At any age, parents may notice signs of autism in their children. These signs can include loss of speech, babbling or previously acquired social skills, avoiding eye contact, persistent preference for loneliness, difficulty understanding other people's feelings, delayed language development, persistent repetition of words or phrases (echolalia), and resistance to minor changes in the routine or surroundings. Researchers have found that babies who develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) begin to make less eye contact around 2 months of age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that most parents with autistic children notice some signs during the first year, and 80 to 90 percent see differences in development by the time their child turns 2.Some children with autism fall back, which means they stop using the language, play, or social skills they have already learned.
Health professionals use the term ASD because autism is a spectrum, meaning it can cause a variety of behaviors and characteristics that vary in severity. If you want to check your child's behavior and development for early signs of autism, you can download ASDetect, a free, evidence-based application developed by La Trobe University and suitable for use with children aged 11 to 30 months. Male babies who will later be diagnosed with autism show a loss of interest in other people's eyes between 2 and 6 months of age, according to a study published today in Nature1. The signs were there, but it was a TV show that my husband saw that gave me the information of the signs, when she started showing them. It is important for parents to be aware of the early signs of autism so they can seek help as soon as possible.
Early intervention is key to helping children with autism reach their full potential. By recognizing the early signs of autism and seeking help from professionals, parents can ensure their child gets the best possible care and support.
