When Does Autism Start or First Show Up?
There have been many advancements in behavioral science in recent years, which has led to more accurate diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In addition, more is generally known about autism today than it was even 10 years ago, allowing parents, caregivers, pediatricians and others to more easily spot the common signs and symptoms of autism earlier than ever.
It’s very important that parents know what these common signs and symptoms are, as research has shown that the earlier a diagnosis can be given, and the early treatment such as applied behavioral analysis (or ABA therapy) can be administered, the more effective that treatment can be.
Autism can actually be identified as early as one month in some children, though it might be challenging to spot at this young of an age. So, what should parents, caregivers, pediatricians and others who interact regularly with children look out for?
We’ll discuss some of the common signs and symptoms of autism, and when these signs first show up, below.
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What Are Some of the Early Signs of Autism?
At every regular check-up, your child’s pediatrician should be talking to you about their development. The pediatrician will be measuring your child against development milestones that are set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
This will start from the very first visit your child has at the pediatrician, though it’s not as serious if they’re behind on some of these milestones early on as it will be as they grow older.
The earliest signs of autism can be spotted in a child’s first year of life. That being said, it becomes easier to identify some of the signs and symptoms of autism between the ages of 12 months and 18 months old.
Some of these early signs and symptoms include having trouble making eye contact, not responding to their name, having trouble following someone pointing their finger at an object, not exhibiting strong imitation or “pretend play” skills, and having trouble understanding non-verbal communication.
If your child is displaying one or more of these signs, it doesn’t automatically mean that they have autism spectrum disorder, as it’s possible they may just be a little slower developing than the guidelines state.
At the same time, it is important to take note of some of these signs and track their progress toward their developmental milestones in case they continue to miss them.
What Are Some of the Signs of Autism After Twelve Months?
As children continue to get older, it becomes a little easier to identify the common signs of autism. That’s because it becomes more apparent that a child is behind, as neurotypical children would start to talk — or at least try to talk — by the time they’re 1 year old.
By 12 months old, the common signs of autism are if your child does little to no babbling; doesn’t engage in gestures back-and-forth including reaching, waving, showing or pointing; and doesn’t respond to their name, or doesn’t do so often.
At 16 months old, a common autism sign is if they speak little to no words. At 24 months old, it’s a common sign of autism if your child still can’t say many, or any, two-word phrases.
Again, your child’s pediatrician should be comparing them to the developmental milestones to see how well they’re developing. If there are concerns, they might begin to suggest outside evaluations once they reach 1 or 2 years old.
What are Some of the Signs of Autism as Children Get Older?
As children get older than 2 years old, it becomes even easier to identify autism. There are many ways in which autism might present itself as children become toddlers and start to interact with their peers.
This might include a continued challenge establishing and keeping eye contact, a preference to be alone rather than with others, the lack of ability to understand how other people are feeling, delayed development of their language, repeating phrases or words, having difficulty when even minor changes to a daily routine happen, experiencing restricted interests and/or repetitive behaviors, and experiencing intense and/or unusual reactions to stimuli such as smells, sounds, colors, lights, textures and/or tastes.
Trust Blue Gems ABA with Your Child’s ASD Diagnosis and Treatment
Some signs of autism can be identified as early as 1 month old. However, most children aren’t diagnosed until they’re 3 years old, on average.
The reason for this is that it becomes easier to spot the common signs and symptoms of autism as children get older. Still, it’s important as a parent to understand what developmental milestones your child should be meeting, and when.
At Blue Gems ABA, we are dedicated to accurately diagnosing ASD from an early age, and providing the best ABA therapy to those who are diagnosed with it.
Our team of clinical psychologists evaluate children for ASD and give a diagnosis if appropriate. Then, our trained and licensed BCBAs guide our therapists in administering ABA therapy to help children on the autism spectrum gain the social, communication and daily life skills they might struggle with.
To learn more, please contact us today.
617-297-7998
617-340-3371
info@bluegemsaba.com
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