Definitely talk to the doctor. I think you're right to have her tested. This has been a long time, and you are genuinely concerned...and that is valid. But, honestly? I think autism is pretty unlikely, from what I've seen of Annabel.

I'm with bug on this. You are honestly concerned and bringing a well thought out list to her 18 month check up seems like the best choice for all of you.

Unlike last week, though, this decision was made so I can better be effective in lab, rather than me being in crisis.

Good life choices... And though I have a giggle in my fingers typing that, I really mean it.

Listed here are the 10 common cognitive distortions.

I marked this post. Because there are more times than not that I fall into a few of them.

{{{Juliana}}} You are both doing a brave and wise thing.

Oh Cindy, I am so sorry for you and Scott. Personally, I would want to know. I agree that death is an ass-chapper though.

And now that she's officially in remission (typing that never gets old)

I think you should type it and say it as often as possible. Wonderful to read too.

Deena, I am glad that you have achieved babies. Some feeling better~ma is winging it's way toward you.

Gris, I hope the gf is feeling better too. Let us know?

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Also, Juliana, I hope tonight goes well, and that it's the start of a huge breakthrough for you and Z.

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Best wishes for tonight juliana. No way I'm going to give advice though.

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Cass, how are you feeling this morning?

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I didn't sleep as well as I had hoped, but I've gotten a lot done around the house. Well, a lot more than I had planned to anyway. Dishes are half done, the cat stuff/area is all clean ( canned food really changes litter box habits, ewwwww ), trash and recyling are taken out and the lawns are being watered.

I should really find out about filing for unemployment now so that I will have accomplished all that I set out to do today and I can be futless in stripey pink jammies without guilt.

I have this thing rattling in my brain though that maybe I just find jobs the way that some people find abusive partners. I don't know if I am obsessing or if I just had a moment of clarity...

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Susan, the guy who writes Defective Yeti's son (who is about Annabel's age, IIRC) was just diagnosed with an ASD, and he has a long post on it here:

Actually, it was Matt's post that started the whole conversation.

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{{{Bitches}}}

In totally shallow news, I'm in new khaki cords, a new dark brown twin set, and friggin flip flops. My new shoes would have really completed this look, damn it, but my feet just weren't having it. And I'm doing a presentation. Grrr.

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If she does have one, it's probably mild--she acts like a fairly normal kid, just not an especially talkative one.

Thanks--this is especially reassuring coming from someone who's been around her recently. That's half my problem; I just don't have any context to judge. She's my first child, I'm the youngest in my family and never babysat much.

By comparison with the little boy in the blog link you posted, if she does have it, it sounds milder. She doesn't have the gaze avoidance, just some degree of speech delay and a tendency to play around rather than with other children--which could be as much a function of the fact she spends most of her life in a household with two adults, only seeing other kids once a week or so when we put her in the nursery at church. It'd hardly be surprising for people like Dylan and me to produce a kid with some degree of Asperger's-type behavior, since we both have some mild tendencies in that direction ourselves. But if she turns out like us, that's fine. We'll never win the prize for best social skills, but we're intelligent, articulate people who are fully engaged with the world around us. If I could just feel sure Annabel will reach that point, my mind will be at ease, and I'll just be more on guard than I already was to help her with socialization and to comfort her if it doesn't come easily for her.

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The khaki cords and dark brown twin set sound like a good combo, GC. And flip-flops are all the rage.

I'm in a black suit that I bought last spring. After this Summer of Eating Dangerously, I'm kind of thrilled that the skirt still zips. Now if only I could get back into my jeans before NC gives up on the ghost of summer . . .

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a tendency to play around rather than with other children

As many others have said, I think you are smart to check this out, but, I do have to tell you that I was an only child who spent almost all my time around adults and I did this. I am very far from autistic/aspergers, it was just a function of a) being shy and b) not being familiar with actual children (I think I thought I was just a small adult)

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