Can you six month old babble and hold eye contact?

Question

My son is six months old. He can hold eye contact with me but only for a few seconds. He then gets distracted by something else every time. I try to talk to him and look him in the eyes but he always looks away. Also, he can yell and make lots of noise ( I know he enjoys hearing his own voice), yet he has not yet made any sounds like ma, ba, goo, ga. Can your six month old make these sounds or do they mostly just yell and sing song? He responds to his name being called but only sometimes. Can you describe to me what your baby can do at six months. I know it is early to diagnose, but I am worried he could be autistic. Thanks

Answer 1

My son does the same thing. Actually he hardly ever responds to his name. If your son smiles and laughs, then most likely he is not autistic. Most austistic children do not even like to be touched. However if you have any doubt or just want to be reassured talk to your doctor about testing. Symptoms in many children improve with intervention or as the children age. Some children with autism can lead normal lives. Outlook is best with early intervention and therpy. Children with autism do have delays with speech but what your son is doing I believe doesn't apply. My son loves to talk and is a very happy baby but he is easily distracted. He is almost 7 months and has not said ma or ba. Sometimes children don't speak until closer to a year old, it just depends on the child. Good Luck and speak with your doctor :)

Answer 2

It's hard to tell at 6 months. I noticed differences early on. My daughter seemed fascinated by our ceiling fans and things that spun or moved repetatively? She didn't seem at all intersted in her toys just the fan. Eye contact was brief and we couldn't get her attention when we would talk to her or call her name. She seemed to be kinda in her own world and seemed to be deaf even though her hearing tests all came out normal.
A lot of children have symptoms that could appear to be autistic but are very well normal. It's hard to tell until the child is older but if it concerns you than you should bring it up to your doctor. Signs are better noticed after the 1st birthday in most cases. My daughter showed red flags for it at 12 months but wasn't diagnosed until she was almost 3. Good luck!
And for anyone in a situation where autism is or could be an issue...Please remember Autism isn't the end of the world...It's the beginning of a new one!

Answer 3

If he was autistic, he would be albe to do things that other 6 month old babies could not. Mine doesn't always respond to his name when I call him...and he doesn't always want to maintain eye contact. It's a new world and my son has the need to check it out and explore it. My son does all types of noises, even grauling...not always ba, gaga, boo, etc. But if you are concerned, let your pediatrician know... Best Wishes

Answer 4

My daughter is 4 months and loves to babble and look at you in your face. She holds eye contact longer when you imitate her babble and sing to her.

At the same time, when she's curious about something else she will easily get distracted and it seems as though she's ignoring me - but, it's all a part of learning the world surrounding her.

I don't think your baby is autistic - just curious and interested in his surroundings.

The things you're worrying about only get worse as they get older (especially with boys). My nephew is 2 and you would swear he doesn't hear us when we call his name because he's so observant and curious. He has his own agenda and it doesn't involve sitting still and playing with us. :-)

Answer 5

I have twin girls 6 months old and one is just now starting to babble. The other makes her own kind of sounds. They just make different sounds. I think it's good that your son makes noise to hear himself - that is why they do! They just do it differently.

My girls will hold eye contact but it took them some time to do this. One did it before the other. Test him with an object - pass it back and forth over his face and see if he follows it. That should tell you if he is able to focus his attention.

Answer 6

My kids are older, and one is out on his own. Your comments ring a bell, though. I think your baby is on track, they can't hold eye contact for long, their nervous systems are still adjusting. Notice longer eye contact when you breastfeed, even bottle feed. Baby is usually very calm and receptive in those moments.
Sooner than you'll believe, you'll be saying, "what're you staring at?" Call a bookstore (college bookstore is good) and find out about Early Education materials covering the first year or two of life. You'll feel relieved when you get a better idea of the whats and whys of baby's behavior.
Congratulations, mommy.

Answer 7

My advice to you is to get in the program Parents as Teachers. It is free and they come to your house. They will do activities with your child and explain what they should be doing at that age, and you can ask them questions or concerns that you have. Remember that all babies are diffrent. Also, they have very short attention span.

Answer 8

Why would your baby stare at you if you aren't doing anything?

A better judge is to play peekaboo.

Also that this age your baby should get a kick out of it if you repeat noises back at them. They may start trying to copy what you do too, or they may not.

Answer 9

Don't worry at all. He is noticing his enviroment more and becoming more curious. He sees you all the time, that's why he's not paying any attention to you. My daughter just started actually making the ma, ba, and da sounds. If you have any concerns with him, you should bring them up with his doctor. Email me if you have anymore questions.

Answer 10

that is a good question for your pediatrician children develop at different speeds nd little girls usually develop faster than little boys but do ask your doctor