Someone ease my fears please

I hope I am probably blowing this out of proportion and have nothing to worry about but I can't help it. My nephew (DH's sisters kid) has autism. They are saying it's genetic, although they really can't prove it. I know Emma and Jeremy are fine but then there is Lucas. They are now saying that you can see signs in children as young as 3 months. Not making eye contact. I look at Lucas and he is usually looking up, looking at anything but my face and making eye contact sporatically but then he never stares. He is 7 weeks old. Am I just being neurotic?? He has started smiling, totally cute by the way. But it's just the way he stares off into space that makes me think... His off in space look is normal right???

Re: Someone ease my fears please

Yes it's normal!! I asked my ped about this when DD was lucas's age.

They are basically looking at you, but it's hard for them to focus so they look behind you or just past you-like over your shoulder.

Re: Someone ease my fears please

I think it's totally normal. Both of my kids did that, and so far we have nothing to worry about. My FSIL is a speech pathologist with a school district who does EI so I ask her all the time and she told me not to worry.

Re: Someone ease my fears please

I don't have any experience in this, but I think at 7 weeks, it is still hard to tell. Smiling is a very is a good thing. Also, the way he was staring at your dh in the picture you posted, it looks like he is okay "connects" with people. But, I would definitely monitor it and bring up any worries with your ped at his 2 month visit.

Re: Someone ease my fears please

you have FM

Re: Someone ease my fears please

OMG - 3 months - no way!!

At 7 weeks they can't even focus that well yet.

Try not to stress...it's way too soon to start looking for signs. You will make yourself sick and not enjoy his infancy.

Re: Someone ease my fears please

That is definitely normal.

Does he like to be cuddled?
Does he respond to your voice?

Autism can definitely run the spectrum but I know those are the early signs.

Here's a link for more info:http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage

Re: Someone ease my fears please

He LOVES to be cuddled. Smiles. Coos. makes eye contact some times. Follows voices when he wants to. Follows people walking around with his eyes when he wants to. I guess I am just overreacting. In my heart I know it's too early but just knowing that it is a possibility because of the genetic link (although my DH thinks it's "from" my BIL who isn't blood related to us).