Detecting the early signs of autism in children is very crucial. No matter what your child’s age, as a parent you can help to minimise the impact of autism if you detect it in the initial stage. On time treatment can reduce the impact of the disorder and help the child grow and thrive in a normal way.
Every child with autism has difficulties. They may be troubled either by mild impairments or severe impairments where they face more obstacles. However, they may face difficulties, to a certain degree, in the three areas mentioned below:
- Inability to communicate verbally or non-verbally or both
- Lack/disinterest of socialising with people around them
- Behaving brashly often resorting to throwing tantrums Parents, being close to the children, are the first to spot the initial warning signs of autism. They can detect the odd behaviours and need to monitor them before consulting a paediatrician. Parents should educate themselves and be attentive to normal and not so normal behaviour or signs of autism in children.
Symptoms and Signs of Autism in Children
The diagnosis of children with autism is on the rise! Such children inherit signs that indicate that they have autism. Signs and level of autism can vary according to the severity of the symptoms. It is important to know that infants with autism can be recognized due to the absence of normal behaviour. Some of the distinctive signs of autism in children can be:
Lack of a social smile
At the age of six months, a child tends to smile or give happy reactions. If he/she fails to smile back at you or smile on their own that this could be a sign of autism.
Emitting social cues
By the time the child turns 9 months of age, he/she tends to acknowledge and share expressions. If they fail to imitate/respond to sounds, smiles, then this could be an early indicator of autism.
Poor or no eye contact
Does the child make a limited eye contact with others or follow a moving object? If she/he doesn’t, then this could be an early indicator of Autism.
Repetitive behaviour
Does your child engage in repetitive behaviours like doing the same monotonous actions (like rotating the arms) or speaking the same words again and again?
A delay in coos and babbling
The cooing and babbling of a child are seen by the time he/she is about 12 months. If this “baby talk” does not occur at the right stage then this a real concern!
Does not heed to name or call
When a child does not respond to his/her name, the parents often think it to be hearing loss. This could be a sign of autism which must not be overlooked. Monitor the symptom and consult a doctor.
Delayed motor progress
If the development of the child indicates a delay in the proper motor development like rolling, crawling and pushing herself up, at an age where they should walk, then please visit a doctor.
Don’t lose time waiting and watching
Waiting and watching the child’s developmental delays, thinking that they may ‘grow out of’ them, then that’s like inviting problems! There is a risk of losing valuable time and inviting complications that worsen the problems. They need quick help and treatment on time. Schedule an appointment with the doctor for an appointment with a child development specialist.
My son recently started kindergarten but he seems to have trouble socializing with the other kids in his class and chooses to isolate himself from the rest. It caught my attention when you mentioned that children with autism tend to have difficulty communicating verbally and socializing with the people around them due to disinterest. I’ll have to visit a neurologist with him soon so he can get a proper diagnosis and the right treatment if needed.
thank you