Hypochondria by proxy

Okay, before you start telling me I am nuts, I am. I know. The thing is I spent this afternoon diagnosing Wren with autism. Yes, you're right - even psychiatrists can't diagnose it before 18mths and its often only confirmed by age 5 - but since Wren's heart defect I am afflicted by the sense that any number of other terrible maladies are possible and the internet makes access to them easy. Its a case of hypochondria by proxy.

This is how it happened.

Today, at Listening Mothers one of the other moms mentioned her pediatrician was concerned because her baby's head had gone from the 37th percentile at birth to the 95th percentile at 6 months. He wanted her to check whether big heads run in the family. I remembered how Frost's head had also presented concerns by being very large.

I had been concerned about Wren's head for the opposite reason. At birth it was 25th percentile and was still 25th percentile at 2 months. At the cardiac clinic it was bigger - more like 50th percentile so I was relieved. The conversation at Listening Mother's made me wonder about head circumference so I googled it. Bad idea.

The lead articles on the google search were all about the correlation between rapid growth in head size and autism. Apparently, a study with a sample of 48 children with autism and a normal control group has shown that only 6% of non-autistic children show a rapid growth in head size from 25th percentile to upward of 95th percentile during the first six months or so. Fifty-nine percent of autistic children have this rapid growth.

So, I evaluated Wren for autism and noted that his head was small but growing rapidly and he is a bit slow to turn towards me when I call his name. I have to try lots of times before he responds. Sure, he smiles and engages in play during diaper change but at other times he would rather look at black and white patterns, leaves and light and that spinning mobile. Sounds like autism, right? [Yes, I know it also sounds like an 11 week old, but I am paranoid]

So, then I looked up Frost's chart to remind myself of his head circ measurements. Based on this theory Frost had a very very good chance of having autism. Not only did he have colic, gluten and dairy allergies but his head grew from 30th percentile to the 97th percentile in 2 months and then shot off the chart - way over 100th percentile by 6 months +. So, I am glad this study hadn't been done yet or I would still be analyzing him even though he is clearly normal.

Okay, you can tell me I am nuts now. Its just that thing about how once you have been struck by lightening you never look at the sky in the same way again. You keep thinking "it could happen to me." I should add that last month I noticed some fuzzy hair on Wren's back and diagnosed him with spina bifida occulta. I think I had Joshua convinced for a while but the pediatrician had to work hard not to laugh when she saw whas I was worried about. I think I will have to wait a few years before bringing up my autism theory.