{"id":821,"date":"2017-06-21T08:24:06","date_gmt":"2017-06-21T08:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=821"},"modified":"2021-03-11T20:12:14","modified_gmt":"2021-03-11T20:12:14","slug":"14-early-signs-autism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-early-signs-autism\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Early Signs of Autism"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Autism is a developmental disability that results in impaired social skills, communication and abstract reasoning. This condition causes profound changes in the way that patients view the world around them and relate to others but can also range greatly in terms of severity and the impact that it has on an individual\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

The term autism can more broadly refer to ASD or \u2018Autism Spectrum Disorder\u2019, indicating that there is a spectrum of different conditions that could fall under the autistic umbrella with those at either end of the spectrum being greatly removed. \u2018Autistic disorder\u2019 itself is a condition that is found on this spectrum at the more extreme end. Asperger\u2019s syndrome meanwhile is considered a \u2018less mild\u2019 form of autism, with patients tending to be better able to integrate into society and live normal lives. Less extreme still are rett\u2019s disorder and childhood integrative disorder.<\/p>\n

Understanding these conditions and gaining help and support is critical for parents and for the healthy development and education of their children. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at 15 different signs of autism that you might be able to spot in infants. If you notice any of these and feel you have cause for concern, then you should seek a second opinion from your family physician.<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Avoids Eye Contact<\/h3>\n

One of the early signs of autism<\/a> is that a child avoids eye contact. This is a very basic and initial form of social interaction that most children develop very early on. Normally this will happen during feeding or when being smiled at. Studies suggest that babies are able to recognize human faces nearly immediately after they are born and show preferential attention for them.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s important to remember that very young children also have very limited vision and thus may not be able to see you looking at them. Keep in mind too that late development in this scenario could actually point to vision problems.<\/p>\n

\"\"2. \u00a0Won\u2019t Respond to Their Name<\/h3>\n

Usually, a baby will begin to respond to their name by looking around or smiling before they have developed the ability to talk or understand other language. Again though, it is important to consider that there are once more other potential causes for this symptoms.<\/p>\n

For example, your child might actually be deaf<\/a> and it is fairly common for vision and hearing problems to be mistake for autism. This is also important to diagnose early on, so either way, you should see a GP.<\/p>\n

This is most likely to be an issue if it still isn\u2019t present by 12 months.<\/p>\n

\"\"3. \u00a0Does Not Point at Objects<\/h3>\n

Early on in a child\u2019s development, they will usually begin to point to objects in order to show interest. They might also reach out toward objects in order to ask for them to be passed.<\/p>\n

This is a very rudimentary form of communication and often young infants<\/a> will build on this in order to begin to communicate in more advanced ways. They are learning here that reaching results in getting what they want, and thus seeing the merits of communication early on. It is important that you work with your child to help them grasp this concept.<\/p>\n

Pointing is a behaviour that you should expect to see by around 12 months at the latest.<\/p>\n

\"\"4. \u00a0Lack of Smiles<\/h3>\n

If your child doesn\u2019t smile or show joyful expressions, then this can also suggest autism.<\/p>\n

Usually, you should start to notice your child<\/a> smiling in a big way and even laughing fairly early on. Development rates vary for everyone though, so don\u2019t be alarmed if it doesn\u2019t happen right away.<\/p>\n

However, if by six months your child still hasn\u2019t begun smiling, this might be considered to be a red flag.<\/p>\n

\"\"5. \u00a0Play and Share With Others<\/h3>\n

Children take a while as they develop to start to empathise and understand others, thus they might struggle with sharing and playing and this is the cause for many playground arguments.<\/p>\n

However, if your child doesn\u2019t begin to show interest in other children, or doesn\u2019t appear to want to share or help others at all, then this can be a symptom of autism and a lack of social intelligence.<\/p>\n

Of course we learn a lot through our interactions with others and this is another reason it is very important for young children to get special attention during their education and development if they exhibit signs of autism or Asperger\u2019s<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"6. \u00a0Notice if You Hurt Yourself<\/h3>\n

Normally, once your child begins to understand your role in their lives, they will respond to signs that you are unhappy or that you are hurt. If you say \u2018ow\u2019 or appear to cry, they will be concerned and may try to comfort you.<\/p>\n

Once again, if your child lacks this behaviour, it could potentially point to autism or another developmental disorder<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"7. \u00a0No Back and Forth<\/h3>\n

While you might have to wait a while before you hold long conversations with your children, they should start to be able to respond to your sounds, smiles and other facial responses. Often they will respond by mimicking, which is a result of mirror neurons<\/a> and another mechanism through which learning occurs.<\/p>\n

However, if your child does not appear to smile back, to mimic your body language or respond in any way, then this might be a sign of autism.<\/p>\n

This behaviour should manifest at around the age of 12 months at the latest.<\/p>\n

\"\"8. \u00a0Lack of Language Acquisition<\/h3>\n

In the most severe<\/a> forms of autism, children may never develop the ability to speak and write. In less severe forms, it can simply develop late or not to a high degree.<\/p>\n

Either way, if your child is particularly slow to adopt basic language, then this might suggest autism. Usually by the age of 12 months, you would expect your child to begin babbling and using \u2018baby talk\u2019. By 16 months, it is unusual for there to be some spoken words, even if they are very basic.<\/p>\n

Finally, at the age of 24 months, you should start to notice your child stringing together basic but meaningful two word phrases without needing to imitate or repeat them.<\/p>\n

\"\"9. \u00a0Difficult With \u2018Pretend\u2019 Games<\/h3>\n

As your child gets older, you might notice more subtle signs of spectrum disorder<\/a>. For example, if they are playing in a group then they might struggle to grasp or enjoy \u2018pretend\u2019 games.<\/p>\n

Children with Asperger\u2019s and autism struggle with abstract concepts and this can include playing imaginary games.<\/p>\n

They might likewise appear to take what you say very literally.<\/p>\n

\"\"10. \u00a0Mood Swings<\/h3>\n

Children on the autistic spectrum can struggle to understand their own emotions, as well as those of others.<\/p>\n

This means that they might experience mood swings beyond what is normal for a child of their age. Likewise, this can also result from a lack of understanding of how others work and an inability to communicate \u2013 things that can be highly frustrating for a young child.<\/p>\n

If your child appears to have angry outbursts or behavioral issues<\/a>, then this could point to a spectrum disorder.<\/p>\n

\"\"11. \u00a0Theory of Mind<\/h3>\n

As a child ages<\/a>, they should begin to develop a more advanced \u2018theory of mind\u2019. This is a working model that helps them to understand the motivations and actions of others and to predict how they are going to behave.<\/p>\n

A good example of this is the \u2018false belief\u2019. Very young children and children who suffer from autism don\u2019t understand that someone might hold an opinion different to what they know to be true. For instance, in the \u2018Sally Anne\u2019 test, a character called Sally Anne has a basket containing fruit but she only sees a number of items go into the basket.<\/p>\n

After a certain age, children should be able to recognize that Sally Anne will only know about the items she witnessed. Those with autism however can struggle to recognize that Sally Anne has her own thoughts and beliefs and thus they will believe that she knows the correct number of items.<\/p>\n

\"\"12. \u00a0Repetitive Tasks<\/h3>\n

Sometimes a child with autism may appear to get \u2018stuck\u2019 on a task. They will thus get stuck into repetitive behaviour and might repeat the same actions over and over again.<\/p>\n

These actions can include flapping their hands, rocking or twirling and this is also sometimes referred to as \u2018self-stimulatory behavior\u2019 or \u2018stimming\u2019.<\/p>\n

In some cases, children with autism might bash their heads against the wall, pull at their hair or otherwise cause self-harm<\/a> \u2013 which can of course be distressing for a caregiver to watch.<\/p>\n

\"\"13. \u00a0Routine<\/h3>\n

Children with autism will often like routine and become very inflexible when it comes to straying from that routine.<\/p>\n

They might feel the need to take the same route into school every day, to have meals at a specific time or to watch the same program over and over again. Children with autism can become very distressed<\/a> at changes to their routine or the world around them \u2013 they might get very upset if you get a haircut, or if they have to change class at school.<\/p>\n

This attachment might also be demonstrated in other ways, such as an obsession with a specific toy.<\/p>\n

\"\"14. \u00a0Obsessive Interest<\/h3>\n

Those with a condition on the autistic spectrum might develop a special area of interest that they become very preoccupied with. Autistic children are often particularly drawn to subjects involving numbers, symbols or spatial awareness<\/a> and are far less likely to become interested in more abstract topics such as art or poetry.<\/p>\n

In some cases, this obsessive preoccupation can result in the development of a special skill. Children who spend vast amounts of time memorizing maps for instance might end up with seemingly super-human navigational skills or geographical knowledge. In other cases, these special talents might appear to be much more innate and involve incredible mathematical ability.<\/p>\n

These are examples of \u2018autistic savantism\u2019 which is the basis for films like \u2018Rain Man\u2019. However, it\u2019s important to recognize that this is actually extremely rare and it is a myth that all children with autism will develop a \u2018special ability\u2019.<\/p>\n

This does however demonstrate an important fact however: that children with autism are in no way \u2018inferior\u2019 to those without. In fact, they may in some ways have advantages over their peers. They simply think differently and you can help them by recognizing this difference as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\r\n

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