Autism spectrum disorder is a condition that exhibits different symptoms. The main areas of life that this developmental disability affects include behavior, communication, and social interaction. It is essential to identify signs of San Diego autism in children so that you can give them extra support by developing the proper care plan for them.
What causes autism?
Although there is no apparent cause of autism, most autistic patients have a genetic background linking them to the disease. Other common risk factors of autism include parental age and taking certain prescription medicines during pregnancy.
Most children in the high-risk spectrum of autism may begin showing signs as early as a few months. Although some children exhibit normal development for months or years of their lives, they may strategy show symptoms later. Although not every child will show noticeable symptoms, caregivers need to pay close attention to their children to diagnose the condition early so that the proper care can go into helping the children get better as they grow older.
How autism affects a child’s social skills
Children with ASD struggle to create close relationships with others even though they may want to. Problems in social skills are among the first symptoms of autism in children. These issues occur most of the time due to difficulty expressing emotions like empathy. Fortunately, you can detect these symptoms during early life, from eight months. These are some of the signs to look for:
- Failure to recognize their name by the time they turn one year old.
- Introversion: These children are not interested in socializing with other people and thus do not talk or play much.
- They do not enjoy physical contact like hugging.
- Problems expressing emotions.
- They avoid eye contact.
How autism affects the way children communicate
Most children with ASD do not like social interactions and avoid talking. As a result, it takes more time for autistic children to develop critical language skills. Although some children acquire the necessary communication skills, they may lose them later due to their condition. Some of the signs of autism related to communication include:
- Delayed speech.
- Flat voice
- Issues using the correct pronoun
- Stuttering
- Repeating the same word or phrase over and over.
- Inability to comprehend gestures, body language, and time of voice
What are the most common behavior patterns in autistic children?
Autistic children will often act in ways that stand out. Some of the unusual behaviors of ASD children include:
- Hyper behavior: Some autistic children prefer to constantly movie and pace, especially when excited or frustrated.
- Extreme sensitivity: ASD children are aware of their surroundings and respond to the slightest touch, sound, or light.
- Obsession with repetitive behaviors like rocking
- Impulsiveness
- Lack of coordination
- Short attention span
The earlier you confirm your child’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, the faster you can begin treatment and the more effective it will be. Suppose you are having difficulty identifying the signs and symptoms of autism, and your child is having problems getting specific developmental milestones. In that case, you should visit your pediatrician to conduct the necessary tests. Contact MindSet to learn more about autism and appreciate the available treatments to improve your child’s interaction with others.