How To Detect Autism In Your Child

[Christian Hanks]

Parents obviously want the best for their children and always want to
make sure that they are as happy as possible, as well as being as
healthy as possible. One of the things that parents should watch for,
however, is signs that their child might be suffering from autism or
autistic spectrum disorder. The signs of this disease are not
immediately obvious compared to a cut finger or bruised knee.
The signs of autism, if you are watching for them, are best to be
discovered before the child reaches 1 year old. When caught early, the
chances of minimizing the effects of autism are dramatically reduced.
Even at very young ages such as a few weeks to a few months, you may
be concerned if the child has little or no responsiveness to external
stimuli, perhaps seems oblivious to parents or caretakers in the same
room or holding them. As they get a bit older, another sign is a
failure to anticipate movement, such as when you walk by or wave your
hand in front of them.
As parents wanting the best for their children to be able to grow up
and mature in a normal manner, it is important to watch for signs of
this disorder, also known as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, as quickly as
possible. The effects of this disorder can do serious harm to the
child's social development, social interactions, communication skills
with others, and their ability to adapt to new situations, which can
even extend to staying with you in a hotel on vacation instead of
being in their own bed.
There is also a health risk that is enhanced for children with autism,
since studies have shown that the autistic child will develop more
slowly than other children of the same age and will also typically be
more susceptible to diseases and illnesses such as allergies, some
mild digestive disorders, and even respiratory problems.
Some of the signs of possible autism in your child that you should
watch for and be aware of would include:
* Responsiveness abnormalities. Children with autism do not respond in
the same way as children without autism, and frequently do not even
respond to hearing their own name. Children with autism are known to
virtually ignore certain sounds.
* Attention span. Children with autism are frequently unable to
concentrate or focus on objects that are shown to them, and also have
problems following movement, such as when a parent walks past them.
* Lack of imitational skills. Autistic children frequently do not
imitate their parents with facial expressions or gestures such as
waving, smiling, or making faces.
* Poor social skills. People afflicted with this disorder often have
difficulty in understanding other people's feelings, relating to
others around them, or even to be able to illustrate compassion for
someone else in distress.
* Lack of imagination. Autistic children frequently have problems in
playing "pretend games" or using their imagination. Children with
autism frequently are unable to see things in a way other than the way
things actually are.
A great reference for parents concerned about autism in their
children, and no parenting library should be without can be found at
our web site.
It is important to watch for these signs at very early ages during a
child's development, since if autism is successfully diagnosed at an
early age, chances are much better that measures can be taken at that
very young age to minimize the effects of the disorder.