Basic Information About Autism

When he was fifteen months old, our little grandson, Sean, was a bright, happy, intelligent child whom most parents would characterize as “easy.” He ate all the special food which his health-conscious mother prepared, loved to be read to, and seemed to have a special love for words, often laughing at the verbal shenanigans of Dr. Suess. Yet when he was two, Sean was diagnosed with autism. Now that we know that autism is the nation’s fastest-growing developmental disorder, we realize that there were early signs that Sean was on the autism spectrum.Autism affects one in every 110 children, and the rate is higher among boys. This year more children will be diagnosed with autism than with cancer, AIDS, and diabetes combined, according to the Autism Speaks organization, and everyone agrees that the earlier a child is diagnosed with this disorder, the better. Early intervention can have a big impact on the development of autistic children.Although doctors earlier recommended a “wait and see” approach to autism, experts now say that parents should act early because waiting can lead to missed opportunities for helping these children. Dr. Rebecca Landa, head of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, says, “By identifying these early signs of autism and acting early, we are providing toddlers with tools and skills to increase social opportunities throughout their lifetime and positioning them to have the best possible outcomes.”Researchers at Kennedy Krieger Institute have recently made major advances that now allow the signs of autism to be detected in children as young as age one. Parents should look for these early warning signs:* Little or no attempt to attract attention. Infants and toddlers normally seek the attention of those around them-e.g., making silly facial expressions, moving their limbs and making babbling sounds in babies younger than 1, to talking and acting silly in children older than 12 months. Children who don’t try to attract the attention of others in these ways could be at risk.* Poor eye contact. By the age of 2 months, infants can make direct eye contact with an adult. Children at risk for autism often avoid making eye contact and are more interested in staring at objects or other facial features such as the mouth.* Poor or no response to own name. By 6 months, typical children will respond when an adult calls their name. Parents should be concerned if their child infrequently responds to his name.* Delayed speech/babbling. Children should be babbling as young as 6 months.* Doesn’t mimic facial expressions. When a baby does not voluntarily reciprocate a parent’s smile as early as 2 months, it’s a red flag for autism.* Engages in unusual play. Unusual play is another red flag-spinning, flicking, or lining up toys and objects in a purposeless, repetitive way (more noticeable as children reach 2 or 3 years).* Unusual body movements. Children with autism might repeatedly stiffen arms or legs, flap hands or arms, twist their wrists or move in other unusual ways.* Repetitive language. Children with autism may engage in repetitive language, such as reciting the ABCs before they can make word combinations.* Does not express desire to share interests. – At 9 to 12 months old, sometimes earlier, children want to show or share their interests with others-e.g., pointing and waiting for a parent to react, or holding up a toy to see and commenting on it. A child with autism may not attempt to engage socially in this way.* Disinterested in imitating others. An early warning sign of autism is often a child’s disinterest in imitating others because this is how babies learn. More often, a child in danger of autism observes rather than imitates.