At what age can autism be diagnosed?
Although some children show autistic patterns of social interaction almost from birth, it is difficult to give a definitive diagnosis of autism before age three. This is because rates of development in infants and young children are widely variable. Also, autism is frequently accompanied by mental retardation (about 70% of the time). Some behaviors associated with autism are also frequently found in children who are mentally retarded. This may make it difficult to discriminate between the two conditions, or determine that both conditions are present, in very young children. By the time a child is three or four, cognitive development can be more accurately assessed. At the same time, social development can be more clearly assessed for delay or deviance. How can my child be assessed for Autism if he/she can not talk? A child’s social development can be assessed by observation of the child’s pattern of non-verbal interaction with both familiar and unfamiliar people. Parents can help in th
Although some children show autistic patterns of social interaction almost from birth, it can be difficult to give a definitive diagnosis of autism before age three. This is because rates of development in infants and young children are widely variable. Also, autism is frequently accompanied by mental retardation (about 70% of the time.) Some behaviors associated with autism are also frequently found in children who are mentally retarded. This may make it difficult to discriminate between the two conditions, or determine that both conditions are present, in very young children. By the time a child is three or four, cognitive development can be more accurately assessed. At the same time, social development can be more clearly assessed for delay or deviance.
Autism and similar disorders typically can be diagnosed by 18 months, but many children aren’t diagnosed until they are 3 years of age or older. This delay should not happen. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, parents should watch for five warning signs of autism: the baby doesn’t babble or coo by 12 months; doesn’t gesture (point, wave or grasp) by 12 months; doesn’t say single words by 16 months; doesn’t say two-word phrases on his own by 24 months; or experiences a loss of any language or social skill at any age. “Talking back” is another important milestone: When a mother makes funny sounds and talks to her 6- to 9-month-old, he should react to her. A baby who doesn’t smile or make eye contact should be referred for immediate evaluation as well. If you think your child is behind others at 9 to 24 months, get an evaluation. The earlier developmental delays and autism-spectrum disorders are diagnosed, the more a child can be helped.
There is now general agreement that an experienced professional can reliably diagnose autism by 3 years of age in the general child population. There is also evidence that some children may be identified earlier on screening tools, [3] relying on early indicators such as differences in eye-contact, joint attention, pointing, imitation and play behaviours.
