A mom's clip documenting some early signs of autism in her 8-month-old baby is going viral on TikTok.
In the video from October 15, Brandi Green Hogan calls her daughter's name and taps the floor in an attempt to get her attention. Despite her efforts, Bella does not respond to her name or make any eye contact.
Green Hogan, from Alabama, told Newsweek that she wasn't necessarily trying to record autism signs, but, rather, documenting her 8-month-old hitch-crawling—a type of movement pattern where a baby drags themselves forward using one leg while keeping the other leg bent—for her physical therapist.
"She was in early interventions, which was where we had physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech coming to the house," the mom-of-three told Newsweek.
Bella's physical therapist often told her that she thought the baby was autistic, but Green Hogan believed it was too early to tell at this age.
At the time of the video, Bella had already undergone two hearing tests, both of which she passed. It wasn't until a third hearing test, performed when Bella was asleep, that her family confirmed her hearing was fine.
"This test showed that her brain was registering the sounds. It was after that test we knew something else was definitely going on," Green Hogan said.
In June of this year, Bella was diagnosed with nonverbal level 3 autism spectrum disorder, shortly before her second birthday. Since then, she has graduated from physical therapy but continues to receive weekly occupational and speech therapy.
"We're getting an AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) device next week, which she will learn to communicate with. Studies are showing this encourages them to start using their voices, so we're hoping for her to say words eventually," Green Hogan said.
For parents who may have also noticed that their baby or toddler doesn't respond to their name or seems hard of hearing, Green Hogan said that her biggest tip is to start therapy.
She added that occupational therapy and speech doesn't need a diagnosis: "It can't hurt to use these services. If anything, they help your baby outgrow these symptoms and you don't have to continue going. On the other hand, if your baby is truly autistic, then getting them in therapy early can help tremendously."
Jessi Gholami, a licensed Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) therapist specializing in treating autism, ADHD and other behavioral disorders, told Newsweek that being autistic can present itself in subtle ways.
"Some early signs of autism may include things like limited eye contact, a delay in speech or communication milestones, repetitive movements like hand-flapping or rocking, or intense focus on specific objects or routines," Gholami said.
She added that she isn't surprised that TikTok videos, such as Hogan's, are gaining traction. "I've had parents tell me they first started worrying after seeing something on social media, like TikTok, where they heard about behaviors they recognized in their own child. Sometimes, these platforms can actually help raise awareness, but it's also important to follow up with professionals," Gholami said.
For Green Hogan, she said she hopes her family's story will help other parents feel supported and encouraged to seek help early.
"I'm not saying that every baby with these signs or symptoms is autistic. I didn't see these signs when they were happening, but she's my third baby, and as she gets older and I look back, the signs seem so obvious to me now," she said.
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