Understanding developmental disorders and getting the right treatment is crucial for the child’s future. Many times, the subtle signs may be missed till they are very pronounced.
ETV Bharat Sukhibhava was in conversation with Dr. Nandita de Souza, developmental pediatrician, and director, Sethu Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance, Goa, for more informative insights on the same.
Autism Awareness – Catch the Early Signs
Autism is a condition manifested by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and regulating behavior. Across the world, the rates of autism diagnosis are steadily rising. It is estimated that there are over 2 million people with autism in India. With early treatment, children with autism can make huge strides in their development.
How do babies communicate?
Communication starts well before words are spoken. The intense facial regard and captivating social smile of a baby show that humans are social beings from early on. Facial expressions, enjoyment of social games like peekaboo, and gestures like pointing all appear before talking starts. These are very important milestones of child development.
What are the early signs of autism?
Families, teachers, and doctors should be aware of early signs of delay in socialization and communication. Some ‘red flags’ are given below
- By 6 months: No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions.
- By 9 months: No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions.
- By 12 months: Lack of response to name.
- By 12 months: No babbling or “baby talk.”
- By 12 months: No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, reaching, or waving.
- By 16 months: No spoken words.
- By 24 months: No meaningful two-word phrases that don’t involve imitating or repeating.
Also Read: It's Difficult For Parents To Accept A Child with Autism?
How can we monitor the child’s language development?
Parents must track their child’s developmental milestones and meet their pediatrician regularly. Screening for autism is an essential part of well-child care at 18 months and 24 months. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers - Revised (M-CHAT-R), is an excellent screening checklist, which parents can complete independently. Depending on the score, the child is classified as Low risk, Medium risk, and High Risk for autism. All children who are at medium or high risk should undergo a diagnostic assessment as soon as possible. A screening tool increases the detection rate and lowers the age of diagnosis from an average of 4 years to 2 years.
What if my child is at risk for autism?
If autism is suspected, there is no merit in the policy of ‘let’s wait and see’. Since symptoms are linked to faulty brain wiring, the earlier the diagnosis is made, the faster the intervention can start to rewire the brain and improve outcomes.
Early intervention should focus on social communication and facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, imitation, and play. Parents and other family members are coached to do the intervention at home, using play and daily activities to promote social engagement and communication. Sensory integration therapy can help in reducing many challenging behaviors. Children with autism do best in structured, predictable, and visually explicit environments.
Autism is still a puzzle to us in many ways. However, with advances in research, enhanced awareness, early diagnosis, and autism-specific intervention the puzzle pieces are falling in place and giving us a clearer picture. The picture is looking good!
For your queries, email: reachus@sethu.in
