Hey everyone! So as you guys may or may not know, I’m a Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology major in college and I am particularly fascinated with Developmental Psychology and Neuro-Developmental Disorders. The other day, I found something that fascinated the neuropscyhologist in me — two of my own day-to-day baby logs written by different babysitters!
Knowing that I was born with the genes for Tourette’s Syndrome, OCD, Sensory Processing Disorder, these baby logs and the patterns they show about the development of a child with these disorders is fascinating to me. So I have decided that I am going to type up the logs that mention anything about my behavior for my own future professional reference and for anyone else (psychologists, parents, researchers, etc) who may be interested in the development of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
In addition to the original baby log notes that were taken, I am also going to type up my own commentary on it based on developmental psychologist and the normal vs abnormal development of a child.
All of the information I am about to give was documented in my baby book and is taken from memory (which can be fallible) or from stories. All of this information was written and documented. Everything in parentheses is my own commentary. Parts that are boded and highlighted are parts that may be slightly abnormal or may relate to Tourette’s, OCD, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, etc.
Birth:
My mother’s pregnancy: good-no problems- uneventful pregnancy.
Weight: 6 lbs, 7 oz
Length: 20 Inches
Color of eyes: Blue/grey
Color of hair: Brown
Distinguishing characteristics: beautiful baby
First days
How mom first felt when she held you: She loved holding you and did not want to put you down and you screamed when we put you down. I think we held you the entire 1st month.
Dad’s comments: He thought you did not get your mom’s disposition. (When I asked my mom what this meant she said “It was because you were screaming all the time. You didn’t sleep. You were a difficult baby”
Doctor’s comments
Sleep: Recommended further look for sleep problems. Still waking 1 or 2 times at night at 6 months. (my own research found that At 6-9 months most babies now sleep for nine or ten hours at night, it means – a sign that the baby is good sleeper. But if the baby isn’t yet sleeping at least five or six hours straight, it isn’t uncommon and is not abnormal. Many babies still wake up at night for feedings in the 6- to 9-month stage)
General doctors comments: At 9 mos Dr thinks she will walk at 10 mos. He thinks she will be thin! He was impressed when she waved bye to him. At 1 year thinks development is very good!
Allergies
Dust mites: 5 1/2 years old. Found out not allergic ti dust mites at 10 years old. (The reason they took me to get tested for allergies at ages 5-10 was because I was sniffling so much, I now think that the sniffling was most likely a tic. Sniffing has been one of my main tics for a very long time although I’m not sure how far back it goes. I know for sure it was a tic at 16 but before that it is really just speculation. This seems to suggest the sniffing tic may have started at 5 1/2 years old.)
Developmental milestones
Sleeps through the night: By around 6 months old consistently
Smiles: Began to smile more at 6 to 7 weeks (my research- on time, normal development)
Turns over: Did this two times by 4 months (normal)
Crawls: Started at 6 1/2 mos, 7 1/2 months really crawled (advanced. started crawling before most babies. Most babies crawl at 9 mos)
Sits unsupported: Very well by 6/2 mos (normal, most babies sit unsupported by 6 mos)
Stands up alone: Pulls to stand alone by 7 1/2 mos. At 10 mos, rises to a stand without pulling up. (advanced, started standing alone before most babies. Most babies stand with help at 8 mos)
Walks: 1 year old (normal)
Holds a cup: Does well by 9 mos, sippy cup. Will not drink milk from a cup. Tried at 1 year. ( I was very particular about drinking my milk from a bottle. This may be slightly different than most children, saything that this might be the rigidity of OCD or sensory processing disorder may be a stretch, but I don’t know)
Says a word: Said Dada at 7 1/2 mos. We think she says duck at 9 months + keys, shoes, and dog at 10 mos (normal)
Speaks a sentence: Makes two word combos at 17 1/2 mos. At 19 1/2 mos says “mommy daddy work” + “tractor man are you?” (where are you?). At 21 1/2 mos says “I like that one”. (normal) ( advanced 2 word sentences usually happen at 24 mos). At 10 and a half months, you play patty cake, show where your ear is and pants when asked what a dog says. (normal if not advanced!)
First Haircut: You did not want to sit in the booster. You sat in my lap. You were afraid of the cape so they had to take it off (sensory issue?? maybe??). After all of that you were happy and stopped crying. You smiled at yourself in the mirror when they cut your hair.
Other: Fascinated with tops of containers and tags of toys. Loves to look through plastic blow up toy. (Not sure if this fascination is normal? I was also fascinated with dogs)
Conclusion: I may have had some quirks due to sensory issues and tics too, but overall I was a very normally developing child and in some areas I was advanced such as in the area of language.
