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New Parents of Children with Autism, Uncategorized Comments (1)
For parents of young children concerned withdelays in language development can be stressful. With the increase in reported rates of Autism Spectrum Disorders many parents begin to wonder if there child is showing signs of autism. Parents should know that just because their child develops language late or is not developing language according to developmental standards this does not necessarily mean their child has autism. It is however a warning flag that parents should further monitor and investigate with their pediatrician. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Development a doctor should “definately” and “immediately” evaluate a child for Autism Spectrum Disorders if the child does not babble, coo, gesture (point, wave, etc.) by 12-months of age. Additionally, if the child does not say single words on their own by 16-months. Parents should monitor whether or not the child is independently using 2-3 word phrases meaningfully by 24-months of age. This means the child uses the words independently without just repeating from a model. Additionally, if your child has a loss of language at any age you should immediately seek evaluation from a medical professional.
It’s important to know that research demonstrates clearly the early, the more intensive the interventions in young children with autism, the better the outcomes.
In fact, Autism Society of America states ““Research indicates that early identification is associated with dramatically better outcomes for individuals with autism. The earlier a child is diagnosed, the earlier the child can begin
benefiting from one of the many specialized intervention approaches to treatment and education.”
Recent research demonstrates an ability to accurately identify and diagnosis children at 14 months of age. Don’t delay evaluation of your child if you see any of the above-mentioned developmental delays.
Early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders is key!
AmyShymansky @ December 6, 2009