Wednesday, March 27, 2024

How To Know If Your Baby Has Autism

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Delays In Motor Development

How Can You Tell if Your Child Has Autism?

These delays include slowed rolling over, pushing up, and crawling.

“If parents suspect something is wrong with their child’s development, or that their child is losing skills, they should talk to their pediatrician or another developmental expert,” Dr. Landa said in a statement. “Don’t adopt a ‘wait and see’ perspective. We want to identify delays early in development so that intervention can begin when children’s brains are more malleable and still developing their circuitry.”

Signs And Symptoms Of Autism In Babies And Toddlers

If autism is caught in infancy, treatment can take full advantage of the young brains remarkable plasticity. Although autism is hard to diagnose before 24 months, symptoms often surface between 12 and 18 months. If signs are detected by 18 months of age, intensive treatment may help to rewire the brain and reverse the symptoms.

The earliest signs of autism involve the absence of typical behaviorsnot the presence of atypical onesso they can be tough to spot. In some cases, the earliest symptoms of autism are even misinterpreted as signs of a good baby, since the infant may seem quiet, independent, and undemanding. However, you can catch warning signs early if you know what to look for.

Some autistic infants dont respond to cuddling, reach out to be picked up, or look at their mothers when being fed.

What Are The Signs Of Asd In Babies

Diagnosing ASD is challenging. One reason for this is that the condition presents differently in all individuals.

Babies can reach developmental milestones at slightly different ages, even when they do not have any health conditions. However, some developmental differences indicate that a baby may be autistic. These include:

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He Lacks Social Skills

When people are on the autism spectrum, they have many challenges when it comes to social situations. They may avoid eye contact, talk about inappropriate topics, and have difficulty understanding the gestures, body language, and facial expressions of others.

People with ASD may avoid group events as much as possible because they have trouble making small talk and not knowing when people are teasing.

Elizabeth Laugeson, PsyD said in an American Psychological Association podcast,

“I think difficulty with conversational skills, for example, makes it very, very difficult to develop meaningful and close relationships with people, whether they be friendships or romantic relationships. And difficulty picking up on social cues and understanding the perspectives of others, knowing how someone might actually react to something that we say or something we do. That sort of difficulty makes it really challenging for people with autism to develop these relationships.”

How Is Asd Treated

How to Know If Your Child Has Autism

One of the biggest challenges is finding the most effective form of treatment. The choices seem endless and differentiating one from another can be daunting. Parents often rely on therapists to direct and administer treatment, but many parents want to learn as much as possible so theyre in the best position to help their child. The most common treatments include applied behavioral analysis, relationship-building strategies, speech/language, and occupational therapy, counseling, and social skills groups.

To learn more, read our ASD Overview article.

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The Three Levels Of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Level 1 Requiring Support

This level is the mildest or the highest functioning of autism, which has been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome. People with level 1 may have difficulty understanding social cues and may maintain a personal relationship. Level 1 children may be able to speak in complete sentences, though they have difficulty engaging in a conversation that can go back and forth. Children have difficulty staying organized, planning, and switching between tasks.

Level 2 Requring Substantial Support

With level 2 a child may have repetitive behaviors and having social communication problems. Typically children on this level face challenges in nonverbal and verbal communication, which will lead to abnormal responses to social cues. Children with this level have difficulty coping with changes in their routines.

Level 3 Requiring Very Substantial Support

Level 3 is characterized as serving challenges in social communication as well as extreme behavior. the child will be nonverbal or maybe only to say a few words. Responding to others is very limited. The child may interact with others abnormally and only interact to meet immediate needs. Children with this level have great difficulty changing focus and may become distressed.

Common Signs Of Asd In Preschoolers

With some children, the signs of autism might not become entirely obvious until they reach preschool , when suddenly the developmental gap between them and their peers becomes more pronounced.In addition to the signs for babies/toddlers, here are some of the more common ways ASD might present itself in a preschool-aged child.

Social communication red flags

  • The child generally does not point to or share observations or experiences with others
  • The child tends not to look directly at other people in a social way. This is sometimes referred to as a lack of eye contact
  • There may be an absence of speech, or unusual speech patterns such as repeating words and phrases , failure to use âIâ, âmeâ, and âyouâ, or reversal of these pronouns
  • Unusual responses to other people. A child may show no desire to be cuddled, have a strong preference for familiar people and may appear to treat people as objects rather than a source of comfort
  • The child may appear to avoid social situations, preferring to be alone
  • There is limited development of play activities, particularly imaginative play
  • There may be constant crying or there may be an unusual absence of crying

Behavioural red flags

âShe was so distant from us we found it hard to engage her. We would have to say her name at least six times before she would acknowledge us, often staring into space as if in a trance. We put this down to a hearing problem but test results showed otherwise.â

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What If Your Child Shows Some Early Signs Of Autism

Any one of these signs may not be a problem. But in combination, they may signal a need to conduct a screening or diagnostic evaluation.

As a general guide, if your child shows any 4 of these early signs, use our free online Social Communication CheckUp to screen your baby for autism.

If your child shows 8 or more of these early signs, ask for a referral for a diagnostic evaluation.

Talk to your childs doctor or teacher about any of these early signs or contact your local early intervention program. Share this article with them.

Prenatal Factors That May Contribute To Autism

How to identify autism in your child

Taking antidepressants during pregnancy, especially in the first 3 months.

Nutritional deficiencies early in pregnancy, particularly not getting enough folic acid.

The age of the mother and father

Complications at or shortly after birth, including very low birth weight and neonatal anemia

Maternal infections during pregnancy.

Exposure to chemical pollutants, such as metals and pesticides, while pregnant.

More research on these prenatal risk factors is needed, but if youre pregnant or trying to conceive, it cant hurt to take steps now to reduce your babys risk of autism.

Reducing the risk of autism: Tips for expectant mothers

Take a multivitamin. Taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily helps prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. Its not clear whether this will also help reduce risk of autism, but taking the vitamins cant hurt.

Ask about SSRIs. Women who are taking an SSRI should talk with a clinician about all the risks and benefits of these drugs. Untreated depression in a mother can also affect her childs well-being later on, so this is not a simple decision to make.

Practice prenatal care. Eating nutritious food, trying to avoid infections, and seeing a clinician for regular check-ups can increase the chances of giving birth to a healthy child.

Source: Harvard Health Publications

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Autism Signs In Children

Spotting the early signs of autism in young children can be hard if youâre not an autism expert.

Many of these signs are common to all young children but they are seen more often in children who have autism.

Weâve listed here some common red flags for autism â if your child shows some of these then itâs time to check in with a qualified professional.

We also list typical developmental milestones which may be used as a guide to gauge a childâs development. If there are any concerns about a childâs development, or if there is a loss of any skills at any age, talk to a doctor as soon as possible.

  • Does not turn head to locate sounds and appears not to respond to loud noises
  • Does not push down on legs when feet placed on a firm surface
  • Does not show affection to primary caregiver, dislikes being cuddled
  • Does not crawl, cannot stand when supported
  • Does not use gestures such as waving or pointing
  • Cannot walk by 18 months or walks only on his toes, cannot push a wheeled toy
  • Does not speak does not imitate actions, cannot follow simple instructions
  • Does not appear to know the function of common household object such as a telephone by 15 months

How Pediatricians Screen For Autism

Children are screened by pediatricians after they are born. Your childs pediatric primary health care provider will start screening your kid for any developmental or communication challenges.

This will happen at your childs first well-baby appointment.

Pediatricians observe the behavior of your child. They inspect the babys giggles, eye movements. They point or wave and call your babys name to assess their reactions.

In addition, they get family history, examine the health of the child as well as the input from the childs parents or caregivers.

With that, pediatric primary health care providers identify whether the child is at risk for autism spectrum disorder.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened for ASD at their 18 and 24 month well baby visits.

This is done in addition to the regular developmental observance and screening. This may identify children with significant developmental delays early.

Multiple tools can be used by the health care provider for ASD screening like Ages and Stages Questionnaires SE-2 , Pervasive Developmental Disorders Screening Test-II , Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales , and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised with follow-up .

However, screening does not equal to diagnosis.

If pediatricians notice a delay or suspect ASD, they will refer your kid to a specialist in order to provide a certain diagnosis and plan on a treatment plan.

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He Rarely Gives Declarations Of Love

It isn’t that they don’t love you they just don’t understand why they need to repeat it over and over again. Besides, actions speak louder than words, and they’re sure you’d know by the way they act toward you that they love you. They’d tell you if their feelings had changed, as they have no problem being brutally honest.

Studies have shown that people with autism can have feelings that are stronger and deeper than those without autism,” said John Elder Robison, author of Look Me in the Eye. “Yet those feelings may be invisible to outsiders because we don’t show them. Because we don’t show them or the expected response, people make the wrong assumption about our depth of feeling about other people.”

The Earliest Signs Of Autism In Your Baby

Autism Life Skills: 10 Essential Abilities Your Child With ...

Diagnosis of autism by the time a child is 3 months of age is unheard of, but pediatricians are still keeping an eye out for potentially alarming delays in newborns that may point to an underlying issue. At 3 months of age, most typically developing children will have started to smile, according to the Autism Society. They will also begin to notice and look at faces, especially the faces of those they care about the most. When presented with a moving object, 3-month-olds should be able to follow that object by moving their gaze or shifting their head. Some motor delays could also point to ASD in babies, such as being unable to lift their head or bring their hand to their mouth, according to the Autism Society.

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Heres What To Do If You Are Concerned About Your Infants Development

If you notice your child is showing signs of developmental delays, it is understandable that you may be concerned. Your first step should always be a visit with your childs pediatrician. They have received extensive training on spotting the earliest symptoms of autism in children. A visit with your childs doctor will usually go one of two ways. You may be told that your childs delays are still within the realm of normal, since all kids develop at different paces. At your visit your childs doctors may instead conclude that the symptoms being displayed are reason for concern and then they will recommend next steps, like seeing a specialist or having your child formally evaluated for autism. No matter what you learn, your doctor, other healthcare providers, and parenting support groups will help you figure out next steps for how to best support your child.

Signs In The First Six Months Of Life

By the time your baby is 6 months old, they should be able to engage in some basic social interactions with the people who are caring for them most frequently. Absence of these interactions is one of the chief signs of autism during the first six months of a babys life. If your child isnt smiling at you or showing expressions of enjoyment by this age, this might be a clue that your baby may have some developmental delays, according to Helpguide.org. There is also some evidence that very young babies who do not seem interested in the faces of others are at a higher risk for autism. One study, performed by researchers at Yale, observed the amount of time infants spent looking at images of faces. More than two years later, researchers followed up with this same group of infants and found that those who went on to be diagnosed with autism were more likely to belong to the group of infants who spent less time looking at faces.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Autism

There are many signs and symptoms that could indicate a person has autism spectrum disorder. Not all adults or children with autism will have every symptom, and some adults and children without autism may display some of the same behaviors and symptoms.

People with autism spectrum disorder often have difficulties with communication, and connecting emotionally and socially with others. They may also process sensory information, such as sounds and smells, differently from other people. These differences can underlie some of the behavioral signs of autism that people may display.

When looking for early signs of autism spectrum disorder, there are developmental milestones that children are expected to reach by certain ages, such as babbling by four months old and being able to use simple sentences by two years old. If a child reaches these milestones later, or does not develop the skills at all, it may indicate a developmental disorder such as autism spectrum disorder.

Autism can be diagnosed by age two, though symptoms may be apparent much earlier.

Early Signs Of Autism In Infants Toddlers And Preschoolers

Raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , about 1 in 59 school-aged children in the United States has been identified with autism spectrum disorder , a condition characterized by difficulties with social interactions and by behavioral challenges. Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls, as girls may be more likely to have symptoms, such as social impairment, that are harder to detect than behavioral issues.

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The Most Importnat Thing The Doctor Stressed About

Repeatability the doctor informed us to take care of ourselves also. That its okay to put ourselves first health-wise to become a better foundation for Xander and our kids. That this cannot be done if we arent in a healthy mindset and keep beating ourselves up. That this was okay and we needed to make sure we took care of each other too along with the kids. I cannot even begin to phantom the number of times parents probably reacted badly to the news or just broke down crying. It isnt easy when youre being thrown into a new world you have no knowledge about.

Limited Or No Response To Their Name

At 6 months , most infants show an awareness of their own names, especially when its spoken by their mother.

Autistic infants show a developmental difference: By 9 months, many babies who later develop ASD dont orient to their own names. say this usually appears as a pattern of nonresponse, rather than a single instance.

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How To Explain The Diagnosis To Your Child

The primary rule to remember when revealing your childs autism diagnosis is to stay positive. There is absolutely no need for the news to come across as ominous, worrying, or disappointing, and to convey it as such may do irreparable damage to your childs self-esteem. Remember that we are living in a society where the concept of neurodiversity is gaining considerable momentum, so introducing your childs diagnosis as a natural variation in the human mind one that is to be embraced and understood is often the best way to go forward. You may wish to begin the conversation by highlighting your childs positive traits, e.g., Have you ever noticed how much more analytical and organized you are than most of your classmates? Likewise, before you reveal your childs diagnosis, its a good idea to establish the concept that differences between people are normal, acceptable, and beneficial for example, you may point out that while you are good at math and your spouse is not, he is much better at writing or working with people, and when you both work together, these different skill prove to be highly complementary.

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