It is with a sense of great shock and disbelief that you hear of autism affecting your child. You are even ready to seek a second, third or fourth opinion as autism is so different in every child and a tricky disorder to diagnose. There are, however, a few key ways to diagnose autism efficiently and identify it in children. If the infant or toddler is showing any symptoms of autism, consult the pediatrician immediately to express your anxiety.
Occurring at a young age, rather than during the adult period, autism is detected before the age of three or many times much earlier. Delays or egression in speech communication constitute the first signs of autism. Another early symptom is abnormal behavior in group play and other social situations. Autism is diagnosed first through physical examination and a review of family history by a specialist. Though the regular pediatrician can spot unusual behavior, the child should be examined by a specialist in autism and other similar disorders for proper and correct diagnosis.
Hearing test is the second next test as language and social skill delays may be due to inadequate auditory sensations. One type of auditory test records he tones the child can hear. The other test needs sedation and measures the brains response to certain tones. The first test is preferred to the second as it does not require sedation. Soon after auditory testing the doctor may subject your child to test for fragile X syndrome which goes hand in hand with autism. Evaluation of metabolism may be necessary. For this the doctor requires the child’s blood or urine samples to analyze DNA.
An MRI or CAT scan can help diagnosis of autism. Work with trusted doctors. Take second opinion for help. Once the child is diagnosed for autism, stick to the same doctor for uniform treatment, and familiarity with the person. Autism is difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat. So you should learn as much as possible about the disease as soon as the doctor identifies the disease. Detection of autism quite early gives your child a better chance at transforming itself into a high functional individual with many more opportunities in life.