Early Signs Of Autism In Babies
1. What Is Autism?
Autism is mental condition characterized by difficulty in communicating and relating to other people, while also being prone to language difficulties. Many parents do not realize their child is autistic until later in life because it can be hard to identify symptoms at this stage in development. The following are the early signs of autism, and what you need to look out for in a baby. (Continues on Page 2)
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2. Lack Of Eye Contact
Babies who are exhibiting the early signs of autism may have trouble making eye contact. This is usually most noticeable during feeding, or when they are being smiled at. Eye contact can be very stressful for someone with autism, but it should still be encouraged. This is because those with autism sometimes have trouble identifying emotion in other people, making eye contact very difficult.
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3. Lack of Awareness
If your child is showing signs of autism, you may notice that they are not very alert or aware. They may seem unaware of other people in the room or what is going on around them. This is because it can be difficult to handle too much stimuli for people with autism, and therefore have a hard time figuring out what needs to be filtered out, and where their attention needs to be focused.
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4. Doesn’t Respond To Their Name
Babies and toddlers exhibiting the early signs of autism may have trouble learning their name, or may simply be unable to pay attention. This may result in the child being unresponsive to their name when called.
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6. Doesn’t Follow Objects Visually
Do you notice your baby doesn’t follow objects in their field of vision, or have trouble following the gesture when you point things out to them? This may be an early sign of autism.
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7. Prefers Not To Be Touched
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8. Lack Of Imagination
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9. Very Quiet
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10: Trouble Sensing Feelings
Babies with autism will have difficulty understanding and learning feelings as they get older.
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11: Doesn’t Reach Out
Babies who are showing the early signs of autism many times will not reach out to be picked up nor will they respond to the offer.
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12: Trouble Hearing
Many babies showing the early signs of autism will have trouble hearing when spoken too. This could be because a lack of attention, or actual hearing issues.
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13. Lack Of Interest
Another early autism indicator in babies and toddlers can be a lack of interest in playing with others. They may not share interest or enjoyment in things with other people, and therefore may have a hard time relating.
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14. Doesn’t Share
Babies and toddlers who have autism many times will not be motivated to show off their accomplishments. For example, they may not show drawings after they are finished with them, or explain how their new toy works.
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15: Lack Of Empathy
Does your baby notice when you or someone else hurts themselves, and do they seem like they care and want to comfort you? This is common among babies with autism, but is sometimes difficult for those with the diagnosis.
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16: Autism Risk Factors: Antidepressants
Taking antidepressants during pregnancy can increase a child’s risk for autism, especially in the first 3 months .
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17: Autism Risk Factors: Vitamin Deficiencies
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18: Autism Risk Factors: Chemical Exposure
Teething is completely normal, and happens in almost ll infants. Eventually, your baby will receive all 20 of his or her primary teeth, which will eventually fall out and be replaced by 32 permanent, adult teeth.
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19: Autism Risk Factors: Maternal Infection
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20: Autism Risk Factors: Complications
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21: Autism Risk Factors: Age Of Mother
The age of the mother and father are both determining factors in terms of a baby’s risk of autism.
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22: Prevention: Take A Multivitamin
Taking folic acid daily can help prevent birth defects. It’s not known if this will also help reduce risk of autism, but taking the vitamins can’t hurt.
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23: Prevention: Ask About SSRI’s
Women taking an SSRI should talk with a clinician about all the risks of these drugs, as they cam have harmful effects on a developing baby. Untreated depression in a mother can also affect her child’s well-being later on, so it’s not an easy decision.
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24: Prevention: Practice Prenatal Care
Eating healthy foods, avoiding infections, and scheduling regular check-ups can increase your chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.
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25: How To Spot The Signs: Monitor
Autism is not always easy to spot in babies, and involves a lot of different of developmental delays, so it is important to make sure your child is hitting the key social, emotional, and cognitive milestones involved in early development. Developmental delays don’t always mean autism, but they may indicate a heightened risk for the child.
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26: How To Spot The Signs: Don’t Wait And See
Concerned parents are often met with things like “Don’t worry” or “Wait and see.” But waiting is the wrong decision, and offers no benefits. Waiting poses the risk of losing time when your child is at their best chance to improve and reach their full potential. They will not grow out of it, and will need extra help and carefully calibrated treatment.
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27: How To Spot The Signs: Trust Your Instincts
Hopefully your doctor will take your concerns to heart and evaluate your child thoroughly. However, sometimes even doctors make mistakes. If your think there is something wrong, trust your guy and either get a second opinion or ask to be referred to a child development specialist so you can get to the bottom of it.
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28: How To Spot The Signs : Take Action
There is no need to panic if your baby is a little late to walk and talk. There are is a very wide range of what is normal in child development. But if you notice your child is not hitting milestones or is exhibiting more than a few symptoms in this list, share your concerns with your child’s doctor immediately.
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29: Next Steps: Schedule Autism Screening
A number of specialized screening tools have been developed to identify children at risk for autism. Most of these screening tools are quick and straightforward, consisting of yes-or-no questions or a checklist of symptoms. Your pediatrician should also get your feedback regarding your child’s behavior.
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30: Next Steps: See A Development Specialist
A specialist can conduct a number of tests to determine whether or not your child has autism. Although many clinicians will not diagnose a child with autism before 30 months of age, they will be able to use screening techniques to determine when a cluster of symptoms associated with autism is present.
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31: Next Steps: Seek Early Intervention
Early intervention is a federally funded program for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Children who demonstrate several early warning signs may have developmental delays. They will benefit from early intervention whether or not they meet the full criteria for an autism spectrum disorder. In other words, there is more risk involved in the wait-and-see approach than in receiving early intervention.
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