Autism

Many parents are very aware of the fact that autism is becoming more and more common and most are not sure how to spot it if their children do have it. There are common signs to look for which we have previously listed, but somtimes it is still hard to determine without further investigation. This could be becuase the child has a mild symptom or because they have a previous handicap that will mask it. It is always important to take your child to your doctor where they can run a series of their own tests to determine the diagnosis for you.

Doctors will often use a questionnaire or other screening instrument to obtain information about a child’s development and behavior. Some screening instruments rely solely on parent observations; others rely on a combination of both parent and doctor observations. If screening instruments indicate the possibility of autism, doctors will ask for a more comprehensive evaluation.

Autism is a complex disorder, which is why a comprehensive evaluation requires a multidisciplinary team that includes a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and other professionals who diagnose children with ASDs. The team members will then conduct a thorough neurological assessment and in-depth cognitive and language testing.

Because hearing problems can cause behaviors that could be mistaken for autism, children with delayed speech development should also have their hearing tested. After a thorough evaluation, the team usually meets with parents to explain the results of the evaluation and present the diagnosis.

Children with some symptoms of autism, but not enough to be diagnosed with classical autism, are often diagnosed with PDD-NOS. Children with autistic behaviors but well-developed language skills are often diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Children who develop normally and then suddenly deteriorate between the ages of 3 to 10 years and show marked autistic behaviors may be diagnosed with childhood disintegrative disorder. Girls who show autistic symptoms may be suffering from Rett syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder that is characterized by social withdrawal, regressed language skills, and hand wringing.