My son Michael was diagnosed with autism when he was two and a half but looking back now I realize that I should have seen it earlier. Here are some pictures from Michael's photo album before the diagnosis, along with a list of

"12 reasons why I should have known"

1. Michael would sit for hours flipping through books but never let me read one to him.

2. While all the neighborhood kids were building a snowman, Michael couldn't stand the snow on this face and ran inside.

3. The only time he would go out into the snow was when he was obsessed with pinwheels.

4. Instead of playing with the other children, Michael would obsess or visually "stim" off the bars.

5. He has an obsession with license plates and if we didn't stop to touch one, he would cry.

6. On a flight from NY to Texas, Michael was very entertained by playing with the cap on his bottle

7. Around a year old, we got some great portraits at Sears. A couple of months later, we could barely get him to sit for the photo.

8. At the San Antonio Children's Museum, all he wanted to do was play with the keyboard.

9. Before Michael was two, he loved to jump in the ocean and play. After two, the sound of the ocean scared him.

10. This is the only time Michael, at one and a half years, sat for a haircut and wore the cape. Now we need two people to hold him down.
 

11. When Michael was younger, he would sit for hours and play with the sand. A year after this picture, he had no interest.

12. Before a year old, Michael would eat peas and get them all over his mouth. If that happened now, he would wipe them off and scream.

Conclusion:
I kept thinking, "My son is so affectionate and loving, he likes to be touched, boys are slower than girls, etc." I thought that for a child to be "autistic" they had to have ALL of the signs. Michael only had half of them so I thought he would grow out of it. I was wrong.

After getting the official diagnosis, it was actually a relief. The best advice I can give is to follow your instincts. My son's doctor said he was fine, but I knew after his second birthday that something major was wrong. Don't be afraid to find out. Knowledge is power and time is of the essence.

Remember, you're not alone and most importantly there's hope.
 

To read more about the signs of autism click here.

Good Luck!
Christine Heeren