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Autism: Early Intervention Makes A Big Difference

You can’t wait long on autism treatment. Then again, just how much is too long? Experts suggest even toddlerhood is late if early symptoms have been suspected. Studies mark that with an approaching toddlerhood, such symptoms tend to weaken away.

It is observed that lack of awareness makes a lot of children miss early intervention, which strings the treatment out. For long, it was held that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) did not manifest into full-blown symptoms in children below age two or three. But advanced studies suggest signs grow obvious enough to be picked up as early as before toddlerhood.

How do you pick early signs?

When it comes to early signs, there is a lot parents should be doing. However, it’s no easy job because parents tend to be unsuspecting and no mother or father can ever get comfortable thinking their child must be put on an autism watch.

1.Unusual Visual Fixations: Infants are always drawn in by vibrant objects and tend to inadvertently gaze at them. However, if the fixation is unusually persistent and lasts more than a few good minutes every time, you have some probing to do.
2.Repetitive Quirks: Every infant indulges in some limb play. Tossing the feet and/or hands in the air is a common infant association. Generally, these are supposed to be fun activities but with some infants, it may just be an allusion to a developing autistic quirk. Watch out if your child frequently gets absorbed hand-flapping, or toys repeatedly with an object for unusually long periods of time.
3.Sound Recognition: All toddlers baby-speak and blabber. It’s a natural growth progression. However, things are quite different for an autistic child. Autism leaves the brain highly prone to mixing up vowel sounds, which results in undistinguished blabbering.
4.Slowed/ unusually delayed responses:  Most children respond to baby-talk or when called out to. Such response to external stimuli comes naturally, but if a child displays exceptionally long response times with a marked lack of interest, it is enough for pressing ahead with a preliminary examination.

Autism comes along in a wide range of symptoms. The disorder is reversible to different degrees, and a great deal hangs on early intervention. It is highly recommended that parents stay on top of evolving signs and symptoms, and most importantly, professional help is sought in good time.

Janvi Ahuja

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