Many autistic children may exhibit developmental difficulties during their baby and toddler years, particularly in social and linguistic skills. Here is the 3 early sign of autism spectrum disorder in kids.
There may be some linguistic difficulties or differences in how they interact with their peers. Children on the autistic spectrum, on the other hand, usually sit, crawl, and walk on schedule. As a result, tiny distinctions in the development of gestures (pointing), pretend play and social language are sometimes overlooked by parents and clinicians.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides information on three early symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children.
ASD in kids
Delay or lack of collaboration
A delay in or lack of shared attention is one of the most significant developmental differences between children on the autistic spectrum and children who do not have ASD. In fact, most children with ASD have deficits in joint attention skills.
What exactly is joint attention?
Looking back and forth between an object or event and another person and interacting with that person is what joint attention is. It serves as a foundation for later social and communication skills. Reciprocal social interaction is defined as a large number of back-and-forth social interactions, such as exchanging a large number of emotional expressions, sounds, and other gestures.
Joint attention stages in infants and toddlers
There are numerous stages of collaborative attention. At every stage, children on the autism spectrum have delayed or absent social communication skills.
For example, the ages of babies and toddlers are listed below. Compared to young children on the autism spectrum, toddlers commonly utilize and understand gestures at the following times.
Using and comprehending motions such as pointing
By the age of 12 months
Most children can immediately look in the direction of an object pointed out by a parent. They will then return the parent’s gaze and mirror the parent’s face, which is frequently a smile.
Autistic children may appear to neglect their parents. Parents may be concerned about their child’s hearing due to this.
By the age of 15 months
Most children can point to objects that are out of reach.
Instead, an autistic child may grasp a parent’s hand and lead the parent to the object without making much, if any, eye contact. The child may even place the parent’s palm directly on the object.
By the age of 18 months
The majority of children point to objects that they find intriguing. Children will switch their gaze between an object and a parent to ensure that the parent is aware of what they are looking at.
Children on the autism spectrum will frequently point to an object in order for a parent to obtain it for them, rather than in order for the parent to enjoy looking at the object with them.
Language deficits and ASD differences
Almost all autistic children have deficits in both nonverbal communication and spoken language. For example, you may see the following differences:
The application of labels
A youngster on the autistic spectrum may have words for labeling things but not for asking for items. They might employ words for things before terms for individuals or family members.
Reiterating and repeating
Most young children experience a phase in which they repeat what they hear. Children with autism may repeat what they hear for a longer period of time. They may also repeat dialogue from movies or conversations in the tone of voice in which they heard it. This is known as “parroting” or “echoing.”
Some children who are eventually diagnosed with autism appear to have met linguistic milestones throughout their toddler years. Their use of words, on the other hand, may be uncommon. They may, for example, speak more like an adult than a toddler.
read more on learning disabilities here
Developmental milestones and skills regress.
Around 25% of children subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder develop some language that they abruptly or gradually abandon. This is most common between the ages of 15 and 24 months. They may also become increasingly socially isolated. This is referred to as a “skill regression.”
Remember
If you have concerns about how your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, or moves, talk with your pediatrician. Remember, you know your child best, and your concerns are important.
Together, you and your pediatrician will find the best way to help your child. Don’t wait. Acting early can make a big difference in your child’s development.
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