Symptoms Of Autism In Infants And Children

According to health officials and medical professionals, the exact causes of autism are still unclear, although there is considerable consensus that there is some kind of genetic link between disease and genes of the person. There are other variables that could be the possible causes, such as environmental factors and immune system abnormalities. However, most health professionals and doctors agree that early intervention and diagnosis is always the best course of action to follow.

Identify early warning signs of the disease

Past clinical research has shown that the earlier a child is properly diagnosed and prescribed treatment will result in the long run be much better. Some of the National Institute of Mental Health early warning signs:

o In many cases, the child does not respond with an expression of joy on the face (ie, smile)

o The child has not said a word when you are older than 16 months

o They do not seem to understand how to play with her toys

Or I'm not talking in a meaningful way, and / or observable, or to indicate when they reached 12 months of age

Or not maintain eye contact for a long time, if they do not

o They have not begun to combine two words together by the time they reach 2 years

Or rarely interact with others, sometimes not at all

o They rarely respond to their names,

o They sometimes focus exclusively on a single object or a toy

o They begin to lose acquired language and social skills

o They will be less focus on issues critical or important, but they will focus on specific queue objects or toys

The warning signs listed above are the main indicators of autism spectrum disorder may be present in the individual, although there are others to be aware of this. What you need to remember is that there will be many explanations for most of the signs, as mentioned in the above points.

Early signs or symptoms of autism in infants

A number of different clinical studies have revealed the first signs and symptoms of autism in children present at certain ages are as follows:

o 6 months - no smile

or 9 months - the lack of exchange of smiles and / or other sounds

or 1 year - the inability to babble, point or reach different objects, or waves around the

OR 1 year, 4 months - a lack of vocabulary or in whole without the development of

o 2 years - the inability to create simple sentences (two words)

Or any age - Regression of communication, social and / or ability to speak

During childhood, there may be serious sensory problems to deal with this period in the life of a child, including the abnormal reaction to certain sounds, tastes, and touching. Although mild autism can be treated with appropriate counseling and therapy, but severe autism is difficult.

Autism Spectrum - Know The Facts

Autism is a developmental disorder that can affect how the individual communicates and socializes. In addition, there are also language skills and motor skills involved. A child with autism may have a high IQ, or may be mentally disabled. People with autism can be very talkative or who may be quiet, very loving or eliminated altogether, very organized and very disorganized. There are many disorders of the autism spectrum and a wide variety of symptoms also accompany.

Because parents are more aware of autism spectrum is more likely to develop autism? Children are more likely to develop autism than girls. If a child has a twin brother, it is likely that the other twin will also develop some degree of autism.

There are many different symptoms of autism, and they each react differently to each. While two people may have similar symptoms, they will not have the same degree of symptoms. People are not able to predict how the symptoms of autism will be mild or severe.

Autism is usually discovered at the age of two years, but can affect a child from infancy. When a child develops through the milestones of their age, because if this can be an indication that something is not quite correct and should be examined by the doctor. Stages of development are simply a way for doctors and health professionals and parents can determine if your child is under way. If after two years a child can not speak or socialized properly, then you may want to test it to see if they are autistic.

When a child suffers from autism spectrum disorders, there are various social skills that can compensate for the severity of the disease. A person with autism can be fully integrated in a crowd, while others may feel intimidated by large crowds, but works very well in a classroom. Most autistic children will not make eye contact, while others can have eye contact with a teacher or parent, but not to strangers.

Autism is often misunderstood and can pass for behavior problems, however, when diagnosed, it may be something that can improve over time. Be patient, learn what you can, and love the person with autism, even if you think you do not want love, they need it.

Your child's doctor will know what to look for and examine your child for autism is a factor or not. If your child is autistic, he or she can start immediately and can learn to live with this condition. It is also important that the family learns to live with autism anyway. There are many occasions when the family feels responsible for the condition, however, this does not help children. It is only beneficial to work with the child and the rest of the family to create a stable family environment where children feel secure.

Most people only know Autism by word and maybe a few little facts

Most people only know Autism by word and maybe a few little facts. It is important for everyone to know more about it and learn more about the Autism symptoms. Knowing more about this disorder can help others understand someone with the condition or notice if someone has Autism, and help them get the right treatment.

It is not something that has a cure - not yet. There is not even a known cause to help prevent it. The truth is that even though so many children and adults suffer from it, information about the cause and cure is still lost to humanity.

Autism is considered to be genetic and can be noticed or often detected by those that are close to the child, including teachers, family and friends. However, it is best to notice the behavior patterns of the child and report them to the doctor correctly. Knowing the symptoms will help the doctor check if the child is autistic. Individuals with autism need supervision, along with their treatment and as a parent of an autistic child, you are feeling lost there are support groups in your local areas or online. Being a member of a support group can help deal with innumerable situations that you face, as do most of the other parents while dealing with their children.

Autism symptoms vary for each child and thus, can be difficult to identify the disorder. There are actually many symptoms, but not every child exhibits all of the symptoms, making it extremely difficult to pin-point and say that the child is autistic, if the disorder is mild. Often children need to have four symptoms and accordingly the doctor determines, if they are autistic or not.

Some Autism symptoms include:

*Prefer to be alone and often described as living in their own world
*Do not like touching or being touched by others
*Poor language skills
*Difficult expressing their thoughts into words
*Strange ways of playing compared to other children without autism
*Single focus for long periods of time
*Do not smile or lie being hugged
*Higher sensitivity to bright lights and sound
*Usually no response is visible when addressed
*Less pain sensitivity as compared to others

Treatments for Autism continue to be studied. The goal is to discover a treatment to cure or at least reduce the symptoms of Autism. Some of the studies undertaken have shown that hereditary or genetic factors may have played a role in the condition. Additionally, it has been seen that there are more boys, than girls affected by this neurological disorder.

Although there are numerous centers for autistic children all over the country, if you have a child that is autistic or know someone who has, it is best to seek assistance from a non-profit organization or a child development center. To diagnose the condition professionally requires a few specific tests including blood lead test, evaluation of hearing and a basic screen test for Autism which only a licensed and qualified physician can do.

The Most Encountered Symptoms and Signs of Autism

The only thing we can do for autistic people is to try to help them integrate and fit in as much as possible, and to make them feel good about themselves.

The first thing that can be done in order to help an autistic person is need to discover if he/she is suffering from autism or not by checking the symptoms, because it's up to the ones around those with autism disorders to discover them due to the fact that they are not aware of their own condition and will never visit a doctor on their own. In the children's case it's up to the parents or the family to see if their son or daughter have the autism condition.

Autism is a term that covers a wide-range of disabilities, from mild to severe ones, so there aren't some specific symptoms of this so-called illness, but it is known that it affects behavior, interaction with others and communication skills, so those with problems of this kind and that present some other signs that seem to be common in autism cases are diagnosed with the autism disorder.

Here follows a list of the most encountered symptoms and signs of autism, but as mentioned before this affection does not follow a certain pattern, so don't jump to any conclusions on your own. Only a certified doctor can put an accurate diagnosis.

The first autism symptoms can be detected during the childhood, and until the child reaches the age of 3 or 4 years old the disorder is usually very visible. Adults and children that suffer from autism disorders are completely ignoring other people, they are indifferent to whatever is happening around them, they like to be alone, they reject contact and communication with others and they stare for hours at a single thing sometimes. They are living in a world of their own and they are very sensitive to sensations such as strong smells or loud noises.

Austists cannot speak right, they have problems with the language skills, so they express their needs through gestures rather than through words. Young children with autism don't like to be cuddled, tickled, or touched at all. The way they play is very different from other children's play.

The world is a strange place that they don't understand, so autistic persons need special treatment and special care, they need to be loved and protected because they are in danger all the time. For them it does not seem dangerous to cross the street when the traffic lights are red for example.

Therefore, discovering and properly diagnosing and treating autism is the first and most important step in helping those that suffer from it. So seek advice from a specialized doctor if you suspect your child or anyone else to be an autistic.

Cure Autism And That Claim to Have Medical Proof

However, at this point in time there is no single method that has been medically proven that will cure autism.

Unfortunately there are many techniques that claim to cure autism and that claim to have medical proof. Possibly the worst are those that claim they have developed antidotes creating the belief that a single potion will cure autism.

The route for producing an actual cure must start with a concept. The concept is then tested and after a certain amount of medical research, there has to be a medical report or publication that is published for review by the medical community. Once the medical papers have been published the medical community support or reject the medical data presented.

After a certain degree of acceptance by the community and by an established medical society or institution, preferably a government organisation, can a cure actually be known as a cure.

False treatments and medicines that have been labelled as a cure are either not supported by any medical research or by recognised institutions.

Finding an autism cure is a minefield for parents because on the internet there are many websites and sales pages that try to convince people that they have a cure. The products or techniques that are offered may actually work, and they may even be supported by research but until the research is published and accepted - it's not a proven cure.

The main reason for this is because medical research can be easily distorted and misrepresented to show numbers and figures that make it look like the research is an absolute certainty. This is why it has to be subject to, what are often called, medical pier reviews.

Other doctors and clinicians will weed out the speculative data and false research. This is basically what happened with one Doctor that claimed the MMR vaccine was a cause of autism. The medical research came under speculation and has been rejected by government medical bodies.

Although there is no known cure, there are many therapies that are shown and proven to help improve the symptoms such as music therapy or occupational therapy. These are non-intrusive therapies that seek to improve skills such as moto-neurological skills and improve the central nervous system.

These help autistic people gain more control over their sensory processing or body. However these help autistic people manage and overcome their autistic symptoms which may lead to what could be considered a cure, but they do not remove them as a cure would.

So don't be fooled by claims and hype about cures and potions for autism and be cautious about spending money on techniques and therapies until you have a good idea what the therapy does and how it can help.

Diagnosing and treatment of autism in infants is hard

Autism is hard to diagnose before 2 years of age, but babies can start showing symptoms between 12 and 18 months of age. Mostly, you want to be aware of what the developmental milestones for each age are, and pay attention to make sure they attain them. Missing milestones is a good clue to potential problems.

If your infant does not respond to cuddling, and seems to stiffen in your arms and try to get away from you, that could be a possible sign (or you could just have a finicky baby). If your infant doesn't look at you when being fed, or reach out to be held, these are also signs.

Other Possible Warning Signs of Autism In Infants

Here are some other early signs of autism in babies and toddlers:

If your baby does not smile at you when you smile at him
Your infant does not respond to cuddling or they do not reach out and want to be picked up
Not looking at you when you are feeding her
Not responding to his name or to the sound of a familiar voice
Won't follow objects or focus on them with his eyes as you move them around
Not using gestures such as pointing or waving goodbye
Not recognizing gestures you use such as not looking at an object that you point to
Not realizing that if he makes noise, he will get your attention
Lack of imitation of facial expressions or lack of imitation of your hand or body movements
When you pick her up she does not reach out to you to express the desire to be held

If by a year old, your baby does not respond to their name, does not babble or engage in "baby talk," and does not point to things to show you, then this also warrants an evaluation by a doctor.

Is there such a thing as autism treatment for infants?

Well, some researchers think so. One of the most important elements of the infant experience is the mother-child bond. If an infant is not attuned to this bond or is trying to avoid the bond because of certain sensory issues, then they could miss out on important social development steps later on.

So what can you do to help your autistic infant gain social development skills?

You can change the environment so that it promotes interaction, such as eye contact and babbling. You make the infant feel as comfortable as possible. That means it needs to be as quiet as possible, no bright lights, mobiles and other such things may be visually overwhelming, fragrances could be overwhelming, and start slow.

Assume that your infant is being bombarded by sensory information, and try to minimize that so they can focus on you instead of it. Touch your infant very gently and slowly. If you do this, there is a greater chance the infant will be learning the social information that they should be attuned to.

Diagnosing and treatment of autism in infants is hard to do, but not impossible.

Autism Care For Toddlers

Many parents are frightened upon finding out that their child is autistic. The prospect of raising a child who has autism is intimidating, and having an autistic child is an exercise in patience, certainly. However, it can also be just as rewarding an experience for parents as raising a normal child. Toddlers at any age and of any abilities can be a challenge, but there are some great ways to make it easier on your child as well as yourself.

Do Some Research - With the internet, this is easier than ever. Don't let the internet be the end of your resources, though. While there are many websites and forums online for parents of autistic children - and it is helpful to join some of these to network with other parents - it's also important to pick up a few books. Keep in mind that all children are different and every method suggested will not work for every child.

Get to Know Your Toddler - Autism is not a disorder that is the same from person to person. It is called the 'autism spectrum' because severity and forms vary from minor symptoms to very significant problems. A professional diagnosis can give you an accurate idea of your child's position on the spectrum, but it is up to you to learn who your child is as a person. Keep a Diary This is more for record-keeping than for a sounding board. Write down everything from foods to reactions to certain colours, textures, and environments. You can learn a great deal about which things agitate or upset your child this way. Also make note of any new symptoms you notice. Having a record of symptoms and reactions to environmental factors can help when contacting your child's doctor, as well.

Stay Attentive - It is important to pay attention. Every parent knows this, but it is all the more important when caring for a child with autism because many don't understand or have the ability to express their feelings and emotions. Children who have autism can seem cold, standoffish, and indifferent even to their parents. Don't make the mistake of assuming that they do not have those feelings, though. Many toddlers who have profound autism are unable to hug and kiss their parents and find it distressing when forced to do so. Take your child's feelings into account when considering any activities.

Create a Routine - Routine is everything to an autistic child because it gives them feelings of safety and calm. Most are frustrated very easily by a small change in routine that seems like nothing at all to you. Try to arrange for naps, meals, playtime, and outings to occur at the same time each day. It can also be helpful to create routines for certain times of day, such as bedtime. Many children who have autism are very high-strung. By removing stimulation, such as foods and television, a couple of hours before bed and performing more calming activities can help get an autistic toddler to fall asleep.