April is World Autism Month
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation, as defined by the Autism Society. Autism is often referred to as a “spectrum condition” that affects every person differently.
This World Autism Month, we wanted to share several resources to help you stay informed about the importance of early intervention services in children as well as general services available for you and your loved one.
Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of autism often involve difficulty with social communication, interaction, and experiencing repetitive or restricted behaviors, according to the CDC. This can include, but is not limited to:
Avoids eye contact or does not keep eye contact
Does not respond to name by 9 months of age
Does not show facial expressions by 9 months of age
Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age
Lines up toys and other objects, and becomes upset when the order is changed
Repeats words or phrases
Plays with toys the same way each time
As mentioned, these are just some of the behaviors associated with autism in children. For a more comprehensive list, view the CDC’s page here.
The Autistic Neurotype
The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities National Training Center (MHDD) explains that some self-advocates and providers view autism as a neurotype (having a certain type of brain) rather than a disorder. This places emphasis on the belief that there is no one type of brain, but rather just a different way of existing and functioning in the world.
MHDD has put together a helpful module that further explains neurodiversity, autism, and how models of disability view autism differently. The purpose of their Autism 101 module is to help providers become more comfortable serving individuals with autism.
View the MHDD module.
Autism Early Diagnosis & Important Milestones
Diagnosis of autism at an early age can be difficult since there is no specific test conducted, but it’s still very important for children with ASD to be diagnosed as early as possible. This way the child can receive the support they need to grow and thrive. Knowing about the specific developmental milestones children are expected to reach by a certain age can be very helpful in supporting an early diagnosis.
These developmental milestones are considered to be things 75% or more of children can do by a certain age. To help determine if your child is reaching these milestones, check out the CDC’s Milestone Tracker.
View the Milestone Tracker in English here.
You can view the Milestone Tracker in Spanish here.
Additionally, research is showing that many Hispanic and Latinx individuals and families can face difficulties when it comes to getting an autism diagnosis and access to services, according to MHDD. This can be due to communication barriers, a lack of access to services, and perceptions of autism. The Autism Society provides a page dedicated to autism information in Spanish, which can be viewed here.
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is another organization dedicated to promoting solutions across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. The organization states that signs of autism often appear by age 2 or 3, but they can be diagnosed as early as 18 months old.
Learn more about Autism Speaks
Information is power - We hope that the above resources help to empower you to know more about the early signs and symptoms of autism and the tools available to you and your loved one.
Enabling Technology for Individuals with Autism
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