He developed normally, crawling on time, walking on time, and babbling on time. He would wave bye-bye and knew several signs. He said Ma-ma, Da-da, Bye-Bye, Na-na (banana), Meh (milk), and several other words and sounds. He was social, made great eye contact, and aced all of his well-checks.
He interacted well with others, even other babies. When his little buddy Jonah dropped his favorite toy, Noah went out of his way to hand it back to him.
We started noticing odd quirks about him a little before his 1st birthday. Crowds clapping in unison would freak him out. Around 18 months, he started to fixate on spinning objects, and he loved to run back and forth. He also started to lose some of his words and signs.
When we asked about autism, his pediatrician wasn't worried.
It wasn't until close to his 2nd birthday, at a sick visit, that another pediatrician mentioned Early Intervention.
While we knew Noah was behind, we felt like people weren't giving him a fair chance. After all, my little brother didn't talk until after he turned three.
But his symptoms started to get more noticeable and more severe. He's a sensory seeker and would do lots of visual play with his hands. He wouldn't play with toys in their appropriate way, and his eye contact decreased significantly.
His interaction with others had declined some. I always had to force him to open gifts, because he just didn't understand the concept.
By this time, he had lost almost all of his vocabulary. He wouldn't respond to any directions or even his name.
In the Spring of 2012, at age 2 and 1/2, Noah was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
It's been an interesting journey into the world of evaluations, therapies, sensory issues, and all the in between stuff that comes along with it. It's been heartbreaking and rewarding, all at the same time. When my husband's boss asked what it's like to have a child with autism, he answered, "It's like someone has abducted your kid, but they're still in the same room with you." It's very hard having a typically developing baby, who interacts with you, to a toddler who doesn't respond to your voice or touch.
Currently, Noah is still getting therapy.
We've also changed his diet to gluten and dairy free. And honestly, out of everything we've done so far, this has been the most productive in his recovery. Within a few days of the change, his sensory issues were almost completely gone.
I have high hopes for my boy. The Lord made him in His image, and we're so blessed to have him. He's the sweetest, silliest little thing. A favorite of his therapists. I can't wait to see what his future holds for him. But for now, we're going to soak up the fun, sweet, ball of energy that he is today. :)
"I praise you, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well."
Psalm 139:14
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