Detecting Signs of Autism in Your Child


By Richard G M Taylor - 2006-10-19
Find more articles like this in our Autism ADHD and ADD category.
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Children develop very quickly at an early age. All parents pray that their children will develop normally and grow up in good health with a bright future ahead of them. Autism is a concern of many parents so what is the sign of autism in your child?

As parents we are on constant lookout for any sign of abnormal development such as autism in our children and of course it is so easy to jump to the wrong conclusions. A child will go through many phases and being able to spot anything abnormal is very difficult. However, we should look out for any abnormal behavior which could indicate autism.

Autism occurs in around 1 in every 700 children and statistically more likely to occur in boys.

It is not an illness brought by an infection or some contagious disease. Autism is something the child is born with and results from an abnormal development of the brain.

Autism results in a level of introvertive behavior with the child not willing to interact with other children and perhaps the most disturbing symptom is their lack of response to their parents. A child with autism lacks the interpersonal skills of a normal child.

Autism usually manifests itself between the ages of 18 months to 3 years although some signs can be detected in babies with autism. The main symptoms to look out for are as follows:

Babies

An autistic baby does not respond to your presence - will not make eye contact with you and appears to be more interested in staring at some other moving inanimate object.

An autistic baby will often appear too calm and may lie still for hours without crying.

An autistic baby may not interact with other babies.

18 months - 3 Years old

An autistic child may appear distracted and not look you in the eye when trying to communicate with them.

An autistic child may have difficulty picking up the sounds of words and will need repeating many times.

An autistic child may have unusual mannerisms which they like to repeat many times.

An autistic child may lack imagination and not like role play or 'pretend' games.

An autistic child may be disturbed by a change in routine.

An autistic child may show a lack of interest in other children and not want to play with them.

This is not an exhaustive list by any means and we should be aware that some of these symptoms can be detected in 'normal' children.

However, if your baby or child exhibits some or all of these symptoms then you are advised to seek advice from a doctor or child specialist. They will carry out some simple tests to either confirm your fears or hopefully in most cases ease your concerns and allow you to enjoy the ongoing 'normal' development of your child.

If your child is confirmed as autistic then you should not despair. It is not your fault and like any other child they will need your love and support. Just as the cause of Autism is unknown, there is currently no known cure either.

Depending on the severity of the condition with your particular child it may be necessary for you to make certain allowances in your behavior towards them and in your daily routine.

Seek the advice of experts in this field - in more severe cases it may be necessary for you to arrange for your child to attend a special school. Often an autistic child will exhibit very special abilities and talents which need to be nurtured and controlled while helping them to develop the social skills which come more naturally to other children.

The condition of autism in children is well known and you should be able to receive plenty of help and support.


This article is general information ONLY and is NOT a substitute for medical advice or treatment

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