3 Early Signs of Autism
Every parent hopes that their child will be a happy and healthy individual. Many times children have issues that if they are addressed early can help to vastly improve their life. Autism is one of those illnesses. Autism affects a large number of the population which is why it is so important that parents know what to look for so they can catch it early and get proper treatment. Here are some signs that you should be looking for.
1. The Child Doesn't Make Eye Contact
One of the first things parents notice in their children is that they don't make eye contact. You might even notice from infancy that the child avoids making eye contact. They may not smile at your when you look at them and seem completely disinterested in people in general. If you are concerned about your child and eye contact, sit them down across from you and sing a song with them, try playing a game or do anything that you can to engage them. Most children will happily play pat-a-cake, peek-a-bo, or any other kind of interactive game with a loved one. If your child shows no interest, this may be an indicator of problems.
2. The Child Displays Underdeveloped Language Skills
Another thing you might notice is that the child is severely behind in their language skills. While their peers are saying words, the child may not make any noise. If they do make noise it is more like a grunt or one syllable sound that they yell. It might be very repetitive and used for anything. They may use the same grunt to mean they are hungry, or that they want to be held and so much more.
Additionally, some parents even worry that their children may be deaf. They do not respond when you talk to them and show no interest in speaking or making any noise. If you get a hearing test done and the child has no impairment, you might test for autism.
3. The Child Makes Inappropriate Social Responses & Shows Lack of Social Understanding
Lastly, autism affects the social understanding of the child. For instance, when you point to something, does you child look? When playing ball, does the child pass it back and forth to you? The child may not laugh at appropriate times, may not show any interest in children and so forth.
If you notice any of these signs in your child, talk to services like Northside Center.