Diagnosing Autism in Children

                

 

Though most children and families find out about autism before the child reaches the age of four, there are some that are diagnosed as early as age one. Some children with Asperger?s, is a higher functioning form of the condition, may not know something is different until they start school. No matter what the function level, or how impaired a child might be, diagnosing autism early is always the best way to go. However, because that is not always possible, the parents can only deal with what they see. Some may suspect autism only to find that something else is going on.

Parents are often the first to stop and think that something unusual might be going on with their child. Other times, the doctor might see signs first, and then mention that they would like to do more testing.

Parents generally notice motor problems, and a lack of communication before a doctor, but there are times when new parents aren?t aware that development is not going as smoothly as it should be.

The most common signs parents might see is an unusual response (or lack of response) to noises and other people. They might also notice that their child spends time engrossed in just one activity or toy, and they can?t seem to get their attention while they are at play. They may notice their child is prone to tantrums when faced with situations that don?t bother other children. The smallest changes in their day can cause a huge tantrum.

When it comes to diagnosing autism, many other medical conditions must be eliminated first. This usually means that child will first have a hearing test. If they have problem with hearing, it might explain the lack of response to noises and other people. It would also explain why they are not talking, or are saying very little.

A doctor might also want to do some testing to look for genetic problems that can explain the delays in development. Seizures might be mild enough to cause a problem without being obvious to parent or doctor, so testing for this is a good idea as well.

Once all of these medical issues have been ruled out, the doctor will start looking for the signs of autism. There is no medical test that can be performed for an autism diagnosis. The doctor will study communication, socialization, and how a child behaves. These are the main clues to figure out what is going. The doctor will examine the child on their own, but will rely heavily on what they parent has to tell them about milestones that are reached at a late age, or not reached at all.

Diagnosis autism comes down to pretty much eliminating everything else and then studying the child. Though this can be a long drawn out affair, the diagnosis is a good thing if that is what is going on.

Diagnosing autism as early as possible is the best outcome for the child in the long run. There are great programs and techniques a parent can use to help with the communication and socialization problems that these children tend to have. When they begin to overcome these at an early age, they can have a better quality of life on down the road. No one wants to receive this type of diagnosis but it is better to know so healing can begin, and the family can start learning to cope with what lies ahead.

By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter for more information on autism. In the newsletter you'll find out more about the signs and symptoms of autism.