Signs of Autism in Infants
Autism is a scary word for any parent to hear and some parents may delay getting their child tested because they just do not want to hear that diagnosis for their child. However, it is very important that if the child does have autism that he or she be tested as soon as possible. The sooner the child is diagnosed the sooner they can start treatment and the better prognosis they will have for the future.
It is important that parents are keeping an eye on their child's development and making sure that their child is meeting the normal developmental milestones. If the infant is not meeting these milestones there maybe a concern that there is signs of autism. Autism is a disorder that affects a childs social skills and well as their nonverbal and verbal communication skills. Autism has been known to affect as many as 1 in 166 children. It tends to affect more boys than girls. Although, autism generally is not diagnosed until around the age of 3, a few professionals think that there can be some signs of autism in infants.
Milestones That Parents Should Be Looking For In Their Child
* smiling or cooing by six months of age
* pointing or using other gestures by 12 months
* using single words by age 16 months
* using two word phrases by 24 months
Early Warning Signs
Here are some early warning signs that parents and pediatricians may need to be alert to:
* Doesn’t make eye contact such as when you are feeding them
* Doesn't smile when someone smiles at them
* Doesn't respond to familiar voices and won't respond to their name
* Doesn't point or wave goodbye or use other gestures to communicate.
* Doesn’t make noises to get your attention.
* Doesn’t respond to cuddling and will often resist being cuddled.
* Doesn’t imitate and copy your facial expressions
* Doesn’t reach out to be picked up.
* Doesn’t show interest in playing with other people
Children with autism spectrum disorders generally exhibit a range of distinctive symptoms. It is best that parents be aware of these early signs of autism, when the disorder is detected at an early age, this can greatly improve a child's general prognosis.
