What Are Some Early Signs Of Autism?

If autism can be detected at a very young age, early intervention might make all of the difference in the world. Young children can be helped with different types of therapy to help them cope with their disorder. In many cases, some medical professionals can diagnose an autism spectrum disorder by the time a child is two years old or even younger.

The outcome for children with autism depends upon the individual. As you consider some early signs of autism, it is important to remember that many autistic children are very bright. With proper therapy, they may learn to cope with many of their differences, so they can grow up to lead productive and happy lives. Other individuals who are more severely affected might need to have support and care for the rest of their lives.

What Are Some Early Signs Of Autism?

There are early signs and symptoms of autism. However, it is important to remember that every child develops at a different rate, so one symptom does not always indicate that a child has an autism spectrum disorder. Medical professionals usually look at a combination of symptoms in order to make a diagnosis.

The other thing to remember is that children who have autism are individuals, and there are also different types of autism. Again, that is why it is important to consider a number of different things before deciding if a child is affected with autism or not.

Speech

In some autistic children speech is delayed. However, some children who have a type of autism that is known as Asperger's may have be very verbal. They may simply go on about topics that are not always interesting to the people they are speaking to.

Sensory Issues

Lots of children who have autism suffer from sensory problems. They could be very sensitive to touch, temperature, and noises. It might seem like autistic children get upset for no reason, but they are actually reacting to things in their environment that bother them, but that you might not even notice.

Balance and Walking

Some children with autism seem to walk and move awkwardly. They may even walk on their toes when most children would walk around on flat feet. This is not because there is a physical problem, but it is probably because of sensory issues. They do not feel their bodies the way that normal children feel them. 

Who To Tell About Early Signs Of Autism?

If you believe your child displays some of these signs, you may want to visit your family doctor. He may refer you to an expert for more help.

Some Interesting Facts about Autism

There are interesting facts about autism, and its prevalence in the United States and around the world. Autism appears to be on the rise, affecting one out of every 88 children, and out of that, one in every 54 boys. Today, autism continues to be the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States. On average, families dealing with an autistic child spend an average of $60,000 every year over and above families that do not have children with the condition.

The Cause
For unknown reasons, boys tend to be five times as likely to acquire autism compared to girls. To date there is no known cure or medical detection developed to identify or cure autism. Studies indicate that autism is likely a genetically-based condition. This is because scientific study indicates that an identical twin that has a twin sibling suffering from autism has an 80 percent to 90 percent chance of being diagnosed with the disorder.

Some scientists are attempting to determine if there are environmental triggers involving the onset of ASD (autism spectrum disorders). Over the last two decades, there was an increase in the belief that autism might have been caused by vaccinations. However, this belief has been disproven.

Diagnosing Autism

Some doctors are able to detect the beginning signs of autism in the very young, when infants are between six months and 18 months old. This is often because it is easy to detect that the baby is not fixating on objects, or responding to individuals. This exhibit is thought to be an early sign of ASD. Older children often failed to respond to a variety of conditions including making direct eye contact, not responding to their name, lacking joint attention, or engaging in repetitive movements including arm flapping or rocking.

The Treatment

One of the many interesting facts about autism involves the treatment. Scientists agree that the earlier intervention can be started with children suffering with ASD the better their prognosis. In fact, every child with autism can benefit significantly through early intervention. Some have the ability to attend mainstream educational facilities, when ABA (applied behavioral analysis) along with physical and speech therapy is blended into their learning model.

Another one of the many interesting facts about autism centers on its uniqueness. No two individuals suffering from ASD are alike. Fortunately, the condition is treatable, with many individuals experiencing greatly improved diverse symptoms caused by autistic spectrum disorder.