GETTING HELP EARLY
by Jennifer Sanderson, Psy.D. | Thursday, Jun 21, 2018
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects 1 in 68 children in the United States according to recent statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, social relationships, and behavior. Scientist believe that ASD is present from birth or even earlier, although it is often not detected until much later. ASD can be diagnosed reliably by age two, and sometimes even earlier, yet most children receive a diagnosis after age four. The “wait-and-see” approach may lead to valuable time lost when your child’s brain has the best capacity for learning, and intervention is most effective. Early diagnosis helps your child access quality treatments and educational programing. By learning more about indicators of ASD, you can play a vital role in getting and earlier diagnosis and helping your child reach his or her fullest potential. Early indicators include:
- Delayed or infrequent babbling/ words
- Lack of or inconsistent response to their own name (child may seem deaf or hard of hearing)
- Limited or no gestures, especially pointing
- Delayed developmental milestones
- Limited interest in others, especially same-age peers
- No big smiles or joyful expressions
- Poor imitation skills
- Excessive tantrums
- Repetitive or nonfunctional play with toys and objects (e.g. lining up, sorting, dumping out goys; spinning wheels on a car rather than playing with the car, etc.)
- Repetitive/unusual body movements (e.g. tip-toe walking rocking, hitting or biting self, banging head, finger twirling/flicking, etc.) or speech (e.g. repeating words, phrases, or scripts)
- Unusual sensitivity or interest in sensory aspects of environment (e.g. overly sensitive to textures, smells, tastes, lights and sounds; enjoys touching and feeling certain materials, sniffing or mouthing, or visually examining objects, hearing same sound over and over)
- Young children attending school may have difficulty following directions and classroom routines and participating in group activities (e.g. circle time and playground games like hide-and-seek or Ring-Around-the Rosie)
If you noticed these early indicators of ASD in your child, or have concerns about your child’s development, talk to your child’s pediatrician immediately. By discussing your concerns and having your child screened and evaluated early, you are ensuring the best possible outcome for your child. Your pediatrician may refer you to a specialist, such as a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, or pediatric neurologist for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. You may also be referred to Florida’s early intervention program, known as Early Steps, for free really intervention services for children from birth to three years with or at risk of significant developmental delays. Children three years of age or older are referred to the Florida Diagnostic Learning and Resources System (FDLRS) Child find, a Florida agency that works with the public school system to identify children who may benefit form specialized educational programming. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children are routinely screened for developmental concerns at their 9, 18, 24, and 30-month well-child visits. A screening is an efficient reliable way of monitoring of your child’s developmental progress, and helps determine if a more comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is needed. If your pediatric is not already doing screening, you can ask for this service. Free developmental and ASD screenings are also available through the Florida Atlantic University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (FAU CARD).