Can You Tell if a Baby Is Autistic

autism

Does My Child Have Autism?

Catching autism early makes a huge deviation. Past recognizing the early signs and symptoms, you can get your child the help they demand to learn, abound, and thrive.

What is autism?

Autism expresses itself through a spectrum of symptoms. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appears in infancy and early on childhood, causing delays in many basic areas of evolution, such every bit learning to talk, play, and collaborate with others.

The signs and symptoms of autism vary widely, as do its furnishings. Some children with autism accept merely mild impairments, while others have more obstacles to overcome. However, every child on the autism spectrum has problems, at least to some degree, in the following three areas:

• Communicating verbally and non-verbally.
• Relating to others and the globe around them.
• Thinking and behaving flexibly.

There are different opinions amidst doctors, parents, and experts about what causes autism and how best to treat it. There is one fact, even so, that everyone agrees on: early and intensive intervention helps. For children at risk and children who prove early signs, it can brand all the deviation. But no matter your kid's age, don't lose hope. Treatment can reduce the disorder's effects and help your child thrive in life.

1 babe'southward story

Melanie is a healthy ane-year former, but her parents are worried about her development because she'due south non doing many things that her older blood brother did at her age, similar playing peek-a-boo and mimicking expressions and gestures. Melanie's mom and dad endeavour to engage her with toys, songs, and games, but cypher they practise gets her interest, let lone a laugh or a smile. In fact, she rarely makes centre contact. And although her hearing has been checked and is normal, she doesn't babble, make other baby noises, or respond when her parents call her name. Melanie needs to be checked out by a child development specialist right abroad.

How parents can spot the alert signs

As a parent, you're in the best position to spot the earliest warning signs of autism. You know your child better than anyone and observe behaviors and quirks that a pediatrician, in a quick 15-minute visit, might not accept the gamble to see. Your child'south pediatrician tin be a valuable partner, but don't discount the importance of your own observations and feel. The key is to educate yourself and then you know what's typical and what's not.

[Read: Autism Spectrum Disorders]

Monitor your child'due south development. Autism involves a diverseness of developmental delays, so keeping a close eye on when—or if—your child is striking the key social, emotional, and cognitive milestones is an effective way to spot the problem early. While developmental delays don't automatically point to autism, they may indicate a heightened risk.

Take action if you're concerned. Every child develops at a dissimilar pace, then you don't need to panic if your child is a trivial late to talk or walk. When it comes to healthy development, there's a wide range of "typical." Simply if your child is non meeting the milestones for his or her age, or y'all suspect a problem, share your concerns with your child's doctor immediately. Don't wait.

Don't take a wait-and-encounter approach. Many concerned parents are told, "Don't worry" or "Look and encounter." But waiting is the worst matter you tin can do. You hazard losing valuable fourth dimension at an age where your child has the best risk for improvement. Furthermore, whether the filibuster is caused past autism or some other factor, developmentally delayed kids are unlikely to simply "grow out of" their problems. In social club to develop skills in an area of filibuster, your child needs extra help and targeted treatment.

Trust your instincts. Ideally, your child's doctor will have your concerns seriously and perform a thorough evaluation for autism or other developmental delays. Just sometimes, even well-meaning doctors miss ruddy flags or underestimate problems. Listen to your gut if information technology'southward telling you something is wrong, and be persistent. Schedule a follow-upwards date with the doctor, seek a 2nd opinion, or ask for a referral to a child development specialist.

Regression of any kind is a serious autism warning sign

Some children with autism spectrum disorder kickoff to develop communication skills and so backslide, usually betwixt 12 and 24 months. For example, a child who was communicating with words such as "mommy" or "upward" may stop using language entirely, or a child may stop playing social games he or she used to enjoy such as peek-a-boo, patty cake, or waving "bye-bye." Whatsoever loss of spoken language, blathering, gestures, or social skills should be taken very seriously, as regression is a major cherry flag for autism.

Signs and symptoms of autism in babies and toddlers

If autism is caught in infancy, handling can take full reward of the young encephalon'due south remarkable plasticity. Although autism is hard to diagnose before 24 months, symptoms ofttimes surface between 12 and 18 months. If signs are detected by xviii months of age, intensive treatment may help to rewire the encephalon and reverse the symptoms.

[Read: Autism Treatments, Therapies, and Interventions]

The earliest signs of autism involve the absence of typical behaviors—not the presence of singular ones—so they can be tough to spot. In some cases, the primeval symptoms of autism are even misinterpreted every bit signs of a "good babe," since the baby may seem quiet, independent, and undemanding. However, y'all can take hold of warning signs early if you know what to look for.

Some autistic infants don't respond to cuddling, reach out to be picked upwardly, or look at their mothers when being fed.

Early signs

Your babe or toddler doesn't:

• Brand eye contact, such as looking at you when being fed or smiling when being smiled at.
• Respond to their proper noun, or to the sound of a familiar voice.
• Follow objects visually or follow your gesture when you indicate things out.
• Point or wave bye, or use other gestures to communicate.
• Brand noises to become your attention.
• Initiate or answer to cuddling or attain out to exist picked up.
• Imitate your movements and facial expressions.
• Play with other people or share interest and enjoyment.
• Notice or care if you lot hurt yourself or experience discomfort.

Developmental blood-red flags

The following delays warrant an firsthand evaluation by your child's pediatrician:

By six months: No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions.

By 9 months: No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions.

Past 12 months: Lack of response to name.

By 12 months: No babbling or "babe talk."

By 12 months: No back-and-along gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving.

By 16 months: No spoken words.

By 24 months: No meaningful two-give-and-take phrases that don't involve imitating or repeating.

Signs and symptoms in older children

As children get older, the scarlet flags for autism get more various. There are many warning signs and symptoms, merely they typically circumduct effectually impaired social skills, speech communication and language difficulties, not-verbal communication difficulties, and inflexible behavior.

Signs of social difficulties

• Appears disinterested or unaware of other people or what's going on around them.
• Doesn't know how to connect with others, play, or make friends.
• Prefers non to be touched, held, or cuddled.
• Doesn't play "pretend" games, engage in group games, imitate others, or use toys in creative ways.
• Has trouble understanding feelings or talking about them.
• Doesn't seem to hear when others talk to them.
• Doesn't share interests or achievements with others (drawings, toys).

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

Signs of speech and language difficulties

• Speaks in an atypical tone of voice, or with an odd rhythm or pitch (e.thousand. ends every sentence as if request a question).
• Repeats the same words or phrases over and over, ofttimes without communicative intent.
• Responds to a question by repeating it, rather than answering information technology.
• Uses linguistic communication incorrectly (grammatical errors, wrong words) or refers to him or herself in the third person.
• Has difficulty communicating needs or desires.
• Doesn't understand simple directions, statements, or questions.
• Takes what is said too literally (misses undertones of sense of humour, irony, and sarcasm).

Children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty with speech and language. Often, they get-go talking late.

Signs of nonverbal advice difficulties

• Avoids center contact.
• Uses facial expressions that don't lucifer what they are saying
• Doesn't selection upwardly on other people's facial expressions, tone of vox, and gestures.
• Makes very few gestures (such every bit pointing). May come across equally cold or "robot-similar."
• Reacts unusually to sights, smells, textures, and sounds. May be especially sensitive to loud noises. Tin besides be unresponsive to people inbound/leaving, as well as efforts by others to attract the child's attention.
• Atypical posture, clumsiness, or eccentric ways of moving (east.g., walking exclusively on tiptoe).

Children with autism spectrum disorder accept problem picking up on subtle nonverbal cues and using torso language. This makes the "give-and-accept" of social interaction very difficult.

Signs of inflexibility

• Follows a rigid routine (e.thousand., insists on taking a specific route to school).
• Has difficulty adapting to whatever changes in schedule or environment (due east.thou., throws a tantrum if the furniture is rearranged or bedtime is at a different time than usual).
• Unusual attachments to toys or strange objects such every bit keys, calorie-free switches, or prophylactic bands. Obsessively lines things up or arranges them in a certain order.
• Preoccupation with a narrow topic of interest, often involving numbers or symbols (east.g., memorizing and reciting facts about maps, train schedules, or sports statistics).
• Spends long periods watching moving objects such as a ceiling fan, or focusing on 1 specific part of an object such as the wheels of a toy car.
• Repeats the same actions or movements over and over once again, such equally flapping hands, rocking, or twirling (known every bit self-stimulatory beliefs, or "stimming"). Some researchers and clinicians believe that these behaviors may soothe children with autism more than stimulate them.

Children with autism spectrum disorder are ofttimes restricted, inflexible, and even obsessive in their behaviors, activities, and interests.

Common restricted and repetitive behaviors

• Hand flapping
• Rocking dorsum and along
• Spinning in a circumvolve
• Finger flicking
• Caput banging
• Staring at lights
• Moving fingers in front of the eyes
• Snapping fingers

• Tapping ears
• Scratching
• Lining up toys
• Spinning objects
• Wheel Spinning
• Watching moving objects
• Flicking lite switches on and off
• Repeating words or noises

Causes of autism

Until recently, nearly scientists believed that autism is acquired by and large by genetic factors. But groundbreaking new inquiry indicates that environmental factors may also be important in the development of autism.

Babies may exist born with a genetic vulnerability to autism that is and then triggered by something in the external surroundings, either while he or she is all the same in the womb or sometime later on birth.

It'due south important to notation that the environs, in this context, means anything outside the body. Information technology's not limited to things like pollution or toxins in the atmosphere. In fact, ane of the most important environments appears to exist the prenatal environment.

Prenatal factors that may contribute to autism

Taking antidepressants during pregnancy, especially in the starting time three months.

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

The age of the mother and father.

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

Maternal infections during pregnancy.

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

More enquiry on these prenatal take a chance factors is needed, but if y'all're pregnant or trying to conceive, it can't hurt to take steps at present to reduce your baby'due south hazard of autism.

Reducing the risk of autism: Tips for expectant mothers

Have a multivitamin. Taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily helps prevent nativity defects such as spina bifida. It's not clear whether this will also help reduce risk of autism, but taking the vitamins tin can't hurt.

Enquire most SSRIs. Women who are taking an SSRI (or who develop depression during pregnancy) should talk with a clinician nigh all the risks and benefits of these drugs. Untreated depression in a mother can also affect her child's well-beingness later on, so this is not a simple decision to make.

Exercise prenatal care. Eating nutritious nutrient, trying to avoid infections, and seeing a clinician for regular check-ups tin increase the chances of giving birth to a salubrious kid.

Source: Harvard Wellness Publications

Autism and vaccines

While you can't control the genes your child inherits, or shield him or her from every ecology danger, there is one very of import affair you tin exercise to protect the health of your child: make sure he or she is vaccinated on schedule.

Despite a lot of controversy on the topic, scientific enquiry does not back up the theory that vaccines or their ingredients cause autism. Five major epidemiologic studies conducted in the U.Southward., Great britain, Sweden, and Kingdom of denmark, found that children who received vaccines did not have higher rates of autism. Additionally, a major safety review past the Institute of Medicine failed to detect any prove supporting the connection. Other organizations that have ended that vaccines are non associated with autism include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Myths and facts virtually childhood vaccinations
Myth: Vaccines aren't necessary. Fact: Vaccines protect your child from many serious and potentially deadly diseases, including measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. These diseases are uncommon today because vaccines are doing their job. Simply the leaner and viruses that cause these diseases still exist and tin can be passed on to children who aren't immunized.
Myth: Vaccines crusade autism. Fact: Despite extensive research and safety studies, scientists and doctors have not found a link betwixt childhood vaccinations and autism or other developmental bug. Children who are not vaccinated do non have lower rates of autism spectrum disorders.
Myth: Vaccines are given too early. Fact: Early on vaccination protects your child from serious diseases that are most likely to occur—and most unsafe—in babies. Waiting to immunize your babe puts him or her at risk. The recommended vaccination schedule is designed to work best with children's immune systems at specific ages. A dissimilar schedule may non offering the same protection.
Myth: Too many vaccines are given at in one case. Fact: You may accept heard theories that the recommended vaccine schedule overloads young children'southward allowed systems and may even crusade autism. Simply enquiry shows that spacing out vaccinations doesn't improve children'southward health or lower their risk of autism, and equally noted in a higher place, actually puts them at risk for potentially fatal diseases.

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What to do if yous're worried

If your child is developmentally delayed, or if you've observed other red flags for autism, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician right away. In fact, it's a practiced idea to take your kid screened past a doctor even if he or she is hitting the developmental milestones on schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive routine developmental screenings, too equally specific screenings for autism at 9, 18, and 30 months of age.

Schedule an autism screening. A number of specialized screening tools have been developed to identify children at risk for autism. Nearly of these screening tools are quick and straightforward, consisting of yes-or-no questions or a checklist of symptoms. Your pediatrician should also get your feedback regarding your child's behavior.

[Read: Helping Your Child with Autism Thrive]

Meet a developmental specialist. If your pediatrician detects possible signs of autism during the screening, your child should be referred to a specialist for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Screening tools can't be used to brand a diagnosis, which is why further assessment is needed. A specialist can behave a number of tests to determine whether or not your child has autism. Although many clinicians volition not diagnose a child with autism before 30 months of age, they will be able to use screening techniques to determine when a cluster of symptoms associated with autism is present.

Seek early intervention services. The diagnostic process for autism is tricky and tin sometimes take a while. But y'all can accept advantage of handling as soon as you suspect your child has developmental delays. Ask your medico to refer you to early intervention services. Early intervention is a federally funded program for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Children who demonstrate several early on warning signs may have developmental delays. They will benefit from early intervention whether or not they come across the full criteria for an autism spectrum disorder. In other words, at that place is more risk involved in the await-and-meet approach than in receiving early intervention.

Ted Hutman, Ph.D. is Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Santa Monica, CA.

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Source: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/autism-learning-disabilities/does-my-child-have-autism.htm