Worried...

Hi,

Up until a few weeks ago, my DD was making great eye contact with me. Just recently she has begun to look away from face and crank her neck to away. (not just with me!?) She has not been smiling or talking as much either. I am really starting to worry. Any clues? Thanks so much.

jen

 

Jen,

I don't know what to tell you besides to take her to the ped if you are concerned. Does she interact with other people? Is it that she is just too busy doing other things?

 

I would just suggest takign her to either her ped. or a ped. opthalmologist. I dont dont want to worry you b/c what the boys have is so rare but...It worries me (b/c of the problems that the boys have) when others have "vision" problems. Landon started to turn his head instead of looking at people. We came to find out that the reason he was turning his head was b/c the tumor was in the macula (or point of vision) in his eye and he couldnt see so he would turn his head to see out of the side of his eyes. Probably not sounding like what your dd has b/c you mentioned she wasnt talking much to you either - possibly she's just noticing more around her and more interested in what's going on around her...I would probably just take her to her ped. and see what they say - if you are really worried, a pediatric opthalmologist could actually do an exam on her. Good Luck and let us know if you find anything out.

 

She always seems interested in something else when she is being held although she is very comforted when she is held. I thought it was a hearing issue, but when I sing to her, she smiles. But that is it...If I am really close to her, so turns her head away. When I get further away, she looks at me more. Does that makes sense?

 

It sounds like the normal, "busy baby, have to see the world, why would I want to stare at mom again thing"...but, you know her, and if you are worried, take her in, if nothing else, just to ease your mind. :hug99:

 

If your worries you may want to ask your pedi about it. It maybe that shes just having a hard time focusing on you when your really close to her face. I hope it nothing.

 

Thank you, Becky. You are probably right...I have to stop comparing them, too! It kills me every single time....ahhhh I will watch her tomorrow and call the doctor if I am still worried.

 

Not related, but your babysite url is typo'd - needs an "s" at babysites.com/.....

My DD does weird things with her eyes, too, but only when she's tired or upset. I'm like you, I don't want to worry too much, but on the other hand, don't want to miss a problem. . . .

 

Thank you everyone!! She was smiling today at me, but still seemed interested in everything BUT me. I am going to call the ped just in case. Eyler07, was your problem easy to diagnose and "fix"?

Thanks everyone!! And, Overachiever...no wonder my web link has not been working...ahhhhhh thanks!!

 

Good news...she has been really smiling today...I think I was putting my face too close to hers!?!??! She has been talking and smiling! yeah

 

Babies go through phases. At about 5 months they really start noticing other things. They have seen your face for the past five months - they want to look at everything else now. My suggestion is this - if it worries you call the local school and get an early on evaluation. Pediatricians aren't equiped to deal with anything autism related. They like to ignore it and see what happens as they develope (my six year old is autistic - thus I have been there!).

PM me if you have any questions. Gabe NEVER had eye contact - so that fact that your little one had eye contact at one point is a good thing!

Angel

 

My DD did the same thing about that time. A couple of things are that they might be TOO stimulated having you right in their face. Looking away is a way for them the calm themselves. Also, the world is just opening up to them. My DD is SO interested in the world and everything around her.

DS is the cuddler. He could cuddle and snuggle all day long. He'll gaze longingly into your eyes and giggle. I worry that he would rather do this than learn about what's going on around him.

It still bugs me to this day when DH will tell people that DD doesn't like to be held or make eye contact. He is just so used to clingy DS that he thinks there is something wrong with DD. Now that DD is going through separation anxiety, I've been sure to leave him with DD to show how un-aloof she really is. :icon_biggrin:

 

QUOTE
Eyler07, was your problem easy to diagnose and "fix"?


Our problem was/is Retinablastoma (eye cancer) which the reason that we found it early with these guys is becasue I had it when i was born and there's a 50% chance that it can be inherited. Our luck they inherited it. We had them examined at a week old by a pediatric opthamologist and he found nothing but wanted to do a EUA (exam under anesthesia) and refered us to a Dr. that specializes in retinablastoma patients. At two months old, a few weeks after we noticed Landon was turning his head away from people when being fed and crying when being held a certain way until you turned him to the other side, we found that they did infact have the cancer in both of their eyes (Since they're idenitcal, they both had it) Easy to fix? Not really - to me it seems as if it's the hardest thing in the world watching my sons go through what they have to go through. EAch month, they are put to sleep and their eyes are examined. If they find any new tumors, they either use laser to treat them of cryotherapy to freeze them. Landon has had a radiation plack inserted into his eye to contain certain tumors thtat were not responding to other treatment. Since he has had so many EUA's he has been getting reoccuring nightmares where he'll wake up screaming. He also has started not trusting people when they lay him down andhe'll cover his eyes (he gets drops in his eyes before each surgery) and though they suggested bringing a anesthesia mask home for them to get used to it - Landon cries whenever he sees it and starts to shake. I guess considering what they're going through, they're (we're) lucky. My parents foudn out about mine at 4 months (we found the boys at 2 months) . When they found out about mine, it was already to late and my right eye had to be removed. If it would have been days later that we found Landons, because it was so big we would have had to had his eye removed as well. Luck was on our side in that case. I guess you could say taht's why I worry when someone posts something about the vision of their children - i dont want someone to have to go through this - like my husband and I are or like my parents went through with me. By the age of 5 or so, there should be no reoccuring tumors. I (knock on wood) havent had anythign new since i belive i was 2 years old. I hope taht answers your questions. There is much more information on this on the web and more of the signs to look for... here's a link to a page about retinoblastoma. Take a second to read it if your're worried. Hope that helps...

Amanda

 

I had this EXACT same concern with Morgan. I mentioned it to my ped, and he suggested that I start logging when it would happen and what was his mood or the circumstances. I started realizing that it was usually happening when he was tired or not feeling well. I think looking directly into someone's face can at times be overwhelming. Morgan has a tendency to look at me, then bury his head...like he's shy...which he is normally not at all. I think fatigue brings this shyness out in him.

Another suggestion from my ped was to take pictures or videotape Morgan when he was going this. That way the ped can see what you are seeing.

It's so scary to think your child may have autism. I think these days we are all very hypersensitive to it.

Hope that helps. Shannon

 

HI,

Babies meter their interaction by making or not making eye contact -- so if she's not looking at you, it could be because

1) you're nothing new and interesting (sorry, but its true of all of us moms after a while) and there's so much more to explore
2) She's feeling overstimulated and is choosing to meter the face to face interaction to manage her stimulation.

My son Wyatt will look away when I look at him as he is fed a bottle for naptime but when I look away, he stares at my face -- I can tell through my peripheral vision. it's just that he wants to control his interaction with me and this works for him.

I know they are ready for their naps when they stop looking at me in the eye

Cheers,

Teri D

 

I would deffinately call the ped if you are worried about if only to ease your mind. But I do have to say that until I read your post, I totally forgot that one of my dd used to do that too. I remember being concerned about it. When I was holding her up close to me she would turn away but if I held her back a bit then she would look at me. If she is looking at you at all then I wouldn't be too concerned. I just figured that maybe it was hard for her eyes to adjust to things that close in front of her face. Or maybe it just looked freaky to look at my big face when it was right in hers Keep us posted and I hope and pray for you guys that it is nothing!

 

I wouldn't worry if I was you. I know there is a lot of talk about autism and it's scary because it seems to always be topic of discussion, even on Oprah. I think at 5 months is to early to diagnose and like a pp said, they go through phases. Just like they will go through phases of wanting DH and not you and vice versa. They are all so different and even different from each other. I am sure she is fine, especially if she is smiling.

 

Thank you Everyone for you great information! Funny the PP mentioned Oprah because I started to worry after I watched it and the View!?! ha Both about Autism. She has been talking non-stop and staring at me and talking...so, I am not worried now, but I will keep an eye on her.

Thanks again!!

jen

 

Some things to talk to your pedi about with eyes/vision if you see problems:

*An infant who does not make eye contact by age two to three months

*Closing one eye ,tilting or turning their head to see

*A rapid, jerking movement of the eyes from side-to-side or up and down