Early Autism Study - What is Autism?

So what does that really mean for you and your child? Kids with autism have a hard time making connections with other kids. They may not have as much interest in making those connections as some kids do, but might be just as hurt when they are being teased and excluded. A kid with autism might have trouble understanding emotional expressions, especially subtle ones, and may have trouble following parts of a conversation that are non-literal. Gestures, puns, sarcasm, or a sideways glance that tells someone that you’re kidding may confuse a child with autism.

Autism runs in the family. Autism is heritable, which means that if there is autism in the family, a newborn family member has a greater chance of having autism than a newborn in the general population. In addition, family members who do not have autism might have special characteristics in common, which is called the “Broader autism phenotype.” Family members of people with autism might be better at math and physics, might be better at the kind of systematic thinking that it takes to be a computer programmer. Even grandparents of kids with autism are better than average at math and physics! People with this broader autism phenotype might miss some of the subtle communication that goes on in a conversation, and might think of themselves as “geeky” or “nerdy” with other people, or they might think of themselves as shy.

Autism is treatable, not curable. There are some effective treatments for children with autism, as well as training and skills work for adults with autism spectrum disorders. The earlier a child starts treatment, the better the outcome is likely to be. Treatment often starts with a focus on social skills: learning how to interact with people, learning what is expected in particular social situations, learning what facial expressions or figures of speech mean. But there is no cure. What that means is that children with autism become adults with autism. If they are high-functioning enough, adults with autism may live independently or enter the work force, and may face special challenges in these environments.

Is autism an alternative way of thinking? Autism is a spectrum. Some children are severely affected, and clearly disabled by autism. However, some higher functioning people with autism like to think of autism as a different way of thinking. People with autism may be better at some visual and cognitive tasks, like finding an embedded figure in a drawing or remembering visual details or visual search tasks. If you want to read more about this way of thinking click here http://neurodiversity.com/cognitive_strengths.html

Red Flags

Are you wondering what autism might look like in a young child? Watch for the "Red Flags" of Autism: What is Autism?

Communication Red Flags

no babbling by 11 months of age
no simple gestures (like waving bye-bye) at 12 months
no single words by 16 months
no two-word phrases by 24 months
no response when name is called
loss of any language or social skills at any age

Behavioral Red Flags

odd or repetitive ways of moving fingers or hands
oversensitive to certain textures, sounds or lights
lack of interest in toys, or playing with them in an unusual way (for example, lining them up, spinning them, opening and closing parts rather than using the toy as it was designed)
compulsions or rituals (has to perform activities in a special way or certain sequence)
preoccupations with unusual interests, such as light switches, doors, fans, wheels

Social Red Flags

doesn't point to show things that he or she is interested in
doesn't make attempts to get parents’ attention; doesn't follow or look when someone is pointing at something
does not play peek-a-boo
rarely smiles socially
seems to be in his or her own world
rarely makes eye contact when interacting with people
prefers to play alone
doesn't respond to parents’ attempts to play, even if relaxed
avoids or ignores other children, even when they approach