Prevalence of autism
According to the CDC, the latest statistics from 2018 indicate that 1 in 44 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Contrasted with 1 in 150 children in 2002, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of children who are being identified as having ASD. Since the brain is rapidly developing during the 0-3 years and then through the 3-5 years, as well, early detection and intervention is the key to the best possible outcomes for a child who has ASD.
Early signs
The CDC has outlined common early signs and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder, including:
Avoids or does not keep eye contact
Does not respond to name by 9 months of age
Does not show facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised by 9 months
Does not play simple interactive games like pat-a-cake by 12 months
Uses few or no gestures by 12 months (for example, does not wave bye)
Does not share interests with others by 15 months (for example, shows you an object that they like)
Does not point to show you something interesting by 18 months of age
Does not notice when others are hurt or upset by 24 months
Does not notice other children and join them in play by 36 months
Does not pretend to be something else, like a teacher or superhero, during play by 48 months
Does not sing, dance, or act for you by 60 months
Lines up toys or other objects and gets upset when order is changed
Repeats words or phrases over and over (called echolalia)
Plays with toys the same way every time
Is focused on parts of objects (for example, wheels)
Gets upset by minor changes
Has obsessive interests
Must follow certain routines
Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell taste, look, or feel
Delayed language skills
Delayed movement skills
Delayed cognitive or learning skills
Hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive behavior
Epilepsy or seizure disorder
Unusual eating and sleeping habits
Gastrointestinal issues (for example, constipation)
Unusual mood or emotional reactions
Anxiety, stress, or excessive worry
Lack of fear or more fear than expected.
Click here for more information on the CDC’s early signs of ASD.
what if your child has signs?
Many of the early signs can be seen in children who are typically developing, so if your child shows some of these signs, it does not mean they have ASD. It is very important to express any concerns you have about your child’s development at your child’s routine well-checks. Your child’s primary care provider should be doing routine autism screenings for your child at the 18- and 24-month well checks. If they have not completed these screenings, you can request one be done. You can also do it yourself online for free (see below), and if the results indicate your child is at risk for ASD, you can send the results to your child’s provider and ask for a referral for a formal evaluation.
free screening tool
If you have concerns about your child’s development and wonder if they might have autism, Autism Speaks has obtained permission to provide access to a free, online autism screening tool called the M-CHAT-R. It can be accessed through their website here. There are 20 yes/no questions, and once completed, a score will be given indicating your child’s risk for ASD. You can then download the results as a PDF and share with your child’s primary care provider.
what if the score indicates they are at risk?
If the results of the screening indicate your child is at risk, this does not mean your child has ASD. It means you should follow up with the child’s primary care provider to discuss what steps need to be taken to obtain a formal evaluation. Thrivergent Behavioral Services, LLC, provides a multidisciplinary team approach for autism evaluations, giving parents and professionals a more thorough picture of the child’s development and information about how and why a diagnosis is or is not given. If a child is diagnosed with ASD, it provides a way for parents to access valuable services for their child through insurance that are only available with a diagnosis.