photo from Autism Society of America
According to the Autism Society of America, Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability and affects between 1 and 1.5 million Americans (1 in 150 births). Children are usually diagnosed with autism when they're toddlers but some say that is too late for intervention. Here's a list of possible warning signs for autism in babies from Parenting.
If by 3 months, your baby ...
Isn't making frequent eye contact.
Isn't smiling at you and the sound of your voice.
If by 6 months, your baby ...
Doesn't laugh or make other joyful expressions.
If by 8 months, your baby ...
Isn't following your gaze when you look away from him toward something else.
If by 9 months, your baby ...
Hasn't begun to babble.
If by 1 year, your baby ....
Isn't consistently turning to you when you call his name.
Shows a general disregard for vocalizations (doesn't respond to his name, for example), but has a keen awareness of environmental sounds.
Isn't engaging in back-and-forth vocalizations with you.
Hasn't begun to wave bye-bye.
Doesn't look toward things you point at.
If by 16 months, your baby ...
Has no words.
If by 18 months, your baby ...
Isn't pointing to things that interest him.
If by 24 months, your baby ...
Has no two-word meaningful phrases.
If at any time, your baby ...
Shows a loss of any of his previously mastered skills.
Don't panic if your baby exhibits one or two of these symptoms occasionally, but let your pediatrician know if you notice any of them. Your doctor will determine if your child's development warrants further testing.
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Comments 5
thanks for this. my son just turned 1 and at his 1 yr check up i opted to delay the MMR vaccine in case of an autism connection. his Dr has mentioned that there are signs in babies they see in kids that are eventually diagnosed with autism but hadn't gone into all of them since Nathan has always done fine with his developmental milestones.
That is kinda scary for moms of multiples. Because multiples tend to develop slower. So twins don't talk at all until they are 18 months. Thankfully my boys developed right on time.
Important stuff for moms to know, thank you for posting!
This is where I always find fault with the "Don't compare..." advice we so often see. While it's not good to obsess over the fact that your friends baby is doing something a tad earlier than yours, comparison is often necessary. If I had not have "compared", I might not have gotten my sons autism diagnosis so early. Early diagnosis leads to early intervention which can make a life changing difference.
Thank you for posting this. I know my son is behind, but now knowing what to look for, I can be more aware. His language isn't quite as developed, but his other skills are there.