Jayden has begun something that is really quite disturbing....he does it mostly at night ... maybe he's over tired....he will begin laughing hysterically...it's really kind of frightening... he has not been diagnosed but is going to see a neurologist soon to see if he is on the Autism spectrum ..which most of us believe he is. He will lay in bed in the pitch dark and giggle and then cry and then giggle and then cry.....almost like he's scaring himself...could this be related to his possible Autism...should we be worried about it...should we stop it? Sometimes he will giggle threw out the day for what seems like no reason at all...but it's nothing like when he's in bed....he woke at 1:00 am last night and climbed into bed with his mom and started to giggle uncontrollably then the crying...any ideas?

Hi Debbie:

It's so good to hear from you again and to see updated pictures of gorgeous Jayden! You know I have been pushing the neurologist issue each time you and I talk through this website. I am glad Jayden is finally going for a consult.

You describe a new behavior of Jayden's that is a little concerning to me. Yes, the giggle and then crying could be related to the autism. Jayden could be stimming on something, whether it be the sound of his voice, or something else. It could me a "mannerism" of sorts. What concerns me more so is that he cries frequently after these giggling episodes as if something is scaring or bothering him. From a neurological standpoint, I would think about certain kinds of seizures. Gelastic seizures have that kind of affect on patients (laughing and then crying). However, this is extreme, and I would tend to go more with an autistic behavior. Most importantly, a pediatric neurologist will guide you in helping Jayden and perhaps giving you guidance and answers to some of the idiosyncrasies you have been observing.

Early intervention is the key. I have worked with many children in the autism spectrum for years and I have seen many of them advance through great therapies, training, and diet changes. Keep up the great work and please let me know what the neurologist says.

Robynne