Early detection can go a long way

UNDERSTANDING AUTISM

Should you be alarmed if your child has autism? No, spot it early and save your child from a lifetime of challenges

When Seema Naik took her two-year-old to a pediatrician, she was worried about his hearing abilities. The boy often did not respond when she called out his name. On a detailed evaluation, the doctor found that Seema’s son was not using words to communicate, did not make eye contact, and was preoccupied with playing with his fingers. Seema said that he did not play with his cousins but preferred to play for hours with toy bricks, making a tower repeatedly. The doctor told Seema that she suspected that her son had autism.

What is autism?

Autism is a brain development disorder characterised by impaired social interaction, communication and unusual and repetitive behaviour.  Autism affects each person in different ways, and can range from very mild to a severe form of the disease. Autism usually begins before the age of three and lasts throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time.

How common is it?

It is very common. One in 88 children have autism according to the latest research.

What are the early signs?

A child with autism may display one or more of the following behaviours:

- Does not respond to his/her name by 12 months
- Does not point at objects to show interest
- Does not play “pretend” games (pretend to feed a doll, etc.)
- Avoids eye contact and wants to be alone
- Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about his/her own feelings
- Has delayed speech and language skills
- Repeats words or phrases over and over
- Gives unrelated answers to questions
- Gets upset by minor changes
- Has obsessive interests
- Flaps his/her hands, rocks  body or spins in circles
- Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

Diagnosis

Diagnosis can be made by an experienced professional by looking at the child’s behavioural and development pattern. There are no specific blood tests or scans to detect the problem. There is currently no cure for autism either. Research shows that early intervention can greatly improve a child’s development and can lead to a productive and meaningful life. Therefore, it is essential to track your child’s development and act early if there is any doubt.

Why is it important to have an autism screening?

Screening for diseases like diabetes and hypertension helps in detecting a deficiency early on. Similarly, early detection of autism and intervention helps autistic children to achieve developmental skills. Twenty five to 50  per cent of kids can be mainstreamed with intensive early intervention. The remaining kids too reach their full potential by early intervention. The support level required for children/ adult with autism can be drastically reduced by early diagnosis and intervention.

How to screen for autism?

All children should be screened for developmental delays and disabilities during regular hospital visits for vaccination at:

- 18 months
- 24 or 30 months

Developmental screening is a short test that can tell if children are learning basic skills when they should, or if they might have delays. Initially, parents need to fill up a form regarding their child’s development which will be scored. The doctor might ask the parent some questions or talk and play with the child during an exam to see how he/she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves during the developmental assessment. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of a problem.

(Courtesy: Department of Paediatrics, Bangalore Baptist Hospital.)