Early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in young children is important to allow for proactive screening and interventions. Early recognition has the potential to change developmental trajectories by drawing attention to what the child can do rather than what he cannot and intervening and providing services and support early in life to ensure that the "at risk" child is as able as possible. Children do not all grow at the same rate, but there are specific behavior patterns, symptoms and signs that might suggest a developmental disorder in children from 6 months to 2 years of age.

Common Early Signs to Watch For

Typically, the parents or guardians are the first to suspect something about their child's growth. The early symptoms of autism spectrum disorder can be:

Communication Delays or Differences
A child who has very little or no babbling, delayed language, or has no gestures (such as no nodding, pointing, or waving). Other times, children may occasionally or irregularly answer to their name and may show very little eye contact in social situations.

Challenges in Social Interaction
They may want to play alone and may not have an interest in playing with peers or with family members. It may be difficult for them to understand social cues, such as facial expressions and tone of voice, and they may not go to a parent or caregiver for comfort when they are upset.

Repetitive Movements and Behaviors
It is a common characteristic of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to demonstrate repetitive behaviours such as hand-flapping, rocking, and spinning objects. They can obsess about one item or routine and get upset when it's not followed.

Sensory Sensitivities or Unusual Responses
Sensory sensitive and sensory under-sensitive are also often seen. For instance, a kid may cover his ears at the sound of the most ordinary things in life or obsessively watch flickering lights. Such unusual sensing can cause changes in perception and reaction to the environment.

Motor Skill Delays or Differences
A few children are slow to develop large muscle skills (such as crawling or walking) or small muscle skills (such as picking up small objects).

When to Contact a Professional

But this does not mean the child has Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) just because he has one or two of these signs. But if more than one symptom persists, that's when you need to talk to a health care professional who has some experience in child development. A prompt diagnosis of these disorders can provide important data and lead to a complete evaluation.

Early intervention is important as earlier interventions tend to be more successful. Therapies may be specifically designed to promote communication, social skills, and adaptive behavior, helping children to achieve their full potential.

The Family and Caregivers

Parents play a key role in assisting children with early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Knowledge of these signs helps parents and caregivers take early action and set their child on the right path from the start. Collaboration between family, therapist, and teacher helps build that consistency, which is needed for learning and growth.

Parents can also rely on other support systems and educational resources to assist along the journey, and also to celebrate the success.

Conclusion

The precursors to autism can be so subtle, but the recognition and early intervention are everything. If your child is displaying red flags for these problems, and as screening is cheap while intervention is pretty brief and effective, this seems to call for a professional to check them out and maybe to boost developmental outcomes.

Willam is the author of this article. To know more about Registered Behavior Technician Leander.