Autism In Children: Signs And Symptoms

You may not be able to tell if your child has autism when they are in the first few months of life.

Children with autism can start out with the usual childhood development and then all of sudden begin to lose that development.

It is hard to understand why this happens and what causes it. If you suspect your child has autism then you will be able to have them tested as early as 2 years old.

Your physician will be able to do the testing for autism.

They can also refer you to an intervention center that can help you with all of the aspects of dealing with disorder.

Lack of Behaviors

There are several symptoms of autism. If your baby does not make baby noises by 12 months old they could have autism. Most babies laugh and coo in their early months.

Cooing and laughing is normal behavior for infants. Another thing to look for in your child is if they have no interest in waving goodbye.

Usually a small baby can be taught to wave at their family and friends. This becomes a game to them, and is not a hard thing for them to do.

You should pay attention and listen to see if your child is having trouble speaking words at any age. Certain children talk sooner than others, so give your child enough time before you begin to worry.

Health Warnings

Your autism child, as he grows older, could begin having seizures. Seizure disorders are on the rise in older age groups of children that have autism.

There is good news though. These seizures are not always serious and can be taken care of by the use of medications.

When your child becomes an adult, he or she will usually grow out of these seizures. It has not been determined yet what causes these seizures in autism children.

Mental Retardation

Some physicians believe there is a link between mental retardation and autism. Although some children that have autism do show signs of mental retardation, not all children with autism have mental retardation.

Autism is an individual thing and you cannot judge one child’s mental retardation symptoms by another child.

Since nobody knows what really causes autism, it is hard to know what causes mental retardation in children with autism. No two cases of autism are ever exactly alike.

Gastrointestinal Trouble

Children with autism show symptoms of gastrointestinal trouble. Gastrointestinal trouble has many symptoms such as cramping, constipation, and diarrhea, to name a few. Lesions will be seen in the intestines of some children with autism.

Autism children have allergic reaction to certain foods, and this can affect the gastrointestinal trouble. Wheat and milk proteins seem to be the two main food categories.

Food allergies could also be the cause of medical and behavioral problems in children with autism. There is something found in certain foods that seem to trigger these behaviors.

Autism in children is a bewildering disorder and you will want to pay attention to early warning signs in your child to help them get the best care.