Autism symptoms are considered to begin to present themselves at the age of six months. This does not mean that it is not present before this. Autism is a developmental disorder that children are born with. It affects the development and growth of the brain. Unfortunately, it really isn't noticed until around six months of age because this is when the signs are most noticeable. At this age a child should begin to interact more outward to his/her environment. He will begin to smile and react to stimuli in around the area. A lack of this interaction is one of the first early signs of autism.
By the age of nine months a child should begin to proactively interact with his/her parents. He/she will babble at them, point at things, and return their smiles. The lack of this interaction with the parents is another early sign of autism. At one year of age a child should be crawling, pulling himself up on things and working towards walking unheeded if he/she is not already. The child should be saying a word or two and be able to somewhat communicate with his/her parents about what they want or need.
Definitive signs of autism will have set in by two to three years of age. This means by the age of one, if autism is the cause of your child's developmental delays you will be noticing a great difference in his/her emotional and cognitive patterns. The young child may appear not affectionate, slow, and inattentive. He/she can seem stubborn and willful; mostly this is caused because of their need to stick to a strict schedule, one that they feel comfortable with. By the time your child reaches the age of one, you will probably already be fully aware of his/her developmental disorder. In fact, a doctor should already have been consulted and a treatment method discussed.
Your child's pediatrician will ask specific questions about his/her development at the regular checkups throughout their infancy and toddler years. The doctor will be able to detect early signs of autism and let you know what you should be aware of. Treatment should not be thought of as a cure. A child, who has autism or any of the disorders falling in that spectrum, is faced with dealing with them for a lifetime. Treatment is focused on developing within the child the necessary skills he/she will need to live a comfortable life, at least as normal as possible. Depending on the severity of the child's symptoms he/she may or may not need supervision and care for the rest of their life. This is something your doctor will discuss with you as well. The sooner you set up a plan of action the easier it will be to fall into that routine for everyone.
Just because your child is developing at a slower rate than his/her peers does not necessarily mean he/she has autism. Be aware of the early signs of autism if your child's development is a concern for you. But don't overstress yourself about it. Simply keep an eye on how your son/daughter is developing and consult with his/her pediatrician if any concerns arise.
For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on Autism please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment