How to Detect the Signs of Autism

As of 2010, the CDC has determined that approximately 1 in 110 American children has autism. That is nearly one percent of all children in the US. Recognizing the signs of autism early is very important because it is better to receive treatment sooner rather than later. The quicker you treat someone for autism, the more likely they are to recover from it. Autism is a disability that affects speech and the ability to socialize. Other common characteristics that define autism include odd behaviors for a child, obsessive compulsive behaviors, self stimulation behaviors and intense tantrums.

Instructions

• 1

  Consult with your pediatrician if you notice any abnormal behaviors. Your pediatrician can recommend a psychologist to diagnose your child.

  Always trust your instincts. If the pediatrician is not a professional in the field of autism and does not believe your child has autism, politely ask them to refer you to a professional who can properly diagnose your child. You can also search the Internet for professionals. Type in your city or zip code and the word autism. A list of local professionals who can diagnose your child along with other websites with valuable information will pop-up.

• 2

  Pay attention to your child's speech. If your child does not babble by 12 months or show signs of speech by 16 months, then it could be possible that your child has autism. Also, a loss of speech at any age or lack of two-word phrases that carry meaning are also big signs that your child may have autism.

• 3

  Pay attention to how your child responds to you. If your child does not respond to his name or sometimes responds and sometimes doesn't that is also a sign of potential autism. Also, if your child appears deaf at times, but then at other times does not, that is also a sign. In addition, if your child is not warm towards you, fails to make eye contact, or dislikes contact such as hugs then he may have autism.

• 4

  Pay attention to your child's behavior. Some behaviors to take note of are intense frequent tantrums for no apparent reason, constant rocking behaviors that you can't get your child to stop, and hand-flapping. Some other signs to take note of is if your child becomes obsessed with certain toys or lines them up and insists on not moving them, makes repetitive motions or repeats the same speech over and over, lacks the desire to play with other kids around her age, and/or if she has an extreme reaction to any sort of change in her environment, diet or routine. If your child shows any of these signs, then she may have autism. Seek out a professional diagnoses.

• 5

  Get treatment. The sooner you get treatment for your child the better. She is more likely to recover from the autism symptoms if she receives treatment early in her childhood. According to the WebMD article "Researchers See Recovery From Autism" which reported on a meeting the International Society for Autism Research held, the chances of recovering from autism seem to be 1 in 10. Chances were higher if intervention is early. ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) showed the best results for moving someone off the spectrum.

  ABA goes back to B.F. Skinner who developed conditioning to taught animals certain behaviors based by rewarding them whenever they did the desired behavior. ABA works in the same fashion, rewarding a child on the spectrum for when they display a desired behavior such as making eye contact or for showing a smile.

  There are many treatment options available for autism. The doctor will most likely recommend ABA and occupational therapy as the main treatment options, but there are other options also available..

  Here are three other options to also take note of.

  Floortime is a strategy developed by child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan. The premise behind floortime is that the parent tries to communicate on the same level as the child--essentially entering the child's world.

  The Son-Rise Program was created by authors/teachers Neil Kaufman and Samahria Lyte Kaufman. They are the founders of the Autism Treatment Center of America. Like Floortime, The Son-Rise Program also involves joining the child in whatever activity they are doing including repetitive behaviors.

  PECS teaches the individual with autism how to communicate with picture cards. This is similar to sign-language. While not truly a treatment, PECS is very valuable to any parent whose child is either nonverbal or has limited speech.