Do you think your toddler is not social? Must watch for Autism red flags today!!

April 15, 2024, by Vaccinebox

Raunak looks healthy as a one-year-old toddler. But his mother is still worried as he rarely reverts to her loving gestures. Most of the time he appears dull and aloof from the people around him.

His elder sister was totally different at this age. She played peek-a-boo with her father, started babbling and mimicked her grandfather's way to clap by this age.

Raunak is a very different child he has not even begun to smile seeing his parents yet. His parents always wondering something is wrong with him or if he is just not a friendly baby. They are planning to take him to a paediatrician soon. Raunak may be suffering from Autism.

Catching autism early

No parent will ever want to associate his or her beloved child with this disease. However, some unfortunate genetic defects and environmental factors cause Autism. Instead of feeling vulnerable, keep faith in your judgment and assess your child’s growth timely. Autism can be caught as early as eighteen months and treatments specific to a child can be started at a tender age to lessen the effects of disorders. As a parent, you are in the best capacity to notice the earliest red flags of Autism. You know your child best and can’t just expect a doctor to diagnose this disease based on a 15-20 minute visit. Well-informed parents along with an experienced pediatrician can improve the quality of life of an autistic child to a great extent.

Keep an eye on your child’s development

Autism is not a single disability, but a spectrum of close-knit disorders involving a child’s social interaction, emotional stability, empathy towards others, communication with peers and parents and flexibility in behaviour.

It is important to know what social, emotional and cognitive milestones, to expect at every stage of your baby to spot the developmental delays and early signs of Autism. A baby looking absolutely healthy and physically active may have an underlying disease, which might deteriorate his/her quality of life later. Early attention to a child’s deficits can signal the parents and other caregivers to timely facilitate the process of learning and growth of the child efficiently.

All children are different. That is why, this neurological disease also affects their behaviour and social skills differently. Two kids of the same age may be diagnosed with the same disease but may present very different symptoms.

Every child develops at a different pace. There is a broad window of age allotted to achieve a particular milestone. But, if you are concerned about any delay above a certain period, bring it to your child's doctor’s notice as soon as possible.

Sometimes, a child starts communicating and socializing normally in the first 2 years of life and then stops being vocal. The child becomes dull and stops enjoying games like peek-a-boo and patty cake. If you notice that the child has suddenly stopped babbling, laughing, playing games, clapping or waving bye-bye; consult a paediatrician seriously. Regression is a major red flag or warning sign of Autism.

Early intervention can bring a very positive change in Autistic child

Autism is hard to diagnose before 24 months but early symptoms surface between 12 and 18 months. If parents can spot the early signs, it can be detected by 18 months. There is a very ripe possibility that intensive treatment started at such a tender age could help revamp the brain and reverse the symptoms of Autism to a great extent.

A young brain till the age of 6 years is amazingly pliable. It can be moulded and shaped based on a child’s exposure to varied experiences and training. Although autism has genetic roots, some learning techniques specifically designed according to a child’s shortcomings can help him/her immensely to lead a normal life. The earlier the help is extended to an autistic child, the better the results of therapy.