The symptoms of autism spectrum disorders vary from person to person. With such a wide range of possible symptoms, how is it possible to identify a child with autism?
A child may well reach his milestones at an early age and still qualify for an autism spectrum diagnosis, or, on the other hand, appear to have several symptoms and not be autistic at all. That is because autism spectrum disorders look different in every child, and while some children may develop typically for a while and then develop symptoms, others may have obvious symptoms from infancy.
You may use these guidelines to check on hand:
Very early indicators that require evaluation by an expert include:
A child may well reach his milestones at an early age and still qualify for an autism spectrum diagnosis, or, on the other hand, appear to have several symptoms and not be autistic at all. That is because autism spectrum disorders look different in every child, and while some children may develop typically for a while and then develop symptoms, others may have obvious symptoms from infancy.
You may use these guidelines to check on hand:
Very early indicators that require evaluation by an expert include:
- no babbling or pointing by age 1
- no single words by 16 months or two-word phrases by age 2
- no response to name
- loss of language or social skills
- poor eye contact
- excessive lining up of toys or objects
- no smiling or social responsiveness
Later indicators include:
- impaired ability to make friends with peers
- absence or impairment of imaginative and social play
- stereotyped, repetitive or unusual use of language
- restricted patters of interest that are abnormal in intensity or focus
- preoccupation with certain objects or subjects
- inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals
It is important to understand that no one or two or these symptoms alone is an indication that your child is autistic. What's more, it can be very tough for a parent to determine, for example, how much lining up of toys is excessive, or how much smiling is normal. There is also the possibility that some of these symptoms can be caused by physical issues; for example, not responding to a name could very well be a symptom of a hearing impairment.
To properly diagnose autism, professionals use a set specific test that actually measure a child's symptoms. They may also decide that your child should undergo testing for hearing impairment or speech issues that are unrelated to autism. For that reason, parents who are concerned about their child should take their concerns to their pediatrician. If their pediatrician is not able to help, and parents still have worries,it may be time to make an appointment with a developmental pediatrician or other diagnostician.
Hanz : Denial means you deny your child's rights. Trust your parental instinct and get professional help to clear all doubts.
To properly diagnose autism, professionals use a set specific test that actually measure a child's symptoms. They may also decide that your child should undergo testing for hearing impairment or speech issues that are unrelated to autism. For that reason, parents who are concerned about their child should take their concerns to their pediatrician. If their pediatrician is not able to help, and parents still have worries,it may be time to make an appointment with a developmental pediatrician or other diagnostician.
Hanz : Denial means you deny your child's rights. Trust your parental instinct and get professional help to clear all doubts.
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