Diagnosing Autism in Children

[George Giles]

Though most children and families find out about autism before the
child reaches the age of four, there are some that are diagnosed as
early as age one. Some children with Asperger's, is a higher
functioning form of the condition, may not know something is different
until they start school. No matter what the function level, or how
impaired a child might be, diagnosing autism early is always the best
way to go. However, because that is not always possible, the parents
can only deal with what they see. Some may suspect autism only to find
that something else is going on.
Parents are often the first to stop and think that something unusual
might be going on with their child. Other times, the doctor might see
signs first, and then mention that they would like to do more testing.
Parents generally notice motor problems, and a lack of communication
before a doctor, but there are times when new parents aren't aware
that development is not going as smoothly as it should be.
The most common signs parents might see is an unusual response (or
lack of response) to noises and other people. They might also notice
that their child spends time engrossed in just one activity or toy,
and they can't seem to get their attention while they are at play.
They may notice their child is prone to tantrums when faced with
situations that don't bother other children. The smallest changes in
their day can cause a huge tantrum.
When it comes to diagnosing autism, many other medical conditions must
be eliminated first. This usually means that child will first have a
hearing test. If they have problem with hearing, it might explain the
lack of response to noises and other people. It would also explain why
they are not talking, or are saying very little.
A doctor might also want to do some testing to look for genetic
problems that can explain the delays in development. Seizures might be
mild enough to cause a problem without being obvious to parent or
doctor, so testing for this is a good idea as well.
Once all of these medical issues have been ruled out, the doctor will
start looking for the signs of autism. There is no medical test that
can be performed for an autism diagnosis. The doctor will study
communication, socialization, and how a child behaves. These are the
main clues to figure out what is going. The doctor will examine the
child on their own, but will rely heavily on what they parent has to
tell them about milestones that are reached at a late age, or not
reached at all.
Diagnosis autism comes down to pretty much eliminating everything else
and then studying the child. Though this can be a long drawn out
affair, the diagnosis is a good thing if that is what is going on.
Diagnosing autism as early as possible is the best outcome for the
child in the long run. There are great programs and techniques a
parent can use to help with the communication and socialization
problems that these children tend to have. When they begin to overcome
these at an early age, they can have a better quality of life on down
the road. No one wants to receive this type of diagnosis but it is
better to know so healing can begin, and the family can start learning
to cope with what lies ahead.