How A Family's Background Influence Children With Autism

autism

Does My Child Have Autism?

Catching autism early makes a huge deviation. By recognizing the early signs and symptoms, you tin can become your child the help they demand to learn, abound, and thrive.

Eye-level view of toddler lying on hardwood floor, pushing building blocks together determinedly

What is autism?

Autism expresses itself through a spectrum of symptoms. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appears in infancy and early childhood, causing delays in many basic areas of development, such as learning to talk, play, and collaborate with others.

The signs and symptoms of autism vary widely, equally do its furnishings. Some children with autism take only balmy impairments, while others accept more obstacles to overcome. However, every child on the autism spectrum has problems, at to the lowest degree to some caste, in the following three areas:

Communicating verbally and non-verbally.
Relating to others and the world around them.
Thinking and behaving flexibly.

There are dissimilar opinions among doctors, parents, and experts about what causes autism and how best to treat it. There is one fact, notwithstanding, that everyone agrees on: early and intensive intervention helps. For children at gamble and children who show early on signs, it can make all the divergence. But no affair your child's age, don't lose hope. Treatment tin reduce the disorder's effects and help your kid thrive in life.

What is high-functioning autism?

Although it'southward not an official diagnosis or medical term, "high-functioning" implies that someone with autism has the intellectual ability to navigate society without assistance. Information technology was often used to describe people with Asperger'south syndrome, which was initially categorized every bit a split up and milder disorder than autism. A kid diagnosed with Asperger'due south, for example, might not experience the same spoken communication filibuster as a kid diagnosed with autism. Notwithstanding, while Asperger'south is now officially incorporated into the broader autism spectrum, you might sometimes still hear the term used.

[Read: Autism Spectrum Disorders]

In a 2019 study, researchers argued that the term "high-functioning" could exist both harmful and misleading. It puts heavy emphasis on IQ and doesn't account for all the potential strengths and weaknesses an autistic individual may possess. And only because someone has an average or high IQ, information technology doesn't hateful they tin can adapt or part well in other ways.

One baby'southward story

Melanie is a healthy one-year one-time, but her parents are worried about her evolution considering she'south not doing many things that her older brother did at her age, like playing peek-a-boo and mimicking expressions and gestures. Melanie's mom and dad effort to engage her with toys, songs, and games, only nothing they do gets her interest, let alone a laugh or a smiling. In fact, she rarely makes middle contact. And although her hearing has been checked and is normal, she doesn't blubbering, brand other baby noises, or answer when her parents phone call her proper name. Melanie needs to be checked out by a child evolution specialist right away.

How parents tin spot the warning signs

As a parent, y'all're in the best position to spot the primeval warning signs of autism. You know your kid better than anyone and notice behaviors and quirks that a pediatrician, in a quick fifteen-minute visit, might non take the chance to see. Your child's pediatrician tin can be a valuable partner, simply don't discount the importance of your own observations and experience. The key is to educate yourself so y'all know what'due south typical and what's not.

Monitor your kid'southward development. Autism involves a diverseness of developmental delays, so keeping a shut eye on when—or if—your child is hitting the fundamental social, emotional, and cognitive milestones is an effective manner to spot the problem early on. While developmental delays don't automatically point to autism, they may signal a heightened hazard.

Take action if you're concerned. Every child develops at a unlike stride, and so yous don't need to panic if your kid is a petty belatedly to talk or walk. When it comes to good for you evolution, there's a wide range of "typical." Just if your child is not coming together the milestones for his or her age, or yous doubtable a problem, share your concerns with your kid's doctor immediately. Don't wait.

Don't accept a look-and-meet approach. Many concerned parents are told, "Don't worry" or "Wait and come across." Merely waiting is the worst thing you can exercise. You risk losing valuable time at an age where your kid has the best hazard for improvement. Furthermore, whether the filibuster is caused by autism or some other cistron, developmentally delayed kids are unlikely to but "abound out of" their problems. In order to develop skills in an area of filibuster, your kid needs extra help and targeted treatment.

Trust your instincts. Ideally, your child's doctor will take your concerns seriously and perform a thorough evaluation for autism or other developmental delays. But sometimes, fifty-fifty well-meaning doctors miss cerise flags or underestimate problems. Mind to your gut if it'south telling you something is wrong, and be persistent. Schedule a follow-up date with the doctor, seek a second opinion, or enquire for a referral to a kid development specialist.

Regression of any kind is a serious autism alarm sign

Some children with autism spectrum disorder start to develop communication skills and then regress, usually between 12 and 24 months. For example, a kid who was communicating with words such as "mommy" or "up" may finish using language entirely, or a child may end playing social games he or she used to savour such equally peek-a-boo, patty block, or waving "bye-goodbye." Any loss of spoken communication, blathering, gestures, or social skills should be taken very seriously, every bit regression is a major red flag for autism.

Signs and symptoms of autism in babies and toddlers

If autism is caught in infancy, treatment can take total advantage of the young encephalon's remarkable plasticity. Although autism is hard to diagnose earlier 24 months, symptoms often surface betwixt 12 and 18 months. If signs are detected by 18 months of age, intensive treatment may help to rewire the brain and reverse the symptoms.

[Read: Autism Treatments, Therapies, and Interventions]

The earliest signs of autism involve the absence of typical behaviors—not the presence of atypical ones—and then they can be tough to spot. In some cases, the earliest symptoms of autism are fifty-fifty misinterpreted as signs of a "good baby," since the infant may seem tranquility, independent, and undemanding. However, you lot can catch alarm signs early if you know what to look for.

Some autistic infants don't respond to cuddling, accomplish out to be picked upward, or look at their mothers when being fed.

Early on signs

Your baby or toddler doesn't:

Make middle contact, such as looking at you when being fed or smiling when being smiled at.
Respond to their proper name, or to the sound of a familiar voice.
Follow objects visually or follow your gesture when yous bespeak things out.
Point or wave goodbye, or employ other gestures to communicate.
Make noises to get your attending.
Initiate or reply to cuddling or achieve out to be picked up.
Imitate your movements and facial expressions.
Play with other people or share interest and enjoyment.
Find or intendance if you hurt yourself or experience discomfort.

Developmental ruddy flags

The following delays warrant an firsthand evaluation past your child'southward pediatrician:

Past 6 months: No big smiles or other warm, blithesome expressions.

By 9 months: No dorsum-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions.

By 12 months: Lack of response to name.

Past 12 months: No babbling or "baby talk."

By 12 months: No dorsum-and-along gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving.

By 16 months: No spoken words.

Past 24 months: No meaningful two-discussion phrases that don't involve imitating or repeating.

Signs and symptoms in older children

Every bit children get older, the red flags for autism become more than diverse. In that location are many warning signs and symptoms, but they typically circumduct around impaired social skills, speech and linguistic communication difficulties, non-verbal advice difficulties, and inflexible beliefs.

Signs of social difficulties

Appears disinterested or unaware of other people or what's going on around them.
Doesn't know how to connect with others, play, or make friends.
Prefers not to be touched, held, or cuddled.
Doesn't play "pretend" games, engage in group games, imitate others, or use toys in creative ways.
Has trouble understanding feelings or talking about them.
Doesn't seem to hear when others talk to them.
Doesn't share interests or achievements with others (drawings, toys).

Basic social interaction can exist difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder. Many kids on the autism spectrum seem to prefer to live in their own world, aloof and discrete from others.

Signs of spoken language and linguistic communication difficulties

Speaks in an atypical tone of vocalism, or with an odd rhythm or pitch (e.g. ends every sentence as if asking a question).
Repeats the same words or phrases over and over, often without communicative intent.
Responds to a question by repeating it, rather than answering it.
Uses language incorrectly (grammatical errors, wrong words) or refers to him or herself in the third person.
Has difficulty communicating needs or desires.
Doesn't empathize unproblematic directions, statements, or questions.
Takes what is said too literally (misses undertones of humor, irony, and sarcasm).

Children with autism spectrum disorder accept difficulty with speech and language. Often, they start talking late.

Signs of nonverbal communication difficulties

Avoids heart contact.
Uses facial expressions that don't match what they are maxim
Doesn't pick up on other people'southward facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures.
Makes very few gestures (such as pointing). May meet as cold or "robot-like."
Reacts unusually to sights, smells, textures, and sounds. May be peculiarly sensitive to loud noises. Tin can also be unresponsive to people entering/leaving, as well as efforts by others to attract the child'south attention.
Atypical posture, clumsiness, or eccentric ways of moving (due east.k., walking exclusively on tiptoe).

Children with autism spectrum disorder take trouble picking upward on subtle nonverbal cues and using body language. This makes the "give-and-take" of social interaction very difficult.

Signs of inflexibility

Follows a rigid routine (e.1000., insists on taking a specific route to school).
Has difficulty adapting to any changes in schedule or surroundings (e.g., throws a tantrum if the furniture is rearranged or bedtime is at a dissimilar time than usual).
Unusual attachments to toys or foreign objects such every bit keys, light switches, or rubber bands. Obsessively lines things upward or arranges them in a certain guild.
Preoccupation with a narrow topic of interest, often involving numbers or symbols (e.g., memorizing and reciting facts about maps, railroad train schedules, or sports statistics).
Spends long periods watching moving objects such equally a ceiling fan, or focusing on i specific part of an object such as the wheels of a toy machine.
Repeats the same actions or movements over and over over again, such as flapping hands, rocking, or twirling (known as cocky-stimulatory behavior, or "stimming"). Some researchers and clinicians believe that these behaviors may soothe children with autism more than than stimulate them.

Children with autism spectrum disorder are oft restricted, inflexible, and even obsessive in their behaviors, activities, and interests.

Common restricted and repetitive behaviors

Paw flapping
Rocking back and forth
Spinning in a circle
Finger flicking
Head banging
Staring at lights
Moving fingers in front of the eyes
Snapping fingers

Tapping ears
Scratching
Lining up toys
Spinning objects
Wheel Spinning
Watching moving objects
Flicking light switches on and off
Repeating words or noises

Causes of autism

Until recently, most scientists believed that autism is caused mostly past genetic factors. Only groundbreaking new inquiry indicates that environmental factors may also exist of import in the development of autism.

Babies may exist born with a genetic vulnerability to autism that is so triggered by something in the external environs, either while he or she is still in the womb or sometime afterwards nativity.

It's of import to note that the environment, in this context, means anything outside the body. It's non limited to things like pollution or toxins in the atmosphere. In fact, i of the most important environments appears to be the prenatal environment.

Prenatal factors that may contribute to autism

Taking antidepressants during pregnancy, particularly in the first 3 months.

Nutritional deficiencies early in pregnancy, particularly not getting enough folic acid.

The age of the mother and father.

Complications at or shortly afterwards birth, including very depression birth weight and neonatal anemia

Maternal infections during pregnancy.

Exposure to chemical pollutants, such as metals and pesticides, while pregnant.

More than research on these prenatal hazard factors is needed, but if you're pregnant or trying to conceive, it tin can't hurt to accept steps at present to reduce your baby'southward risk of autism.

Reducing the risk of autism: Tips for expectant mothers

Take a multivitamin. Taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily helps prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. It'due south not clear whether this will also help reduce adventure of autism, simply taking the vitamins can't hurt.

Inquire almost SSRIs. Women who are taking an SSRI (or who develop depression during pregnancy) should talk with a clinician nigh all the risks and benefits of these drugs. Untreated depression in a mother can also affect her child's well-being afterward on, so this is not a simple decision to make.

Practice prenatal care. Eating nutritious food, trying to avoid infections, and seeing a clinician for regular check-ups can increase the chances of giving nascency to a healthy child.

Source: Harvard Health Publications

Autism and vaccines

While you can't control the genes your child inherits, or shield him or her from every environmental danger, there is one very important affair you can do to protect the health of your child: make certain he or she is vaccinated on schedule.

Despite a lot of controversy on the topic, scientific enquiry does not support the theory that vaccines or their ingredients cause autism. V major epidemiologic studies conducted in the U.Due south., United kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark, found that children who received vaccines did not have higher rates of autism. Additionally, a major safety review by the Institute of Medicine failed to find any evidence supporting the connection. Other organizations that have concluded that vaccines are non associated with autism include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Assistants (FDA), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Myths and facts virtually childhood vaccinations
Myth: Vaccines aren't necessary. Fact: Vaccines protect your child from many serious and potentially deadly diseases, including measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough. These diseases are uncommon today because vaccines are doing their job. But the leaner and viruses that crusade these diseases nonetheless be and tin be passed on to children who aren't immunized.
Myth: Vaccines cause autism. Fact: Despite extensive inquiry and safety studies, scientists and doctors have not found a link betwixt babyhood vaccinations and autism or other developmental problems. Children who are non vaccinated do not take lower rates of autism spectrum disorders.
Myth: Vaccines are given too early. Fact: Early vaccination protects your child from serious diseases that are most probable to occur—and almost dangerous—in babies. Waiting to immunize your baby puts him or her at gamble. The recommended vaccination schedule is designed to work best with children's immune systems at specific ages. A different schedule may not offer the aforementioned protection.
Myth: Too many vaccines are given at once. Fact: You may accept heard theories that the recommended vaccine schedule overloads young children's immune systems and may even cause autism. But enquiry shows that spacing out vaccinations doesn't improve children's health or lower their risk of autism, and as noted above, really puts them at risk for potentially fatal diseases.

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What to practice if y'all're worried

If your child is developmentally delayed, or if you've observed other red flags for autism, schedule an engagement with your pediatrician correct abroad. In fact, information technology's a good idea to accept your child screened past a doctor even if he or she is striking the developmental milestones on schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive routine developmental screenings, as well equally specific screenings for autism at 9, 18, and xxx months of age.

Schedule an autism screening. A number of specialized screening tools have been developed to place children at gamble 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.

[Read: Helping Your Child with Autism Thrive]

See a developmental specialist. If your pediatrician detects possible signs of autism during the screening, your child should exist referred to a specialist for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Screening tools tin can't be used to make a diagnosis, which is why farther assessment is needed. A specialist can conduct a number of tests to determine whether or not your child has autism. Although many clinicians will non diagnose a child with autism before 30 months of age, they volition be able to use screening techniques to determine when a cluster of symptoms associated with autism is present.

Seek early intervention services. The diagnostic process for autism is catchy and tin can sometimes take a while. But you can take reward of treatment as before long as you doubtable your child has developmental delays. Enquire your doctor to refer you to early on intervention services. Early intervention is a federally funded plan for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Children who demonstrate several early on warning signs may take 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-run across arroyo than in receiving early intervention.

Authors: Melinda Smith, Thou.A., Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Ted Hutman, Ph.D.

Ted Hutman, Ph.D. is Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Santa Monica, CA.

References

Neurodevelopmental Disorders. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Association. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x01_Neurodevelopmental_Disorders

Alvares, G. A., Bebbington, Thousand., Cleary, D., Evans, K., Glasson, E. J., Maybery, M. T., Pillar, Due south., Uljarević, M., Varcin, Thou., Wray, J., & Whitehouse, A. J. (2020). The misnomer of 'high operation autism': Intelligence is an imprecise predictor of functional abilities at diagnosis. Autism, 24(1), 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319852831

Asperger's Syndrome—Autism Society. (n.d.). Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.autism-order.org/what-is/aspergers-syndrome/

Terminal updated: September 23, 2022