How to spot child autism or autistic spectrum disorder

Child autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a syndrome that results from the combination of certain traits in a child. Parents are usually the first to notice that something just isn’t quite right with their child. They may notice differences right from birth, such as a dislike of physical contact,inability to make or maintain eye contact, or staring at objects for an unusually long time. Or, a child who has been meeting all milestones within the normal time frames may suddenly stop developing or even show a decline in skills. The child may stop verbalizing, begin exhibitingself-destructive behaviors, or avoid social contact.

Whatever the case may be, when parents notice something is wrong, they are usually correct.Medical advice should be sought when any abnormal behavior is noticed.

There are many ways to spot child autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder:

1. Social impairment – this is a child’s inability to interact normally with other individuals.

We all know that man is naturally a social person. An impairment of the social abilities of a child can hamper many of his abilities. This sign of child autism or Autism SpectrumDisorder can be observed through the following symptoms:

a.No desire to make friends – children are naturally very friendly individuals. When a child shows no inclination for friendship, it could very well point to child autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, you should not be alarmed if your child does not want to be friends with someone. After all, children have moods too.

b.Lack of eye contact – eye contact is an important part of social interaction. A child who does not make any eye contact during conversations may be showing signs of child autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder.

c.Gullibility – many people would realize that gullibility is a natural trait found in children. However, when coupled with other symptoms, this may point to child autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2. Language impairment – we communicate through a variety of ways. However, all methods of communication can be referred to as a language. A child’s inability to grasp the different idiosyncrasies of language can be a symptom of child autism or Autism SpectrumDisorder.

a.Monotonous speech – we use intonations and volume to convey our meaning together with words. A child suffering from child autism or Autism SpectrumDisorder often speaks in a monotonous manner.?

b.Overly formal speech – as humans, we are entitled to make small mistakes in grammar.?The term slang was invented for a reason. We often improvise words and change terminologies all the time. Someone with child autism or Autism SpectrumDisorder, however, will follow the proper form of language rigidly, not understanding the concept of colloquialism.

c.Taking phrases literally – those who suffer from child autism or Autism SpectrumDisorder will not be able to grasp metaphors and take words at face value. Be careful with what you say when they are around as they will take things literally.

d.Delayed response to questions – when being questioned, someone suffering from child autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder will take a long time to respond.

3. Impairment of imagination – imagination is a part of a human’s everyday activities.In cases of those with child autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder, the imagination is impaired and this means they are unable to take things beyond a literal level. It also limitstheir ability to improvise.

a.Poor understanding of abstract thought, metaphors and symbolism – symboliclanguage is integrated into our everyday lives. We may not be able to imagine justhow it would be to say things outright. A child with autism or Autism SpectrumDisorder may interpret things differently.

b.Preference for routine – a child with autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder haslimited improvisational skills. This means that they would rather stick to a good,solid routine. They will be confused when presented with an option to do somethingnew.

Leo Kanner’s Autistic Traits
Classic autism - autism disorder
What are autism spectrum disorders?
Autism Books
How to spot child autism or autistic spectrum disorder