Monday, March 25, 2024

Is My Daughter Autistic

Don't Miss

Other Signs Of Autism In 4

My Autistic Son Through the Years – First Signs of Autism and Speech Development

These signs are usually accompanied by some of the other signs listed above:

ASD encompasses a broad range of signs and symptoms. An autistic child may need minimal support in some aspects of their life and more significant support in other aspects.

An autistic child who needs minimal support may have:

  • little interest in social interactions or social activities
  • difficulty initiating social interactions or maintaining conversations
  • trouble with appropriate communication
  • trouble adapting to changes in routine or behavior
  • difficulty making friends

An autistic child who needs a moderate amount of support, or who needs daily support, may have:

  • difficulty coping with a change to their routine or surroundings
  • a significant lack of verbal and nonverbal communication skills
  • severe and obvious behavioral challenges
  • repetitive behaviors that interfere with their daily life
  • an unusual or a reduced ability to communicate or interact with others
  • narrow, specific interests

An autistic child who needs significant support on a daily basis may:

Educate Yourself About Autism

New resources for understanding and living with autism appear seemingly every day.

Talk to doctors, researchers, or speech pathologists with expertise in autism to learn:

  • more about autism and how it works
  • whats happening in a neurodivergent brain
  • how you can advocate for your teen when others dont understand or accept who they are

Read plenty of books and visit online resources, too. Here are just a few:

Believe In Her Possibilities

I want you to know that theres a place in the world for your daughter. I want you to know that whether or not she grows up to have a normal life isnt the most important thing. I want you to know that there is no shortage of wonder and rewarding experiences in the world, even if her life doesnt resemble the one you mightve anticipated for her. Even if she never speaks. Even if she never looks you in the eye. Even if she doesnt go to prom. Even if she never goes to college. Even if shes never able to drive. Even if she never has a romantic partner or gets married. Even if she never has children of her own. Emily Page Ballou

Related: Why Many Autistic Girls Are Overlooked

Don’t Miss: Can An Adult Be Tested For Autism

Treatment For Children With Autism

Child development experts agree that a child with autism should receive treatment as soon after diagnosis as possible. There is no cure for autism, but early intervention using skills-training and behavior modification can yield excellent results. This type of educational and behavioral treatment tackles autism symptoms — impaired social interaction, communication problems, and repetitive behaviors. It can also boost the chances of a child with child autism being able to go to school and participate in typical activities.

Other treatment options for children with autism include:

  • Medication. Doctors sometimes prescribe it for children with autism if they have other symptoms, including depression, anxiety, seizures, or hyperactivity.
  • Alternative therapies. These might include vitamin treatments, changes in diet, and a procedure called “chelation” that attempts to remove heavy metals from the blood. Although many parents insist these types of treatment work, researchers have not scientifically proven them effective for children with autism, either for symptoms or long-term outcomes. Chelation, in particular, is dangerous and should be avoided. Deaths have been associated with this type of therapy. You should always discuss the safety and effectiveness of any alternative treatments with your doctor before trying them.

Signs Of Social Difficulties

My daughter went off to college, and her autistic twin brother didnt ...
  • Appears disinterested or unaware of other people or whats going on around them.
  • Doesnt know how to connect with others, play, or make friends.
  • Prefers not to be touched, held, or cuddled.
  • Doesnt play pretend games, engage in group games, imitate others, or use toys in creative ways.
  • Has trouble understanding feelings or talking about them.
  • Doesnt seem to hear when others talk to them.
  • Doesnt share interests or achievements with others .

Basic social interaction can be difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder. Many kids on the autism spectrum seem to prefer to live in their own world, aloof and detached from others.

Also Check: How To Discipline A 2 Year Old With Autism

Praise And Rewards For Appropriate Behaviour

Praise is when you tell your child what you like about their behaviour. When your child gets praise for behaving well, your child is likely to want to keep behaving well.

Descriptive praise is when you tell your child exactly what it is that youre praising. Descriptive praise is best for encouraging good behaviour for example, Thank you for staying calm when you didnt win the game.

Many autistic children like praise and want to behave well to get more praise. But some autistic children dont respond to praise. If your child tends to withdraw from other people, your child might not be motivated to do things to please others. Or if your child has limited language, your child might not understand the positive words youre using.

You can help your autistic child learn to respond to praise. At first you might need to add something to help your child link positive words with things your child likes. This could be something to play with or an activity. After a while, your child might eventually enjoy the praise on its own.

Screening Tools And Tutorials

There are some great screening tools and tutorials to help parents and carers spot the early warning signs for autism. Below are some we highly recommend. Please be mindful that they are just screening tools, and not a diagnosis.

Early autism detection ASDetect

This is a free app that empowers parents and caregivers to assess the social attention and communication behaviours of their children younger than 2½ years .This video-led self-assessment app is based on comprehensive, rigorous, world-class research conducted at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre

The app guides parents and carers through each assessment using a combination of videos and questions, as well as activities that you can do with your child. Once you have completed an assessment, you receive both an on-screen result of either âlowâ or âhighâ likelihood of autism, as well as a comprehensive formal assessment results email. See more asdetect.org/

Early signs of autism tutorial Kennedy Krieger Institute

This free 9-minute video tutorial on ASD behavioural signs in one-year-olds. The tutorial consists of six video clips comparing toddlers who show no signs of ASD to toddlers who show early signs of ASD.

Each video is presented with voice-over explaining how the specific behaviours exhibited by the child, as they occur on screen, are either indicative of ASD or typical child development.

Also Check: Can You Get Adhd As An Adult

How Can I Spot Signs Of Autism

The earlier treatment for autism spectrum disorder begins, the more likely it is to be effective. Thatâs why knowing how to identify the signs and symptoms is so important.

Make an appointment with your childâs pediatrician if they donât meet these specific developmental milestones, or if they meet but lose them later on:

  • Smiles by 6 months
  • Imitates facial expressions or sounds by 9 months
  • Coos or babbles by 12 months
  • Gestures by 14 months
  • Speaks with single words by 16 months and uses phrases of two words or more by 24 months
  • Plays pretend or âmake-believeâ by 18 months

Show Sources

Grant A Gift Supporters Bill And Wendy Hornbuckle Share Why Southern Nevada Companies Should Consider Supporting Grant A Gift

Priscilla: Life With My Teenage Daughter With Autism

While there is no known cure for autism, Grant a Gift Autism Foundation Ackerman Center is providing transformational programming and access to services to ensure families and young people navigating autism have the support they need to thrive.

Grant a Giftâs goal is to ensure families in Southern Nevada can access services, whether or not they have the ability to pay. Support and explore our current fundraising initiatives below.

You May Like: Is Adhd On The Autism Spectrum

S To Take If You Believe A Teenager Has Autism

If you think your teenager has autism, is it important for you to carry out research. Sites such as Child Autism UK can help you better understand the condition and the steps to take next.

You should also contact their special educational needs coordinator to discuss the symptoms. It is also important to speak to your GP who can provide medical advice and referrals where necessary.

Autism Signs In Preschoolers & Children

Autism can be diagnosed at a very young age, but most parents are unaware of it, therefore it goes unnoticed completely. Typical symptoms of autistic behaviors are brushed aside as shyness and lack of social skills.

Their symptoms become more noticeable later, during their 4-5 years old preschooler or 6-11 years old mid-childhood. Its by the time they head into school with teachers, who have been trained to notice symptoms, begin to point certain behaviors out to the parents.

Autism affects 1 in 59 children in America, boys are more often diagnosed than girls. Girls tend to be more socially expressive than boys, which causes their symptoms to go unnoticed for longer. The severity of symptoms varies between every child, from a range of mild to severe.

Read Also: Adhd Overwhelmed Shut Down

How Can An Asd Diagnosis Help A Girl With Autism

Just as with their male counterparts, women and girls with autism benefit from early intervention. An early diagnosis can mean earlier access to therapies and resources. It can also mean more time for the girl and her family to learn how to manage an ASD diagnosis. Early intervention is key, but a diagnosis later in life is better than no diagnosis at all.

According to Dr. Susan F. Epstein, a clinical neuropsychologist, girls with autism can often end up wondering whats wrong with them and suffer from poor self-esteem, depression, and can become vulnerable to bullying.

Young and adult women who are diagnosed with autism might have to play catch-up on social skills and coping mechanisms. However, after an adjustment period, most women and girls find relief from receiving their diagnosis. After a diagnosis, you and/or your child can meet with autism experts, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, or other professionals who can answer questions and help long-term.

We Leave Conversations Abruptly

How autistic kids can have a great Christmas: tips on planning ...

Like modern-day Houdinis, autistic people are prone to a disappearing act or two. However, unlike the magicians of the past, were not exactly subtle about it. This can sometimes be observed when we are smack bang in the middle of a conversation and then, once weve said our piece, abracadabra, were as good as gone.

In truth, conversations can be hard work for autistic people, as finding the meaning behind the amalgamation of expressions, words and tone is a long and tiring process. Conversely, Were the ones that can get left behind in discussions and, with so much new information bombarding us, our automatic fight or flight kicks in and were outta there.

If you want to help an autistic person in these circumstances and ensure that we dont prematurely vamoose, give us plenty of opportunities to ask for more information and, maybe, consider speaking more slowly .

Don’t Miss: Examples Of Autistic Behavior

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.

Also Check: How To Parent A Child With High Functioning Autism

Possible Early Signs Of Autism

A person with ASD might:

  • Not respond to their name by 12 months of age

  • Not point at objects to show interest by 14 months

  • Not play pretend games by 18 months

  • Avoid eye contact and want to be alone

  • Have trouble understanding other peoples feelings or talking about their own feelings

  • Have delayed speech and language skills

  • Repeat words or phrases over and over

  • Give unrelated answers to questions

  • Get upset by minor changes

  • Have obsessive interests

Also Check: Do Kids Grow Out Of Autism

When Do These Signs Typically Begin To Appear

Signs of ASD can change from childhood to adulthood. In many cases, autism cant by definition be diagnosed unless its signs are present when your child is young so that a pattern of behavior can be established.

Of course, theres no exact time when these signs of autism will become noticeable in your teen.

But as with many teens, you may start to see behavioral and emotional changes happen when they hit puberty, usually at 11 to 13 years old.

Signs of autism may also become more noticeable when they start attending middle and high school, where social relationships often become more central to a teens life.

How To Identify Children With Autism

‘I’m scared of my own autistic child’ – BBC News

Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in early childhood. Autism is the most common condition in a related constellation of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders, also called ASDs. Other autism spectrum disorders include Asperger’s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder, or PDD. Autism and other autism spectrum disorders can be difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms and degree of impairment — ranging from mild to severe — are different for every child.

Some features of autism include:

  • Social withdrawal
  • Verbal or nonverbal communication problems
  • Rigid and repetitive behavior

In severe cases, an autistic child may never learn to speak or make eye contact. But many children with autism and other autism spectrum disorders are able to live relatively normal lives.

You May Like: What Is The Best Treatment For Autism

Interacting With A Child Who Has Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder. It affects how children interact and communicate with others. The disorder is called a spectrum disorder because children can be anywhere on the autism spectrum.

Children with ASD start to show symptoms at an early age. The symptoms continue during childhood and adulthood. Healthcare providers dont know why some children develop ASD. It may be a combination of genes they are born with and something in their environment that triggers those genes.

Children with ASD have trouble relating to other people. They have trouble making eye contact. They often withdraw into themselves. They may seem uninterested in relating to family members.

But some children with ASD may love to keep talking with family members, friends, and even strangers about a topic they are obsessed with. The problem is that they may talk about it too long. Or they may talk only about that one subject. This can push other people away.

If you are a parent or grandparent of a child with ASD, it can be heartbreaking if you feel like you just can’t connect with him or her. But learning more about these disorders and what has helped others can help you and your relationship.

Celebrate All Of Your Childs Achievements

I wish I had known that unlike other parents we cant take even the smallest achievement or milestone for granted. When our son started wearing his coat without a fight and expressed that he was cold, when he was able to participate in circle time during music class and when he got up on stage with the other kids at his school show we celebrated.

Steven Grossman, Los Angeles

Read Also: How To Determine If Your Child Is Autistic

Cdcs Work For Adults With Asd

Planning for Service Needs

CDCs most recent funding cycle for the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network includes support for five sites to follow up on 16-year-olds who had been identified with ASD by 8 years of age. This is a new activity for the ADDM Network and will provide valuable information on transition planning in special education services and potential service needs after high school.

Promoting Better Outcomes

CDCs Study to Explore Early Development began identifying children with ASD in the mid-2000s and these children are now beginning the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Through SEED Teen, CDC is tracking the changes that occur during this transition period to learn about factors that may promote more successful transitions and better outcomes in young adults with ASD.

Is My Daughter Autistic

What Autism Sounds Like: My Daughters Laugh

my daughter is 2.5 yrs. has a selective eye contact -she does not look at me or others when called or spoken -but does so when I sing songs,rhymes or tell some of her favourite movie dialogues.she infact enjoys doing all that with me.she sings & dances most of the time and she enjoys it.but one thing I have to say,she was always exposed to the songs right from when she was 1 year and 2 months old as she used to have her food watching them.she got addicted to them eventually.she has a very good observation-she has learnt many things by herself.she can recognise the alphabets.she does not say when asked but tells by herself when she is alone.she does not speak sentences. she talks words like put song only things that she badly prefers. she does not follow other instructions except lets go to park,get the laptop-i shall play song. she likes holding on to things in both hands almost always. i also find the she is not doing certain things which she used to do 6-7 months back-like answering to simple quetsions like laugh,cry,scream,get your sandals,get the tv remote,switch off tv.she knows her body parts.she cannot remain without me.I think she has the connectivity with emotionally. i am very worried-is she autistic or just delayed speech & social skills because she was more exposed to music at a tender age?????? .any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Submitted by scifinut on Sun, 08/17/2008 – 2:29 AM

You May Like: Indoor Activities For Autistic Teenager

More articles

Popular Articles