will often include a behavioral and developmental assessment. You might also be given a questionnaire for you and other caregivers in your child’s life.
What to bring to your appointment
Some parents find it helpful to keep a list of symptoms they suspect are likely to be autism. You can keep track of the frequency of instances each behavior occurs for reference. This kind of documentation will give your child’s pediatrician a better idea of how long and how often your child’s symptoms appear.
Most infants with autism will develop skills late—or might even regress in their social skills and sensory processing.
Getting a second opinion
If your doctor is unsure if a diagnosis of autism is appropriate for your infant, the CDC recommends seeking a second opinion. The earliest interventions can serve as building blocks for your child’s future therapies.
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They also suggest acting early as interventions can change your child’s developmental path and improve outcomes in school and relationships. The CDC cites that, in the first three years of a child’s life, his/her behaviors are most malleable and that children are more likely to change undesirable habits and adopt positive ones most willingly during these years. They suggest trying several interventions until you find one (and a therapist) your child responds to best.
What are the early interventions for ASD?
Once you’ve spotted the signs of autism and received an early diagnosis, you can think about the next steps. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and occupational therapists can all help support autistic children. The following are popular interventions and therapies:
Early Start Denver Model
Applied Behavioral Analysis
Many families opt to use ABA which also encourages a positive reward system and parental engagement with the program.
Picture Exchange Communication System
PECS teaches nonverbal and semiverbal children to communicate via pictures and symbols.
Verbal Behavioral Intervention
VBI is also used with children who struggle with speech, but instead of communicating with pictures, it focuses on teaching verbal communication.
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Discrete Trial Training and Pivotal Response Training
DIR/Floortime aims to help children with ASD connect while using their interests and passions to develop engagement skills, symbolic thinking, increase logical thinking, and improve interaction.
While autism is most often diagnosed when a young child hasn’t met popular milestones during the formative years and/or when a child’s development has suddenly regressed, some experts believe there are signs of autism that point toward a diagnosis earlier in a child’s life.
While not every person who is autistic can be diagnosed as an infant, there are many benefits to receiving a diagnosis before reaching preschool age.
If your child is exhibiting signs of autism, even minor ones, be sure to document them and share your concerns with your child’s physician. The earlier a child with autism is diagnosed, the sooner families and specialists can work with the child using popular interventions and selected therapies.