Recognising Autism in Children Early


Defined Tag: Autism In Children.

Autism in children is usually detected in their first few years, and normally diagnosed by about the age of three. Autism is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder which affects children from birth or from the very early months of their life; its effect is to delay to, and cause deviation from, what are the normal patterns of a child’s development and is especially present in the core areas of a child’s communication, socialization and behavioural patterns. When a child displays specific problems in all three of these core areas of development then there may be cause for concern. There are specific difficulties and activities which are common to all forms of the Autism Spectrum of Disorders, and while each individual sufferer will display unique variations on these themes there are characteristics which all will likely share.

The causes of Autism are currently unknown. Various theories and suggestions have been proposed: most commonly brain damage, whether caused prenatally or soon after birth, and currently the Autism Genome project is part of an investigation into the possibility of a genetic cause or an inherited susceptibility. The general consensus seems to be that it is probably present from birth or very soon after. Due to the main symptoms being those of communication, socialization and behaviour an early diagnosis is difficult and the symptoms are unlikely to become entirely apparent until the child’s development is advanced enough to display impairment, and deviation from the norm, in these core areas. More sever cases are likely to be spotted earlier due to the number and severity of traits displayed, less severe cases and those with higher intelligence may take longer to recognise.

Due to the nature of the core traits of an Autistic child a wider sphere of development may be affected if early diagnosis isn’t made. With an early diagnosis, treatment and special needs care can assist a sufferer to continue to develop to the best of their ability. Aspects of Autistic behaviour such as a need for repetition and sameness can, if unrecognised, cause a disruption to other aspects of their development as they become upset and disorientated due to unnecessary change and upheaval. Early intervention can also assist in the managed development of communication skills which might otherwise be impeded. Early recognition of Autism in Children also assists the child’s family in finding the appropriate advice and support which itself will impact beneficially upon the child.