doors. He would claw at the therapy room door and not focus at all because all he wanted to do was get back to those elevators.
• Babbles a lot more, especially with his fingers in his mouth.
• Still drools a lot, but seems to be lessening.
• Has all his teeth
• Walks well, but falls a lot.
• Is insensitive to pain. Can fall and bloody knees and not cry or whimper. Just hops up and keeps going.
• Plays well with his toys, but likes to spin a lot.
• Loves to bounce or swing
• Started gluten and casein free diet at 18 months and has been on it a week and a half. Seems to be more alert and responsive to us, but still has the itchy rash.
• Does a lot of complete sentences by just humming different tones. Carries on conversations that way with himself, but no real words.
• At 19 months is able to recognize about half the alphabet on his Leap Frog toy. He points to shapes in books when asks and also points to other objects in books when asked.
• Knows his ears, eyes, nose, head, mouth, toes, belly button and hoozie.
• Doing a lot more imitation of noises and actions.
• Loves to be chased and tickled.
• Is a lot more attentive, less irritable and more responsive to requests.
• At 23 months he recognizes letters by their sounds and can use a toy computer (for ages 5+) with no problem. Plays almost all the games on it.
• At 23 months we started having a speech therapist come to our home.
• Says Dada and Mama upon request. No other words.
• At 24 months we started going to a 3-week parent training at Judevine Center for Autism. What a fantastic opportunity!!!

28 months
• Obsessed with garage doors. Wants to watch them open and close all the time. We reward him for making requested letter sounds or signs by opening or closing the doors.