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The Autistic Sign of Man
Autism is a developmental disorder of the brain and nerves of children that affects how they interact, socialize, speak, express, and communicate verbally and nonverbally. The signs of autism in infants and children can be seen in the first three years of life. Here is an explanation of the characteristics of autism in infants and children.
Autism includes all the disorders in the way children interact, socialize, speak, think, express, and communicate both verbally and nonverbally. Autism can also make a child experience disturbances in behavior.
In infants, the disorder is quite difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are vague and prone to be misunderstood as another health problem.
But launching the Help Guide, there are some autistic traits and symptoms that can be seen in babies early on. The various symptoms are:
1. Problems with eye contact
The visibility of newborns is generally still short and limited (no more than 25 cm) so that the eyesight is not clear.
In addition, his eye coordination is also not optimal so he has not been able to follow the motion of an object.
During the first two months, the baby's eyes will often appear out of focus in the first two months of life. You will probably often see it like a dumbass staring at the ceiling of the house.
But at around the age of 4 months, the baby can begin to see more clearly and widely, and can focus his gaze. Starting at this age, the baby's eyes can also follow the motion of an object.
However, be aware of the characteristics of autistic babies if it passes from that age his eyes often do not follow the motion of objects in front of him.
Empty and unfocused eyes like daydreaming are the most common symptoms of autism in babies and you can observe every day.
The characteristics of an autistic baby can also be seen from his eyes that never look into Your eyes when fed or smile back when You smile.
2. Not responding when his name is called
Newborn babies do not recognize the various sounds around them, including the voices of their parents. Therefore, your child may not respond to affectionate calls early in life.
The lack of baby response in the first few months is still quite reasonable.
This is because both his sense of sight and sense of hearing have not been well coordinated. The muscles around his neck were not fully developed.
But at the age of 7 months, the baby will be able to recognize the voice of the parents and respond to other sounds.
He can also look to the right, left, up, and down when he hears a voice that appeals to him.
The more often you talk, the greater the chance of your child mastering this ability faster.
However, if your baby may not show a response when you call his name, these can be early symptoms and signs of autism that need to be watched out for.
However, it should be understood that not all babies develop at the same age, it can be faster or slower than the average age.
3. Not babbling like other babies
Newborn babies cannot talk like adults. Babies often cry because it is the only way to communicate.
He is very likely to cry when hungry, feel sick, urinate, and various other conditions.
Reporting from the Kids Health page, when entering the age of 2 months, the baby has begun to babble.
He makes sounds that have no meaning. This sound they make is due to the reflexes of the muscles around the baby's mouth or done to get the attention of those around him.
However, autistic babies most likely do not show these characteristics in their development.
The little one tends not to chatter or follow the sounds made. If the baby experiences this accompanied by the symptoms and causes of autism mentioned, may suspect the occurrence of autism in the baby.
4. Coordination of the eyes with the limbs is poor
The ability of the body controlled by the baby is the coordination between the eyes and limbs, both hands and feet.
This ability makes the baby can respond to hugs, reach out to be hugged, or touch objects in front of him.
But in infants with autism, they have characteristics of less responsive. They probably won't wave when others say goodbye.
5. Characteristics of autistic infant children from other symptoms
The characteristics of autism in this baby are not only that. As you get older, your symptoms will become more obvious and distinguishable from other babies.
Some of the symptoms of autism in older babies, including:
Avoiding eye contact when others stare or talk
Frequent repetitive behaviors, such as patting hands, swinging hands, or playing fingers do not recognize the situation.
Not answering questions correctly, tends to repeat questions
Babies prefer to play alone and do not like physical contact, such as being hugged or touched
In some cases, autism shows the characteristics of children who talk late
Children tend to repeat the same words or phrases over and over again
Abnormal tone of speech, can be flat when asking or even pitched when making a statement
Not understanding simple commands or questions
In some cases, children also show symptoms of hyperactive children
Each child can have different symptoms, especially in girls.
Quoting from Child Mind, autistic girls show repetitive behavior traits that are not clearly visible than boys.
Susan F's. Epstein, PhD, a neuropsychologist also mentions that autistic girls are more interested in toy horses than memorizing the departure schedule of the train or things related to numbers.
Girls who are diagnosed can smile or respond to certain responses, but less often.
The vague symptoms in girls make it difficult for doctors to make a diagnosis, so it is often diverted to other conditions, such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety.
Autistic traits common in children
In general, parents can observe the characteristics of autism in children from three main factors, namely from social skills or interaction, communication, and behavior:
1. Having problems with social skills (interaction)
Children with autism usually have difficulty interacting with others shown by the following characteristics:
Unable to respond when called by name at 12 months of age.
Not interested in playing, talking, and interacting with others.
Prefer to be alone.
Avoiding or refusing physical contact.
When upset, children usually do not like to be entertained.
Note if the child has the above conditions.
2. Problems in communication
Children with autism (autistic) usually have communication problems with traits such as:
Speech late compared to children his age.
Talking in a strange tone of voice and not infrequently difficult to understand.
Repeating the same phrase over and over again.
Respond to questions by repeating them, not answering them.
Not understanding simple directions, statements, or questions.
I can't understand the jokes given.
Children who often use language incorrectly, for example using third-person pronouns in calling themselves, are also a sign of autism.
3. Characteristics of autistic children from unusual aspects of behavior
Children with autism will show unusual behavior such as:
Doing the same movements over and over again for example, flapping your hands, rocking back and forth, or flicking your fingers.
Move with constant over-behavior.
Perform special routines and get upset when the routine is changed.
Have more fussy eating habits.
Often act without thinking.
Have aggressive behavior, both with yourself and others.
Can't focus on one thing for a long time.
Have unusual sensory interests, such as sniffing toys, objects, or people.
Playing things in a repetitive and unimaginative way.
If you see these symptoms in children, then try to immediately see a doctor to find out the root of the problem. Proper early treatment can help the effectiveness of treatment.
Can autism be cured? There is no cure for autism, but treating symptoms early can help improve a child's quality of life.
How parents observe autistic traits in children
As a parent, you are in the best position to spot the early symptoms of autism in your child. You can observe the development, behavior, and strange habits of children rather than doctors who only meet parents for a limited time.
Doctors have a big role to play in making the diagnosis through your observation reports and directing the best treatment according to the severity of the symptoms.
Here are some things you can do to find out the presence of autistic traits in children earlier, such as:
Monitor child development
Autism (autis) that attacks children has the characteristics of delayed development of body functions.
Therefore, knowing the normal development of children and comparing the development of the child can be used as one way to detect autism early.
While not all developmental delays lead to autism, it can help detect other health problems that a child faces.
If you are worried, do not hesitate to consult a doctor
Every child has a different development. You do not need to panic, if your child is slower in walking or talking.
However, parents also should not look at this one eye. If your child's delay causes concern, do not hesitate to consult a doctor.
Waiting longer can make a child's condition worse. In fact, it reduces the chances for a child to recover from some health problems other than autism.
So, being alert in taking this action is the best step you can take.
Trust instinct
As a parent, your bond with your little one is much closer. This causes the instincts to be more sensitive so that parents can know there are mistakes that occur in children constantly.
By trusting your instincts, you will be encouraged to take your child to the doctor to find out more about his condition.
When should I take my child to the doctor?
Here are some characteristics of autistic children who need to be taken to the doctor, such as:
Over the age of 5 months your child shows no sign of interest in the surroundings
His eyeballs do not follow the direction of motion of the object in front of him.
At 6 months of age, the child does not show a smile or other expression, even though he has tried to attract his attention
Baby language development does not go well (not babbling and making noises at 9 months).
By the age of 1 year, the child does not respond to turn his head when his name is called
By age 1, babies do not show activity such as pointing, reaching, or waving
Entering the age of 16 months, babies do not say a single word or very rarely chattering
At the age of 2 years, babies do not try to repeat certain words spoken or imitate gestures made.
When you see these traits in children, you can suspect it as autism (autistic).
However, parents cannot diagnose this disorder based on personal perception. The little one must undergo several health tests recommended by the doctor, until the doctor actually establishes the diagnosis.
Although there is no specific laboratory test that can detect autism in children, doctors will perform a variety of test approaches.
You need to provide a report of health history, symptoms, and certain behaviors to be used as a reference.
Explaining your medical history can help your doctor make a diagnosis.
Especially in babies born prematurely (born before entering the age of 26 weeks) or the mother uses the drug valproic acid (Depakene) or thalidomide during pregnancy.
The doctor will probably involve a specialist to find out how severe the child's condition is.
Then, recommend appropriate treatment, such as behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and additional treatment to reduce autistic traits in children.
