Knowledge About Early Signs of Autism

Whether you're new parents that have just had their first child or you have recently added one more sibling to the family group, at some point in time, being concerned about Autism may have crossed your mind. Roughly one out of every 150 infants that are born today is autistic, so it is imperative that the disorder be detected early in order to treat it properly. If you are unfamiliar with the disorder, it is important to educate yourself about it and learn about the early signs of Autism.

First and foremost, Autism is a neural development disorder that is characterized by the impairment of communication, language skills, and social interaction as well as repetitive or restricted behavior patterns. In most cases, these different characteristics appear by the time the child has reached three years of age. Autism affects how the brain processes information by altering the way that the nerve cells connect with and organize the synapses.

It is one of three different types of Autism disorders found on what is referred to as the Autism spectrum. The other two are Asperger's Syndrome where cognitive development and language skills are lacking and PDD-NOS or Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified. This disorder is usually diagnosed should the criteria involved in the diagnosis for either Autism or Asperger's Syndrome not be met.

What to look for

What you want to remember above everything else when you are concerned about the possibility of your infant being autistic is that recognizing the early signs of Autism may be the difference between diagnosing the disorder properly and missing it completely. The earlier the disorder is diagnosed, the sooner you can start treatment and increase your chances of having a better outcome for both you and your child.

Early detection of Autism is critical so the sooner you educate yourself about the warning signs, the better. Here are some basic suggestions for recognizing the early signs of the disorder based on what the child should have accomplished by a certain time in their early development:

o By the time your child is 6 months old, they should be smiling whenever they are delighted or feel joy for one reason or another.

o Mimicking facial expressions, vocal intonations, and words should be evident by the time your child is 10 months old.

o Once the child has reached two years of age, they should be talking and should have at least several words in their ever-growing vocabulary.

Remember that the child may only exhibit one of the early signs of Autism. Even if all the symptoms are not being exhibited, your child may still be diagnosed as autistic. One way or the other, you should take your child to their pediatrician to determine if further testing for the disorder may be necessary. Diagnosing the disorder as early as possible in the child's development is critical and could mean treating it sooner that you can prevent complications and avoid more additional negative consequences.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on Autism please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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Adapting to the Knowledge That Your Child Has Autism

As a parent, you've never wanted less than the best for your own child. If you're adapting to the knowledge that your child has autism, you're likely in a state of disbelief. You may feel like you're a failure. You may feel helpless. No parent wants to hear that something is wrong with his or her child that he or she cannot fix. However, we live in a world where disease is more the rule than the exception and we must adapt. In your case, you must adapt quickly in order to help your child live the most fulfilling life possible.

For many parents, autistic children are mysterious and challenging. They may be hard to bond with because they seem distant and their actions make no sense. Believe it or not, high-functioning autistic children often feel the same way about their parents. The key is for you to move beyond your feelings so that you can do what is right to adapt to the knowledge that your child has autism. A full adaptation, accompanied by studying up on the topic, may give you the tools you need to give your autistic child the tools he or she needs to function independently when you're no longer able to care for him or her.

Discover your child's degree of autism. The term autism simply describes a minimal extent of measurable traits. In other words, nearly everyone has autistic traits, it's just a matter of how many they have and how dominant those traits are. You, your friends, or some of your co-workers might fall into the minimally autistic category without even realizing it.

You need to get your child to specialists in order to learn the extent in which your child is autistic in order to make a plan of action to help your child's development.

Make a treatment option list. Once you know the extent of autism, you can work with a specialist to come up with treatment options, ranging from special parenting skills classes to special schools for autistic children.

Build a support system. You need a specialist you can call with questions and, ideally, a support group for parents of autistic children where you can talk about your problems.

If you have other children, remember that it is hard for them too, so make special time for them. You also need to stay current on the latest autism studies and don't be afraid to try new things with your child.

The number of children diagnosed with autism is growing at a rapid rate. As a result, many parents are forced into roles they are not familiar with and are not prepared to handle. For more information on autism in toddlers, visit AutismInToddlers.net, a site that helps parents understand autism.

Copyright © Sherry Ann Smith

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