Autism

What is Autism?

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Autism includes Autistic Disorder (AD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger’s Disorder also known as Asperger’s Syndrome (AS).
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, Autism affects 1 out of 91 children.
• Autism is a complex neurobiological spectrum disorder affecting individuals differently and to varying degrees. Individuals do not grow out of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
• Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic and social groups and is four times more likely to affect boys than girls. Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate (understand and relate to others) socially and emotionally.
• Autism is also associated with unproductive repetitive behaviors; processing disorders (sensory sensitivities to light, smell, sound and touch), eccentric behaviors and rigid routines; and unusual preoccupation with subjects and objects.

Early Signs of Autism

One or more of the following can be indicators of an Autism Spectrum Disorder, which includes Autistic Disorder, PDD-NOS and Asperger’s Disorder, also known as Asperger’s Syndrome:

• Absence of smiles of recognition by six months or thereafter Acts as though they cannot hear your voice
• Absence of acknowledgment when a parent returns home or when a new person enters the room by six months or thereafter
• Preoccupation or fascination with objects rather than with people
• Plays alone
• Impaired social interaction such as back-and-forth sharing of facial expressions by nine months or thereafter
• Slow to imitate games like peek-a-boo
• Giggling for no reason or when no one else is around as early as four months or thereafter
• Extreme sensitivities to light, smell, sound, touch and taste by four months or thereafter
• Hand flapping, hand gazing, body rocking or other self-stimulatory behaviors as early as six months
• Absence of babbling by 12 months Absence of back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, or waving by 12 months
• Fixation on audio/ video stimulation by 18 months
• Absence of words by 16 months or odd use of language or unusual tone of voice
• Compulsively arranges non-toy items or lines up toys
• Absence of initiating two word meaningful phrases by 24 months.
• Speaks only when coaxed
• Any loss of first words or any loss of babbling at any age
• Any loss of social skills at any age
• Peculiar or rigid eating, dressing or sleeping habits
• Strongly prefers or insists on talking about one subject without variation
• Lack of daily progress (A developing child is doing or discovering new things every day.)

Every day without treatment is a lost opportunity for progress.