12 Signs of Autism in Toddlers

Here are 12 Autism signs in Toddlers
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[@7Aheadfamily]

Hey Friends, here's how we can support you, and how you can support us ❤ Get our Free Book - www.7-ahead.com/freebook Join our ASD Club - www.7-ahead.com/asdclub Apply for One-On-One Coaching - www.7-ahead.com/autismblueprintapplication

[@lindakessler7586]

It’s great hearing your expertise from a parent’s perspective. You are empathetic and hopeful. This is so helpful for parents new to the world of autism. Thank you for your videos.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Of course! We love when we hear that we have helped our viewers!❤️❤️❤️

[@victorfriess8450]

This is more of a general comment, but your channel and the Autism Family channel are probably the best channels on KZbin about autism. From the viewpoint of an autistic adult, what you are explaining is usually right on point and I love that you spend time to educate the world one video at a time. These are incredibly useful resources for anybody, whether neurotypical or neurodivergent. I often refer people in my life to your videos and my partner (who has ADHD but no autism) enjoys watching them with me! Not to mention that your family seems like such a genuinely lovely bunch of people and I enjoy following along on all your adventures and developments. Currently making my way through all of your older videos as well. Finally, I just want to say I wish I had the money to support what you do and join your ASD club, hopefully that is something that will be possible for me in the future! In any case, keep up the good work! ❤

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@charisecroce7424]

Agree ❤

[@michelle21000]

I agree with this statement

[@weloveswaffles]

My kiddo learnt to share after 2 years of practice, not forced or anything, it's completely up to him if he shows anyone his toys or not, and up to him if he looks at anyone, but definitely has changed a lot after turning 4, my kid has restricted interest in toys and that hasn't changed at all but he does know how to play with them now just rather line the up, stack them, or watch them fall down, or inspect them lol. Teaching new skills to my kid normally took long periods of time and would normally have to be taught over again because of regressions. My kiddo used to zone out a lot when he was in school for a year but i took him out to homeschool and he's been a lot better and less overwhelmed. Most of the time my kid doesn't do eye contact but when he does its a intense stare and only if he's really comfortable with the person. Stimming and sensory issues are definitely a big factor for my kiddo and for me too. However luckily my kid doesn't run off like he used to, occasionally he does try to run off if he's extra excited or sees a lake or just feels like running etc. My kid seems to like hard textures, he loves running his hands on metal, walls, smooth surfaces, and love pressing his feet on a sensory circle that i have in his room. My kid learnt to play with others but prefers not to, he does love to talk about his interests or sing his favorite songs repeatedly near other kids. But not tak directly to them. He's mostly into parallel play. My kid never used my hand to communicate but does get very frustrated when what he says cant be understood, he may hit himself when people can't figure out what he says. He does avoid many textures of foods but starting food therapy soon. Accommodating my kid for the past 2 years has helped him a lot overall with everything. For me as a kid i didnt show any interest in shoing my toys to anyone or interacting with people no matter their age. I love soft texures and plants to touch as a sensory input. I wasn't very picky but definitely avoided some textures of food and i always avoided certain smells or would hold my breath often as a kid because of smell sensitivities.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@LMR-Mir]

I like spinning in circles in my power chair over and over. I do several of these things. I have level 2 autism. I love your channel it helps me a lot. Thank you.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Of course, we love when we help others with our channel!❤️❤️❤️

[@beaglemawm1517]

I love your clear, concise descriptions of ASD characteristics. We need more informational publicity of these traits. Children who are identified between 30-38 months have a better prognosis.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Agreed!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for watching, and commenting!

[@beaglemawm1517]

@@7Aheadfamily I have your channel set to “all” notifications. 🫶🏼

[@beaglemawm1517]

@@7Aheadfamily In your experience, how early do you think it can be determined? Did your children experience any regression of language/communication after vaccinations? I realize we diagnose after age 3, in alignment with DSM criteria, but it seems like an earlier intervention by age 18 mos would be warranted. Social/comm and especially repetitive behaviors can be seen that early. If PRT intervention started at 18 mos, imagine what communication would be like 18 mos later in time for preschool.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you!

[@tamaraanderson7260]

Great information! I love seeing the kids when they are younger!

[@7Aheadfamily]

🩵🩵Thank you for watching!🩷🩷

[@TusiimeBarbara-ke1ul]

Thank you parents for being patient and understanding of your children's needs and differences.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you! You are so kind!💕💕💕

[@SameerKhan-dq2yx]

Very nice educated video thanks for sharing your experience.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Of course!🩵🩵Thank you for being so kind!🩷🩷

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thanks for watching!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Do you have any ties with autism?

[@jeanmorgan5410]

I love ❤️ this video it is very informative. I’m happy that you are educating people on autism. It really helps people understand kiddos like my grandson and Simon and Ezra not knocking just saying.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for being so kind!🩵🩷🩵What other videos would you like to see, or what you think others would like to see?

[@deandratristanpruitt1242]

Really enjoy your channel and lovely family. I appreciate the information about echolalia. My son would reverse word " I " with " you " which I now know is common with kids on the spectrum.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yes. That is true. Thank you! ❤️

[@10.11stars]

I'm a med student and I'm considering a path in neuropsychiatry. Your videos are very educational, so thank you! ❤️

[@7Aheadfamily]

I'm so glad!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Where are you going to school?

[@10.11stars]

@@7Aheadfamily I'm in Italy! :) Over here doctors are very very specialised and work in a field that is usually very tight: if I want to specialise in "child neuropsychiatry", then I would go on to further specialise in "neuropsychiatry of childhood development" in order to work with children with autism and other neurodivergences. If I didn't, with a neuropsychiatric specialisation, I could also be a child neuropsychiatric and work, for example, with children who have other neurological or psychiatric disorder or have been through trauma. I've been considering that specific field of neuropsychiatry since I was an exchange student several years ago, and I happened to live in a host family with a host brother on the spectrum, together with more family members diagnosed with ADHD. That experience sparked my interest for neurodivergence and drove me to watch and engage with family channels such as yours! ❤️

[@7Aheadfamily]

That sounds like a very interesting field. I love that we can connect from the US, to Italy!

[@10.11stars]

@@7Aheadfamily I bet you guys as an autism family channel are very helpful to students, doctors, families and general folks around the world! ❤️ I'm also taking my medicine major in English so I hope I can go on a semester for research in the USA after graduation! :))

[@EmiliGoodman]

thank you I learned a lot from that video

[@7Aheadfamily]

Of course!🩵🩵 We love when our videos help our viewers!🩷🩷

[@thomasschoeck9080]

I have also noticed that some kids on the spectrum seem to get certain concepts mixed up (especially during the toddler years) more often than a neurotypical kid would. On a related note the type and severity of toilet training difficulties would seem to vary depending on autism level (at least from the few examples that I have seen). For example, when I was younger I would often wet in my car seat when my bladder filled up because I would get confused and think I was sitting on my potty chair. That’s probably “a level two (and probably level three) thing” because a friend of mine has a grandson who is level two like I was at that age. He often made the same mistake at age four or five as I did. He’s doing better now but he’s still working on it. Once in a while he still gets confused but at least it’s happening less often now. He’s younger than Ezra but not by much (in the scheme of things). In connection with getting too wrapped up in play (especially in autistic children) one thing that goes along with that is forgetting to stop playing to use the bathroom. This would seem to be more common with level two than it would be with level one for example. For instance the level two grandson of a friend of mine had a wetting accident while playing the summer before last at age four-and-a-half. He was playing with a toy truck in the grandmother’s front yard one day when I was sitting on the porch visiting with the grandmother. He eventually did a brief potty dance, paused for a few moments, wet his shorts, and went right back to playing like nothing happened. His older brother (who is also on the spectrum (level one)) told the grandmother about what happened and she checked him and asked him why he didn’t let her know that he needed to “go”. He didn’t answer the question and just went into the house for a bath. At that point I excused myself and went back to my apartment. He didn’t say “uh-oh!”, “oh-no!”, “oh-no potty!” or anything else that one would usually expect in that situation. He also didn’t blush, cry or show any other obvious signs of sadness or embarrassment. Incidentally (being level two at that age) I was the same way at that age. Regarding conceptual confusion I wonder if maybe he got confused and thought he had a diaper on at that moment. I also used to get confused about that (especially before age five) because to me underpants and diapers felt fairly similar. The feeling of tightness in the leg and waist areas was fairly similar. I wonder if something similar might account for some of Ezra’s accidents. Maybe you can experiment with having Ezra occasionally wear sweatpants without underwear and see if that makes any difference in his training. Sweatpants don’t feel at all like a diaper so that might help.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for the ideas. We are still working on Ezra, getting him fully potty trained.

[@higherground337]

It's very cool how well you remember your early childhood thoughts and perceptions. I'm sure some parents out there are going to be able to understand their children at least a little better thanks to your comments. My psychologist didn't give me a level but I'm probably level one. As a child I'd forget to go to the bathroom a lot. Eventually I'd remember and I could make it to the toilet without having an "accident," but I got a lot of UTIs from holding it too long.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@mysterionz]

13:36 there was a story that made the news in my state where a young autistic girl went missing in a swamp after playing hide and go seek. She was found and returned to her family that was relieved she was found.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

[@nathanfortier7478]

I'm an autistic adult with ocd, anxiety and suspected adhd. When I was growing up, I used to spend a fair amount of time in my room just zoning out, like, you'd come into my room and I wouldn't be playing with toys or anything, I was just in my own bubble. As I grew up, I started to use a book to hide my zoning out. I would act as if I was reading the book, turning pages once in a while but, I was actually completely zoned out and knew that people/other kids wouldn't bother me if I was "reading". I've also always stimmed, I have to use a weighted blanket to stop me from shaking my legs (one of my stims) while asleep. I didn't get diagnosed until I was 18 so, I had what my psychologist called "learnt eye contact" meaning that I would stare at your eyes without moving in any way and that was actually the first sign that told my psychologist that I had something going on (I was masking too well to be easily diagnosed by then). But, eye contact has always been hard so, even when I was "staring into people eyes", I was usually staring right in between their eyes as that was easier and no one has been able to tell that I was doing that instead of starring into their eyes

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@CH1CK3N-K1LL3R]

I have ASD and the sensory experiences can be horrible sometimes, expecially if it fluctuates because I cover my ears but then I may seek auditory stimuli and nobody understands it imagine that with all the senses. I'm doing better now and your videos are very helpful.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@pennyloafer3358]

I’m ASD too. The sensory is hell, and far worse than social even though that’s not good either. I can’t deal with daylight or daytime at all because too much visual stimuli.

[@Ocean-city10135]

I have five years old autistic boy when he was too he’s able to talk, but now he doesn’t. He’s non-verbal. But I continue speech therapy, occupational therapy and ABA therapy.😢

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

My mother told me in the last couple of days in a phone conversation that both my sister and I were very curious, obsessed with doors and would try to escape (especially as toddlers). My mother had chains high up on all of the doors until I was about five or six years old (give or take) for that reason.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing you story!💕😊💕

[@NaomiTerry-rt7sp]

Its interesting how we all are different on the autism spectrum. I didn't really show these behaviors as a toddler, i was diagnosed with level 1 autism at age 11/12. Great video, keep it up! ❤

[@7Aheadfamily]

Very true. Thank you for sharing. Everyone is very different.

[@thomasschoeck9080]

In connection with not sharing a moment I was like this not only as a toddler but also even in the preschool and early grade school years. I think I only started sharing moments around age nine or ten (third or fourth grade). Some of my neurotypical relatives mistakenly thought that this was a result of being “spoiled” and “ungrateful”.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing, so sorry people were not very nice.💜❤️💜❤️

[@Ww-nh9pl]

Any advice on expanding autism to another child? My nephew was diagnosed very young and has been in early intervention for years now he’s 3 years old and level 3 nonverbal. He’s amazing with my 4 year old daughter (they’re 8 months apart and she’s neurotypical) he doesn’t seem to respond to other autistic children but he lights up when he sees my daughter. He’ll parrot every word and move she makes they can’t play back and forth with each other but they have a blast together! I’ve looked all over the internet for advice on this and came up empty handed. There is not a single child show on explaining autism to another child. My nephew doesn’t really have a special interest except for my daughter, his cousin. She’s the only person he’ll light up for, respond to, follow, he will stare at her with the biggest smile ever, he’ll even make and hold eye contact with her. I love their connection and she’s so so good with him however at times when she needs privacy, with sharing, needs space/quiet (his most frequent stim is screaming) she struggles to understand why he cannot stop or listen. She often says “why doesn’t he have to” or why is it okay when he does this or that. I guess the simple way to put it is she’s confused as to why more is expected of her than of her cousin. If she’s sharing a toy and he takes it from her she doesn’t understand why he doesn’t have the same consequences as she does. I’ll often say “he’s just a baby he didn’t meant to” or “he didn’t mean it he just doesn’t understand” she will get so frustrated sometimes with the screaming and eventually yell “stop” at the top of her lungs and when he doesn’t respond or stop she looks at me with the most confused face she simply cannot understand why he can’t understand. 99% of the time things go great they play so nicely and she is so patient and understanding but other times her intense feelings of needing fairness take over and she needs a break. Of course I always remove her when she needs a break however it then breaks mine and my sister (his mom) heart because he’ll wait outside the door shaking the door knob for her to come back. He isn’t able to understand she’s overwhelmed and needs alone time with her mama for a moment and she doesn’t understand why he isn’t stopping. They are together often and am in desperate need of advice! How were you able to explain autism to your other children? Or how do you explain it to his friends/cousins? Also explaining why not everyone has the same consequences. Any advice please please please!!

[@7Aheadfamily]

You could tell her that autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by 3 specific challenges in social interaction, communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors. An individual must have struggles with all three in order for them to be autistic. It is considered a spectrum disorder because it can manifest in a variety of ways and to varying degrees of severity. Autism affects individuals differently, and each person with autism has a unique set of strengths and challenges. Or show her some videos from our channel of Ezra and Simon to see how they act❤️❤️

[@EmiliGoodman]

that was an awesome video, i love you guys!!!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you!💕💕 What other videos would you like to see?

[@EmiliGoodman]

I would like to learn signs of autism in adults

[@7Aheadfamily]

We will take note of that idea for our future videos! Thank you!❤️❤️❤️

[@EmiliGoodman]

of course!!!@@7Aheadfamily

[@7Aheadfamily]

💕💕💕

[@savannabinding5922]

I have Sensory Processing Disorder, FAS and other disabilities im not on the ASD Spectrum though. But when im overwhelmed I run or go to a space where i can just be by myself away from all the noise and whats going on. Sometimes i just need quiet to get back on track by myself. Im in a Adult Transition program for 18-26yr old with Disabilities and i run out of the school building but when i in that flight state im not thinking about i could get hurt often times because i zone out and i just focus on myself and not really look around too much. I have gotten a lot better with the help of Teachers and the school social worker. My Brother has ASD and wnen he is overwhelmed he will just pace and talk to himself about what was overwhelming them ge will talk about his interests Marvel, Yu gi oh, Pokemon and it definitely helps him because he is able to talk about something that brings him comfort when noise or socializing becomes too much. I enjoy your videos thank you for sharing!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Regarding echolalia: I did this not only as a toddler but even into the young adult years. In college I had a Shakespeare professor who was on the spectrum himself who mentioned to me in a meeting with him in his office that he noticed this and as someone on the spectrum himself he knew why I was doing this. I would do this more often if I was unusually tired or stressed out. Even now (well into my 40s) I need to constantly resist the urge to do this.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing you story!🩷😊🩷

[@thomasschoeck9080]

I mentioned in some earlier comments that Simon should show Ezra how to do certain tasks and perhaps even help him with his toilet training and he probably should up to a point. I should probably describe in a bit more detail what I was referring to there. The other day I read an article about parentification on Apple News. This is when (for various reasons) a child is expected to take on a parental role beyond what he or she is developmentally ready for. This can be an easy trap for many parents to fall into. I mentioned in past comments that my sister has always been level one and I am level one now but when I was younger I was level two. I am repeating this because it relates to the point that I am about to make in the following paragraph. Shortly after my family returned from their trip to Old Saybrook, Connecticut my toilet training was still not back on track (even at home) and it probably wouldn’t be for a minimum of a week (perhaps longer, I wasn’t all that good with time frames back then). During this period of regression my sister was expected to help out with my toilet training (and with getting me to talk more) on a daily basis even though my sister was not developmentally ready to do this. She was expected to do this because the economy was not doing well at that time and my father needed to work two jobs to make enough money for food and other expenses. The stress of the extra responsibilities caused her to go through a period of regression of her own. After her regressions (of all kinds) were noted both at home and at school she was no longer asked to do this and she began to gradually improve socially and academically after that. And more importantly her regressive behaviors became less noticeable than they were before. I am mentioning all of this because if you put too much pressure on Simon to help out with Ezra you might notice some additional regressive behavior from Simon. For example, he might go back to wetting his car seat, start having wetting (or even soiling) accidents (and perhaps have even some on-purposes of both types) in preschool or other settings. Another type of regressive behavior you might see from Simon in a situation like this is reduced speech. This is more or less what happened with my sister when she was between eight and nine when she was in the early grade school years. She also went through a period of selective mutism at or around that same time that only resolved when she was no longer asked to take on more parental roles than she was developmentally ready for. In order to avoid (or at least minimize) this type of situation with Simon it’s a good idea to have him help Ezra with his training and some other areas that he might need help with (for example if Simon learns how to do something in preschool and wants to show Ezra how to do it he can do that). However it is probably best to limit most lessons that Simon gives Ezra to one or two per week so it’s not too overwhelming for Simon. On a related note one thing that a friend of mine did with her level one grandson to help the level two grandson was to have the older grandson watch him play and to let her know if he sees the younger one have a wetting or soiling accident. She had him do this about one or two times per week and he was ready for that. At that time the level one grandson was about six-and-a-half and the level two grandson was about four-and-a-half. The rest of the time the older one was able to play and basically be a kid when he wasn’t working on his own speech therapy, social skills training, and other activities that he needed to work on. That’s more or less what they are doing and they are both coming along one step at a time with speech, socializing, math skills, reading, and in most other areas. In short have Simon help out but don’t insist that he do more than he is developmentally ready for. At this point Simon should mostly be working on his own development. Helping Ezra should be a secondary thing that he does from time to time (maybe once or twice a week) and it should be one hundred percent voluntary in order for it to not be stressful and not lead to any regression.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for your insight!❤️❤️❤️

[@swatidhondiyal7789]

I loved the video..there are very few videos which show the autistic behaviors so correctly. At what age did you start therapies for both the boys?

[@7Aheadfamily]

We started therapy with Ezra at 18 months and with Simon at two years old.

[@michelledropkin8609]

Hi! It makes so much sense. Before my son's diagnosis at 18 months he would throw toys repeatedly around the room and we thought it was just a game he was playing. Until I found out that it was repetitive behavior

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@carstorm85]

An antidote about eye contact. I always though I made eye contact and it wasn't till just a couple years ago when I was in an online autism group and someone explained what they did that I realized I don't look people in the eyes. I actually look at the nose or mouth rather then the eyes whoever the angle of your eyes looking at eyes versus the nose )or mouth) is so small that even just a couple feet away a person can't tell the difference (which I tested by asking multiple people explicitly one time). I've heard in my groups that for some people, looking anywhere at the face is too much and they can't but for me I can look at the face, just not the eyes.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Do you happen to know if there is any neurological similarity between Level Three nonverbal autism and Broca’s Aphasia? Broca is the name of the doctor who originally discovered “Broca’s Aphasia”. During the late 1990s I took in course in college about the biological basis of behavior and read about both autism and aphasia in the textbook for that class but I have never found any good answers to that question in all of this time.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for your insight❤️

[@Aroacerat]

I recall a situation where I was doing smth for the not using words to communicate category. Thought yall might want another example. Basically, I was sitting in the grocery cart while me and my mother went grocery shopping. A woman with green hair walked by, and I pointed at her, meaning to say “Look, Mom! See her green hair? I like it!” A conversation like this followed, as my communication made no sense to her. Me: (Points) Mom: What? The pineapples? Me: (Shakes head no) Mom: The woman? Me: (Nods) Mom: What about her? Her basket? She has eggs, I know. Me: (Shakes head no) Mom: That she’s going the other direction? Me: (Shakes head no) Mom: It’s rude to point, [Aroacerat]. Don’t do that, alright? Me: But- (My first word spoken this entire “conversation” Mom: Alright? Me: (Nods.) This is to show that just because smth made sense to me, doesn’t mean it did to others. Just wanted to remind you that these are some small signs you might see.

[@7Aheadfamily]

That’s a great example! Thank you for sharing ❤️.

[@mysterionz]

2:18 young Marie is adorable ☺️

[@7Aheadfamily]

Agreed. 😊

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing ❤️

[@shxtbyv]

My son’s two years old and we’re waiting for his diagnosis. This wait is driving me mad, my son has a lot of simons symptoms minus the hand movements. He still has no words but he has extremely good motoring skills as in he can figure all his toys out pretty quickly like how to turn his toy train on and plac it on on the wooden tracks, he’s got great focus on play time and doesn’t zone out during play. He’s very good at remembering directions and recognises multiple locations ie his soft play or the park just by us pulling up outside. He plays with his toys and loves playing with me and his mother. He makes a lot of eye contact but he doesn’t look when you speak to him or call his name. The wait for diagnosis is driving me mad but I’m coming to terms that he’s probably mildly autistic like simon.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@higherground337]

I like the thumbnail you made for this video. Turns the tables a bit. 😉 Seriously though, y'all are awesome.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@rbrtpongo]

I think in some ways im kind of like that as well to. When I work on pictures and editing pictures it helps me to block out things that i don't sometimes see sometimes. there are three things that i think about with a sensory thing as well to. I like Toy cars sometimes i like lining them up sometimes i take a few pictures but also I also take a picture of the Enterprise D and of Snoopy as well to.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!🩵🩵We appreciate you!🩷🩷

[@rbrtpongo]

anytime I also have a question as well to when you and your family was travering in a rv what has help you and your family with going on fun adventures cause me and my family we also enjoy traveling @@7Aheadfamily

[@7Aheadfamily]

What helped us go on these adventures, was to talk to the kids and ask them what they wanted to see and do. When we were all excited about it, and felt involved in the planning than it was easier to find the motivation to go, even when it was a lot of work and uncomfortable sometimes.

[@rbrtpongo]

During your video in church about explaing about your boys on the spectrum what was it like and because I also have autism as well to I think what helps me is I like to figet with things as well to?

[@7Aheadfamily]

We often have fidget toys and specific favorite toys for them for church. Church is sometimes difficult especially for Ezra. He gets overstimulated and has a difficult time with church attendance

[@jeanmorgan5410]

Things on elopement are good advocate for autism and stimming in places. Letting people know we are out there and autism is sometimes an invisible disability. My grandson is level three you can’t always tell he has it

[@7Aheadfamily]

True. That is like Simon, many people think that he isn’t autistic.

[@blakeexaviar9370]

I have autism and for me eye contact isn't the most uncomfortable thing, but my brain just doesn't tell me to look at peoples eyes, which usually comes naturally. I never think to make eye contact unless someone tells me to. I find it confusing on why people use eye contact. I don't know how or why to use it in a conversation.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@blakeexaviar9370]

@@7Aheadfamily today I realized it is uncomfortable to be forced to make eye contact. It could be the fact I was being yelled at for stimming, cause I was being "obnoxious" and "unruly", but no matter how hard i tried i couldn't maintain eye contact which made the lady very angry. She thought I was just being obnoxious and annoying, but that wasn't my intention. I actually couldn't help it, but she was unwilling to understand that. I hope something like that never happens to Ezra and Simon, or anyone for that matter. I had no one to advocate for me, and I can't speak very well, so I was stuck. It makes me happy that I know you guys will be there to advocate for Ezra and Simon as much as you possibly can, so they'll probably never deal with something like that.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I'm sorry that happened to you!❤️❤️Lots of love from us here at 7-Ahead💜💜

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Over the years many people (including some relatives) would assume that I was lying to them because I didn’t make eye contact.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing, sorry some people weren't nice sometimes.❤️❤️

[@theapearman1407]

Do you know where I can find good research on autism and Gender Dysphoria - (that’s not government sponsored) ? I know there is a link and it’s a pretty big one in correlation. I think our kids need early intervention and education to aid prevention where it’s possible. I have an interest in understanding this link and my adult child I think was not diagnosed but had many of these traits. Your videos are very helpful. I refer people to see them as well. We surely can do MORE to help. As your Channel does for sure 👌❤️

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much. I don’t have any information on gender, dysphoria, and the relationship with autism. Sorry about that. I don’t really know much about it. I appreciate your comment. And please let us know what types of videos are more helpful for you so we can continue making them.

[@vd4071]

Hey! Congrats for the nice content. Is echolalia at 2 years old a sigh of autism? Or it should be at an older age?

[@7Aheadfamily]

Any time when a child shows echolalia it is a sign of Autism. (at any age) echolalia is more than just repeating things they hear people, say, it is repetitively repeating and can look different on different children. for example, if you ask our child, "how are you?" and they just repeat that, "how are you", or if you ay, what is your favorite color?" and they say, "favorite color" also if they say lines of movies. That is also a sign of echolalia.

[@vd4071]

@@7Aheadfamily Thanks for taking the time to answer. My son is two years old and when I say for example : “did you fall? He just repeats “did you fall?”. He does that a lot but he also answers the questions in many other cases. Not sure what to think. He has an appointment for autism assessment in June…

[@7Aheadfamily]

Of course, your welcome! We wish you and your son the best!💕💕💕

[@user-ej9nb9qz3u]

things i love blankets and mickey and minnie mouse i love my sound machine that relaxs me when get really up i turn it on listen to the beach waves and also im on meds for adhd and mood desord anxiety and depression i havent been test for austium i will hopefully soon my mom yells and me lot for no reason

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing, do you live in the United States?

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Some people that I know (including some relatives) equate the throwing behavior that some people on the spectrum display with temper tantrums, “violent behavior”, “being a problem child”, or ”having a behavior problem”. Maybe you can cover this if you decide to do an updated video at a later date about myths and misconceptions about autism.

[@7Aheadfamily]

We'll definitely keep that idea in mind, thank you!💕😊💕

[@alicesinners1060]

Hey! I was wondering what your thoughts were on the clinical trials using Suramin to treat Autism? Do you think it’s safe? I just heard it’s been succeeding with children who have nonverbal Autism.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I don’t know anything about that.

[@user-ej9nb9qz3u]

i have commcation problem to i see a counselor its helps a lot and sharing to i dont like people taking my stuff it upset me

[@7Aheadfamily]

We appreciate you being here!❤️💜❤️

[@dianafigueroa8925]

My 2-year-old son insists on the bottle, rejecting sippy cups and any solid food-it all seems repulsive to him. Getting his attention is a challenge; he rarely responds to his name or makes eye contact, except when seeking attention by crying. Hes not into playing with other kids, but he’s remarkably so cuddly, forming a special bond with me. He finds joy in playing with his hands and laughs his little butt off . He has 3 shows that he watches and they always have to be in rotation and let me tell you he hates commercials !!! Feel free to drop a comment . Any advice is good .

[@7Aheadfamily]

Some of this sounds very familiar. Thank you for sharing. Simon is also very cuddly too. ❤️

[@LifeWithShawn2024]

I currently started going through the autism evaluation process my first appointment was on February 27 2024 just to speak to my specialist who took notes asking autism related questions to me & said my actual autism testing appointment will be next week or the week after . 7 Ahead , what is the honest likelihood of me being diagnosed with autism on the level 1 spectrum ?

[@7Aheadfamily]

There is no way of knowing until you have the autism diagnosis. Sorry it took me five days to comment. I guess you only have a couple days left till you get more answers. But just know. no matter what the diagnosis says it doesn’t change you. You are who you have always been no matter what you’re diagnosed with. A diagnosis is simply way to increase understanding and help get support. Thank you for sharing your story. Keep us updated if you want to ❤️

[@lexi_2021]

I am neurotypical but I showed a lot of odd behaviors when I was young. They were not like sensory but I made very weird and unusual choices in everything.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Wow, thank you for sharing ❤️

[@devonkendrick640]

My son is non verbal level 3 Autistic with global development delay and the doctors are trying to put him on epilepsy medication because he zones out every now and then. From what ive learned and you stated in your video this is normal for children trying to keep up with social and communication skills. Any info you can provide to this

[@7Aheadfamily]

I am surprised that he is putting him on This medication if he doesn’t have seizures. You can always get a second opinion.

[@michelle21000]

I had Echolalia a lot since birth and until now because it’s hard for me to stop .By the way on next Thursday will be my birthday I will be so excited .

[@7Aheadfamily]

That is so awesome! Thank you for sharing ❤️

[@7Aheadfamily]

Do you have any fun plans for your birthday?

[@michelle21000]

I will get boba and get a cake from an Asian bakery store .The restaurant will be Asian as well.

[@7Aheadfamily]

fun!

[@Aroacerat]

Ooh! Next week Wednesday is my birthday!

[@michelledropkin8609]

How did you get the bed for Ezra? We are trying to get a bed for my son but the insurance is denying it. I am trying to get the cubby bed! And its a complicated process. Right now my son sleep with a tent from Amazon over his bed that we have to keep buying every time it rips and he would escape in the past as well. We have to lock the zippers from the outside from his safety but if he really wants he has stretched that out and escape from the narrow hole!

[@7Aheadfamily]

We'll give the link to the bed!💜😊💜 Yita Home - www.yitahome.com/?ref=o2g038pk

[@7Aheadfamily]

And here is the bed frame!❤️😊❤️ Bed Frame - www.yitahome.com/twin-size-metal-bed-frame-with-headboard-0012?ref=o2g038pk

[@nathanjw940]

Me and my brother are very different. I can talk sometimes too much not knowing when a conversation ends. My brother doesn't talk very much at all. He's a sensory seeker and I am an avoider. He would enjoy going to the store or mall I get burnt out quickly.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!❤️❤️❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Marie is probably not autistic but when the subject of my family’s trip to Old Saybrook, Connecticut in the early 1980s when I was around four-and-three quarters years old came up in a phone conversation with my family some things that my sister said got me thinking about some things you might check for in some old videos you might have. She mentioned that when a then nine-month-old cousin was “going” in his swimsuit (he eventually finished training and is now in his 40s) she asked “Why is he going in his pants?” My sister is level one and always has been and she didn’t understand then (and still doesn’t understand) that nine-month-olds are not able to walk to the the restroom let alone use it yet. My sister was almost nine years old at this point. She took a course many years later about child development at a community college but for some reason she didn’t learn this specific detail of child development (even though she learned some of the details of what kids learn starting around age four or five, for example). It’s hard to imagine that her textbook glossed over this, but then again who knows? Some college textbooks are not written all that well (as I recall from some courses I had when I was in college). Even though it’s not part of the official diagnostic criteria you will probably want to look through some of your old videos, any diaries,baby books, etc. to determine if Marie shows any misunderstandings similar to what I described above. If so, then so then she could be on the spectrum and you might want to have her evaluated. Also you might want to have her evaluated if you see her struggling more with her social skills than other kids her own age. My sister is level one and she was about thirteen or fourteen when she was finally diagnosed. Especially with girls these things can fall through the cracks for a long time.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for your insight

[@thomasschoeck9080]

@@7Aheadfamily One thing I should add is that if you eventually have Marie evaluated and she does by some chance turn out to be on the spectrum you should remember not to fall into the trap of cutting her food for her or doing her homework, for example. Even if she is diagnosed she still has the same capabilities that she has always had. Some parents forget this after their child has been diagnosed. This is probably one of the few downsides of diagnosis. I know this is obvious but before my sister was evaluated with what is called level one autism and hyperlexia today she was cutting her own food and doing her own homework and afterward my mother started cutting her food for her (even if it was something like chicken fingers, or spaghetti and meatballs). Looking back, I think my mother was mistaking the mood swings associated with puberty (she was about thirteen or fourteen when she was diagnosed) with the strong emotions that younger children have when they want to do something but cannot do it yet. The fact that my sister would have sensory meltdowns and panic attacks that her doctors and the documentation about her conditions did not explain only added to this misperception. By comparison my parents would only cut my food if it was something that I physically could not cut yet like a piece of steak. This is how it was done even though I was level two at that age (I’m level one now) and I am four years younger than my sister is. The effect of my sister having too many tasks done for her that she is capable of doing is that she has a bachelors degree but has never learned to touch type or developed any other job related skills. This puts her at a serious disadvantage when it comes to getting a job when she eventually needs to get one. Fortunately so far you have avoided falling into this trap with Simon. You will want to talk to Ezra’s therapists and teachers and find out what he is capable of developmentally. Right now he is still nonverbal and still in the middle of toilet training but there is still time for him to make some progress. You will probably want to finish his toilet training over the next year if at all possible. I just read an article yesterday on Apple News that indicated that many children today start to experience puberty as early as age nine or ten. From what I have read in other sources toilet training becomes much more difficult (but still not impossible) after puberty begins (for a variety of reasons). This is why even if Ezra doesn’t appear to be making any progress with his toilet training at any given moment you should still keep at it even if it means more laundry, etc. for a few months or even for the next year. Even if you only get him halfway trained in the daytime over that period he should still continue to make progress over time (even if it is only very gradual progress). At this point it’s unlikely that he will achieve nighttime dryness but then again I have read online that a small percentage of people at Ezra’s autism level eventually get there at night by their late teens or early-to-mid twenties. This doesn’t always (or even usually) happen but it is possible and a good goal to work toward in the long term. Also some articles that I have read indicate that some people with level three autism like Ezra eventually learn to either say or sign (or both) “Yes”, “No”, and some other words. Even if Ezra does not start talking maybe he can eventually learn to type messages in the Notes or Messages app on his iPad. Maybe his teachers and his therapists can help him to learn how to do this. These apps are built in so there’s nothing else to buy. Until then there’s the app that he is already using on his iPad for some basic communication. For now this covers most of what I have to say on these topics.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Ezra is still working on saying yes and no is some way. He sure doesn’t like to sign

[@thomasschoeck9080]

@@7Aheadfamily Maybe he can learn to nod or shake his head. Sign language can be difficult to learn. My sister knows a little sign language and how to finger spell (she learned this in a college course about sign language over two decades ago). She’s not great at it by any stretch but she’s still much better at it than I am. I only know roughly a handful of signs (that I have seen in some online videos off and on and on TV) and none of them are practical in any way. Also I would not use those particular signs in polite company.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I love Sign language, but Ezra does not like it.

[@jarija8944]

Can I please ask you what age Ezra learned to use the bathroom? My son is three years old and I’m still struggling. I don’t know how to teach him the bathroom, although he seems to kind of understand the privacy of it since he hides, or goes to a room and close it before doing it in the diaper, it’s still really hard to let him just without a diaper because he doesn’t talk or ask me to go to the bathroom

[@7Aheadfamily]

We are still potty training Ezra. Here is a video on that…

[@7Aheadfamily]

12 Steps to Potty Train Your Autistic Child kzbin.info/www/bejne/habViYaJo95mm9k

[@gateshead_angel]

@jarija8944 my grandson will be seven soon and won't use the toilet or potty, he is nonverbal, will only eat food that has a crunch, won't let you put a toothbrush anywhere near his month. We will keep trying, getting him the support he needs from specialists, * only came across this channel today and I can relate to everything mom says.

[@shiny6123]

I would like to know what your opinion is on the fact that I learned to do eye contact only when I become an adult. Does that mean that I’m really not autistic? Also I didn’t have social skills until my 30’s.

[@7Aheadfamily]

I really don’t know. I would suggest speaking with a professional who can diagnose autism to find out. ❤️

[@7Aheadfamily]

Since those two facts are very unique there is a high likelihood of your being Autistic, but of course, or don't know for sure unless you have a professional do an ADOS assessment. Do you have the availability where you live to have an assessment?

[@Lain_L65]

Autistic myself, diagnosed at the age of two. Just like Simon i love cars and am obsessed with F1! Wasn’t able to deal with mainstream (glad I didn’t because uk mainstream seems rough) I went to a specialist school instead. Max 220 kids within primary and secondary and sixth form. I love seeing different ways of autism as such, different ways to express excitement. I used to flap my arms to the point my parents were worried about my wrists! Love you 7-ahead

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

[@7Aheadfamily]

What did you like most about your school?

[@7Aheadfamily]

We love you too!

[@Lain_L65]

@@7AheadfamilyThe fact most of the staff know you as like I say, only around 200 kids, the headteacher is always active with us and makes sure we are happy. The option of the sixthform is great aswell as they teach you the basic life skills such as ironing!

[@7Aheadfamily]

That's really cool!🩵🩵

[@thomasschoeck9080]

I’m well into my 40s and I still only make eye contact with conscious effort and it is very uncomfortable. Also I usually tend to give either too much eye contact or too little.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!🩷😊🩷You give a voice to our kids who have not completely found theirs yet!🩵😊🩵

[@gamergate2.0andbooks]

I was diagnosed with pddnos when I was 10 years old I'm now 27 or 28 years old

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!💕💕💕

[@bhunarapur5760]

Hi every one is talking abt gud results in stem cell treatment is that works ?

[@7Aheadfamily]

We don’t know about that. We’ll have to look it up and do research on it.

[@jemmawild9965]

You're not thinking outside the box. I get boys and girls are different but autistic girls need more advocating for on their signs due to the fact of Masking.I shared moments with family when was young but I learnt to mask as I learnt quick what makes my family happy. However in school I was always in trouble of not sharing 😅

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Zoning out can be caused by autism or adhd. If someone has both it may be difficult to determine which condition is causing it.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing💕💕

[@Cartierscott]

Do you think ezra will ever speak? I feel he may with all the support it seems he has improved alot socially. Other aspects definitely need work but socially he has improved alot! Does ezra and simon have any friends their age?

[@7Aheadfamily]

We hope so!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yes! They have both been improving a lot!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yes, they do have a few friends at school and at church. Ezra doesn’t really socialize with other kids his age though yet.

[@Cartierscott]

@@7Aheadfamily thats good to hear i was worried kids maybe didn’t know how to socialize with them. Are older than him or younger?

[@7Aheadfamily]

Simon has a lot of preschool age friends and Ezra has some church friends who are his age. There are two girls in his church class who always say hi to him in the hall and it is so cute.

[@thomasschoeck9080]

I have read (but I forget where) that even some neurotypical kids hand flap (at least from time to time) until age two or even the early-to-mid threes but after that it usually indicates autism or some other developmental condition that needs to be evaluated.

[@7Aheadfamily]

You’re right, many Neurotypical children do display many of the traits of autism at different times, but there really is a difference with autism. As parents who have three Neurotypical children, and two on the spectrum, one level one and one level three, we definitely see the differences, but more importantly recognize the growth and progress that can be made through early intervention. We didn’t really think Simon had autism, but as you can see from his video, it really made sense afterwards, and he has been able to grow and develop so much more because of his diagnosis and getting extra help that he needs.❤️❤️❤️

[@7Aheadfamily]

If you would like to watch this, here's his video Simon’s story… Diagnosis of Mild Autism in 2-year-old kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3jPZJWCnql7gMk Tell us what you think💜😊💜

[@thomasschoeck9080]

@@7Aheadfamily I watched that video some time ago but I might rewatch it to see if I missed anything.

[@7Aheadfamily]

You are very thorough, @thomasschoeck9080

[@KavithaKavi-tf5fq]

Is any behaviour problem still in simon?

[@7Aheadfamily]

He still has problems when things don’t go his way or there is a change in routine that he doesn’t t like. We are working on emotional regulation, but he is learning fast. ❤️

[@michelle21000]

What time is your time zone by the way ?

[@7Aheadfamily]

Mountain standard time❤️❤️

[@thomasschoeck9080]

Watching the end of this video I have noticed that on at least two occasions Simon has forgotten to put the left strap of the backpack on. It is almost like he sometimes forgets that he has a left arm. In the Biological Basis of Behavior course that I had in the late 1990s this was called hemineglect and it may indicate damage or underdevelopment of one brain hemisphere. In this instance Right Hemisphere damage or underdevelopment is something to be on the lookout for. When I was younger (even into my high school years) I would also only remember to put on the right strap of my backpack until someone reminded me. I later learned that this was a result of a right hemisphere stroke that I had at or near the time of my birth. If Simon is still doing this and he has any upcoming doctor’s visits in the near future you might want to ask about this. If he does have anything like this he may need some modifications to his physical and/or occupational therapy to build up some additional connections on the right side of his brain while continuing to build his vocabulary and any other skills that he still needs to work on.

[@7Aheadfamily]

We will keep that in mind. Thank you for letting us know about that.

[@dianaflorea4573]

My son make eyes contact just with few people

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@nathanjw940]

My brother can use movie lines in a funny way because he definitely fits it with the situation

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you sharing!🩵🩵 What is your favorite movie?🩷🩷

[@nathanjw940]

@@7Aheadfamily dumb and dumber but I like a bunch of movies

[@7Aheadfamily]

That's awesome!❤️❤️❤️

[@AutismWithMilly]

Thanks for watching my autism vids ❤

[@7Aheadfamily]

Of course!🩷🩵🩷

[@js.6048]

What is the difference between Autism and developmental delays?

[@7Aheadfamily]

Great question! A developmental delay is when your child does not reach their developmental milestones at the expected times, whilst Autism refers to a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, present from early childhood which is characterized by the difficulty in communicating.😊😊😊

[@gamergate2.0andbooks]

I laern how to curse because of my pa when I was a teenager

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing❤️

[@sarahbarton4100]

One trick we use instead of eye contact, is to look at the centre of the eyebrows. It avoids the invasive feeling of eyecontact, yet the other person will feel they are having eyecontact.😂

[@7Aheadfamily]

Good idea!💕😊💕

[@Aileen53]

👍🏼

[@7Aheadfamily]

❤️

[@TentoesMe]

Eww! I hate tomatoes. The tough parts, the goop, the seeds😵 Ezra is welcome to ALL of mine! Mom used to boil cauliflour. She would bring it to the table with a lid. When she took off the lid, the smell would leap out and make me run to my room!

[@7Aheadfamily]

😂

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yes, Ezra will eat your tomatoes. 😊

[@7Aheadfamily]

Do you have a lot of issues with smells?

[@7Aheadfamily]

Ezra will sometimes gag as well with just the smells of things.

[@TentoesMe]

@@7Aheadfamily Oh, yea! I don't have much sense of smell, but when I do smell something, it is either incredibly beautiful, or a hammer straight to the face!

[@sonalimishra6257]

Is level one autism is considered aspergers?

[@7Aheadfamily]

Despite being excluded from the DSM-5, Asperger's syndrome is still used sometimes in the United States and other countries. A common reason for this is that an autism diagnosis can carry stigma, and people who were previously diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome may still identify with the term and prefer it.

[@gamergate2.0andbooks]

I had to learn to look at people eyes when I talked

[@7Aheadfamily]

We appreciate you!🩵🩵🩵

[@nathanjw940]

I zone out all the time due to mental exhaustion

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!❤️❤️

[@blakeharvard5841]

I stim with my legs wiggling back and forth.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@nathanjw940]

I will repeat myself since I want you to know something

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!💕💕

[@TentoesMe]

I just learned the word "allistic" for not autistic.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Nice!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Thank you for sharing!

[@7Aheadfamily]

Yeah, I’ve never heard that, where did you hear it?

[@TentoesMe]

@@7Aheadfamily From another autism channel.

[@7Aheadfamily]

Nice!🩷🩷

[@catiehays3361]

Come on guys, your vlogs are repetitive now. The same type of video over & over, ppl enjoy vlogs of the family & life in general.

[@7Aheadfamily]

So like last week?

[@jerryberry8967]

Actually these are super informative for a lot of people.

[@charisecroce7424]

Actually, these videos are great and super helpful, definitely they are helping several families worldwide, so your comment is very unfair and a bit rude.

[@Abbyrose22222]

@@7Aheadfamilyplease don’t listen to hate comments. I love your videos and they really help me with my little girl. It’s up to you what you guys post !

[@Abbyrose22222]

@@7Aheadfamilyplease don’t listen to hate comments. I love your videos and they really help me with my little girl. It’s up to you what you guys post !