How to Recognize Signs of Autism
Autism is a group of developmental disorders that is becoming more and more prevalent throughout the world. Affecting more boys than girls, autism presently has no solid cause or cure. Although the outlook for kids diagnosed with autism used to be fairly grim, there are now many different treatment options available. If you would like to know how to recognize signs of autism, the following tips can help.
Before you can recognize signs of autism, it is best to familiarize yourself a bit. Autism is considered a group of disorders because not every case of autism is created equal. In fact, individuals who suffer from autism may exhibit varying degrees of signs, symptoms, and effects. This is why autism is often known as autism spectrum disorder, because there are many levels of severity on the “autism spectrum.” Because not every case of autism is the same, treatment options vary as well. The most important thing to remember is early detection and intervention is the most effective way to combat autism. Now that you are a little more familiar with autism, it will be easier for you to recognize the signs.
Keep a Close Eye on Your Child’s Development
One of the best ways to recognize early signs of autism is by closely monitoring your child’s development. Starting when your child is as little as six months of age, there are some developmental milestones that should easily be recognized. Some of the early milestones that should take place are smiling and/or displaying other expressions of joy by 6 to 9 months, babbling or cooing by 12 months, and back-and-forth gestures like waving or pointing by around 12 months. If these milestones do not seem to take place, it is probably wise to have your child evaluated by a professional. Additionally, if at any time your child displays a loss or regression of social or emotional skills he or she once possessed, get an evaluation as soon as possible. Many kids who are diagnosed with autism appear to develop normally, and then suddenly seem to lose the skills they once had. No one really knows the cause of this, but at least there are many treatment options available if early intervention takes place.
Always Trust Your Parental Instincts
While every child develops differently, parents seem to know when something is not right with their child. This is why you should always trust your parental instincts when it comes to recognizing autism. If you are not noticing the normal milestones for your child’s age or you simply have a gut feeling that something is wrong, get him or her to a specially-trained doctor immediately. Since signs of autism can be recognized so early nowadays, a doctor should be able to give you their opinion right away. If the doctor feels like autism is a definite possibility, treatment can usually begin shortly thereafter. Keep in mind that if you take your son or daughter to a doctor that does not seem concerned, you always have the right to a second, or even third, opinion. If you honestly feel that something is wrong, do not give up until you get some answers.
Although autism is often difficult to understand, it is good to familiarize yourself with the disorder so you can recognize signs of it. With early detection and proper treatment, many kids diagnosed with autism will have a great chance at living a fairly normal life.
Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes about insurance quotes for InsuranceQuotes.org.