I know that the big craze nowadays is diagnosing babies, toddlers and small children left and right with Autism, and I think that a lot of the diganoses are incorrect, but still, I can’t help but to wonder about my fourteen month old son, Ryan, especially since I have two younger brothers with Autism, and some of Ryan’s behaviors are just like what my youngest brother exhibited when he was a toddler.
The big thing is that he rocks… a lot. He sits and rocks rhythmically against the wall, his crib, the bed, the couch, me, his car seat, his high chair, doors, etc. I do know that some babies rock, usually from over stimulation, or not enough stimulation, or as a way of comforting themselves, but Ryan has been doing this for several weeks now, at all times of the day and evening, whether he has just been fed, is about to be fed, just got up from a nap, is going to go down for a nap, with people over, with nobody over, etc. No matter what the “conditions” of him and his surroundings, he rocks. He rocks hard, too, to the point where he had a bruise on his chest from rocking forward against the railing of his crib. He has also rocked himself to sleep, literally, quite a few times.
And speaking of sleep… his new way of getting to sleep is to sit up in his crib and rock until he falls asleep and falls over, literally. The other night I went in to check on him when I didn’t hear any rocking for a few minutes, and he was still sitting up in his crib, nearly asleep, then coming awake every few seconds to give a half-hearted little rock.
I have tried to redirect Ryan with toys, or snacks, or a cup, or nursing, or a nap, or even just sitting with me or playing on the floor with me, anything to take him away from the rocking, but he always goes right back to it.
Has anyone else’s baby or toddler ever done the excessive rocking to this extent? Did anything come of it?
My name is Jenn, and I'm 27 years old. I'm happily married to my best friend and soulmate, Daniel. Together we have a six year old daughter named 
Name: Alyssa
Name: Ryan
One response to “Excessive head/body rocking” - Jump to comment form