Autism Spectrum Disorder

Learn the Early Signs​

Symptoms often surface between 12 and 18 months. If signs are detected by 18 months of age, intensive treatment may help to rewire the brain and reverse the symptoms.

The earliest signs of autism involve the absence of normal behaviors—not the presence of abnormal ones—so they can be tough to spot. In some cases, the earliest symptoms of autism are even misinterpreted as signs of a “good baby,” since the infant may seem quiet, independent, and undemanding. However, you can catch warning signs early if you know what to look for.

Early signs

Your baby or toddler doesn’t:

  • Make eye contact, such as looking at you when being fed or smiling when being smiled at
  • Respond to his or her name, or to the sound of a familiar voice
  • Follow objects visually or follow your gesture when you point things out
  • Point or wave goodbye, or use other gestures to communicate
  • Make noises to get your attention
  • Initiate or respond to cuddling or reach out to be picked up
  • Imitate your movements and facial expressions
  • Play with other people or share interest and enjoyment

Developmental red flags

The following delays warrant an immediate evaluation of your child:

By 6 months: No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions
By 9 months: No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions
By 12 months: Lack of response to name
By 12 months: No babbling or “baby talk”
By 12 months: No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving
By 16 months: No spoken words
By 24 months: No meaningful two-word phrases that don’t involve imitating or repeating

  • Imagine being in a foreign country, not being able to speak or interpret the language and not able to make yourself understood…
  • Children with Autism have difficulties  both verbal and non verbal language like gestures, facial expression and tone of voice.

AUTISM is not a TRAGEDY. IGNORANCE is.
We urge parents with concerns to seek evaluation without delay, as early intervention can improve outcomes. 

Signs and Symptoms in older children

As children get older, the red flags for autism become more diverse. There are many warning signs and symptoms, but they typically revolve around impaired social skills, speech and language difficulties, non-verbal communication difficulties, and inflexible behavior.

Signs of social difficulties

  • Doesn’t know how to connect with others, play, or make friends
  • Prefers not to be touched, held, or cuddled
  • Has trouble understanding feelings or talking about them

Signs of speech and language difficulties

  • Speaks in an abnormal tone of voice, or with an odd rhythm or pitch
  • Repeats the same words or phrases over and over, often without communicative intent
  • Has difficulty communicating needs or desires
  • Doesn’t understand simple directions, statements, or questions

Signs of nonverbal communication difficulties

  • Avoids eye contact
  • Doesn’t pick up on other people’s facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures
  • Makes very few gestures (such as pointing). May come across as cold or “robot-like.”
  • Reacts unusually to sights, smells, textures, and sounds. May be especially sensitive to loud noises. Can also be unresponsive to people entering/leaving, as well as efforts by others to attract the child’s attention.
  • Abnormal posture, clumsiness, or eccentric ways of moving (e.g., walking exclusively on tiptoe)

Signs of inflexibility

  • Follows a rigid routine (e.g., insists on taking a specific route to school)
  • Has difficulty adapting to any changes in schedule or environment (e.g., throws a tantrum if the furniture is rearranged or bedtime is at a different time than usual)
  • Unusual attachments to toys or strange objects such as keys, light switches, or rubber bands. Obsessively lines things up or arranges them in a certain order.

Treatment

  • Medications
  • Stem cell therapy
  • Occupational therapy intervention : sensory integration therapy, behavior retraining therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, social skills training
  • Speech Therapy

Stem cell therapy: myths and facts

  • MYTH: Stem cells can be derived only from embryos.
  • FACT: Embryos are not the only available source. Adult stem cells can be found in plentiful amounts throughout an adult’s body from bone marrow and fat.
  • MYTH: There is a risk of “rejection” with stem cell therapy.
  • FACT: When a patient’s stem cells are derived from his own body, there is NO risk of rejection.
  • MYTH : Stem cells need to be banked at birth to allow for later treatments.
  • FACT: Adult stem cells are currently in clinical use today and are easily and safely harvested from the patient’s bone marrow.
  • MYTH : Stem cell therapy is unsafe.
  • FACT: Stem cell therapy is extremely safe.
  • MYTH : Stem cell therapy is an elaborate and painful procedure.
  • FACT: Patients typically return to work on the same day. The procedure is quick and general anesthesia is not needed.  Most patients do not require pain medication.
  • MYTH: Stem cell treatment is dangerous. Stem cells can cause cancer.
  • FACT: Adult autologous stem cell therapy has NO risks involved.

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