With as many as one in 150 children living with autism today, many parents are eyeing their young children with anxiety. The condition is in fact on the rise, says Marguerite Colston, mother of a child with autism and vice president for constituent relations at the Autism Society of America. But you should not necessarily be alarmed. “While autism is more prevalent, it’s also treatable,” says Colston. Early detection of the disability does make a difference in how well a child with autism develops. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the possible signs and other key facts about autism.

 

Missed milestones. While autism is often diagnosed by age 3, signs of the disability may be apparent earlier. If, for example, your 1-year-old is not babbling or does not turn her head when you call her from behind, that’s a cause for concern, say Patricia Wright, PhD, MPH, national director of autism services at Easter Seals. Another sign might be if your 1-year-old is not pointing to objects or tracking what you point to. Be sure to tell her pediatrician. For more examples of behaviors that might indicate autism, review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” fact sheet.

Communication clues. Some children with autism do not speak at all or lag behind other children in language ability. By 2 years of age, a child should be using two-word phrases, like “Mommy, juice.” Or if your child uses words and phrases but then seems to lose that ability, he might have autism.

Social problems. Some children with autism develop language skills like other children but don’t seem to have the social skills. “You start to see they are not engaging in play with their mom and dad,” says Wright. Another example is in day care or preschool, a child will seem to not be aware of other children or prefer to play alone, even to the point of turning her back to other kids or taking her toys and moving away from the group. These behaviors will make it difficult for a child with autism to make friends.
   
Restrictive or repetitive actions. Kids with autism will home in on an object or parts of an object in an unusual way. Case in point: “They see a toy car. They pick it up and spin the wheel. But they’re not interested in the car, only the wheel,” says Wright. It’s not just the focus on the object but the intensity of that focus, she explains. So even if you try to interrupt a child who is repeatedly opening and closing a cupboard door, for example, she will continue to watch the door. Children with autism also often develop rigid routines and rituals.

Subtle signs. It’s easy to confuse behavior that is typical and developmentally appropriate for young kids with the more subtle symptoms of autism. For example, a 4-year-old with autism may have difficulty taking another child’s perspective into account and not be able to wait his turn in line or to play a game. But many preschoolers and grade-schoolers lack the patience to wait their turn. So how do you know if your child might need help? Often moms and dads correctly identify a difference or problem in their child before anyone else does. “I tell families, if you know something is up, pursue a screening,” says Wright.

If you suspect that your child might have autism, don’t hesitate to get him checked out. Because children’s brains develop rapidly in the first few years, early detection and intervention is critical. Local public school districts are required to offer screenings to families. Once you have a diagnosis, you can take advantage of the services available to children with autism and get your child the help she needs.