I have found information from this website incredibly helpful for understanding the signs and how parents are ideally the perfect audience for my creation of some form of graphic response.
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/autism/autism-symptoms-and-early-signs.htm
'As a parent, you never want to believe that your precious bundle has a problem. But when it comes to autism, catching it early—ideally by the age of eighteen months—makes a huge difference. The younger your child, the greater the impact of treatment on symptoms of autism. But no matter your child's age, don't lose hope. Treatment can reduce the disorder's effects and help your child learn, grow, and thrive.'
As a parent, you’re in the best position to spot the earliest warning signs of autism. You know your child better than anyone and observe behaviors and quirks that a pediatrician, in a quick fifteen-minute visit, might not have the chance to see. Your child’s pediatrician can be a valuable partner, but don’t discount the importance of your own observations and experience. The key is to educate yourself so you know what’s normal and what’s not.
Monitor your child’s development. Autism involves a variety of developmental delays, so keeping a close eye on when—or if—your child is hitting the key social, emotional, and cognitive milestones is an effective way to spot the problem early on. While developmental delays don’t automatically point to autism, they may indicate a heightened risk.
Take action if you’re concerned. Every child develops at a different pace—so you don’t need to panic if your child is a little late to talk or walk. When it comes to healthy development, there’s a wide range of “normal.” But if your child is not meeting the milestones for his or her age, or you suspect a problem, share your concerns with your child’s doctor immediately. Don’t wait.
Don’t accept a wait-and-see approach. Many concerned parents are told, “Don’t worry” or “Wait and see.” But waiting is the worst thing you can do. You risk losing valuable time at an age where your child has the best chance for improvement. Furthermore, whether the delay is caused by autism or some other factor, developmentally delayed kids are unlikely to simply “grow out” of their problems. In order to develop skills in an area of delay, your child needs extra help and targeted treatment.
Trust your instincts. Ideally, your child’s doctor will take your concerns seriously and perform a thorough evaluation for autism or other developmental delays. But sometimes, even well-meaning doctors miss red flags or underestimate problems. Listen to your gut if it’s telling you something is wrong and be persistent. Schedule a follow-up appointment with the doctor, seek a second opinion, or ask for a referral to a child development specialist.
Regression of any kind is a serious autism warning sign
Some children with autism spectrum disorders start to develop communication skills and then regress, usually between 12 and 24 months. For example, a child who was communicating with words such as “mommy” or “up” may stop using language entirely, or a child may stop playing social games he or she used to enjoy such as peek-a-boo, patty cake, or waving “bye-bye.” Any loss of speech, babbling, gestures, or social skills should be taken very seriously, as regression is a major red flag for autism.
Signs and symptoms of autism in babies and toddlers
If autism is caught in infancy, treatment can take full advantage of the young brain’s remarkable plasticity. Although autism is hard to diagnose before 24 months, 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.
Some autistic infants don't respond to cuddling, reach out to be picked up, or look at their mothers when being fed.
Early signs of autism in babies and toddlers
Doesn’t make eye contact (e.g. look at you when being fed).
Doesn't smile when smiled at.
Doesn't respond to his or her name or to the sound of a familiar voice.
Doesn’t follow objects visually.
Doesn't point or wave goodbye or use other gestures to communicate.
Doesn’t follow the gesture when you point things out.
Doesn’t make noises to get your attention.
Doesn’t initiate or respond to cuddling.
Doesn’t imitate your movements and facial expressions.
Doesn’t reach out to be picked up.
Doesn’t play with other people or share interest and enjoyment.
Doesn’t ask for help or make other basic requests.
The following delays warrant an immediate evaluation by your child’s pediatrician.
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.
What to do if you’re worried
If your child is developmentally delayed, or if you’ve observed other red flags for autism, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician right away. In fact, it’s a good idea to have your child screened by a doctor even if he or she is hitting the developmental milestones on schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive routine developmental screenings, as well as specific screenings for autism at 9, 18, and 30 months of age.
Schedule an autism screening. A number of specialized screening tools have been developed to identify children at risk for autism. Most of these screening tools are quick and straightforward, consisting of yes-or-no questions or a checklist of symptoms. Your pediatrician should also get your feedback regarding your child’s behavior.
See a developmental specialist. If your pediatrician detects possible signs of autism during the screening, your child should be referred to a specialist for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Screening tools can’t be used to make a diagnosis, which is why further assessment is needed. A specialist can conduct a number of tests to determine whether or not your child has autism. Although many clinicians will not diagnose a child with autism before 30 months of age, they will be able to use screening techniques to determine when a cluster of symptoms associated with autism is present.
Seek early intervention services. The diagnostic process for autism is tricky, and can sometimes take awhile. But you can take advantage of treatment as soon as you suspect your child has developmental delays. Ask your doctor to refer you to early intervention services. Early intervention is a federally funded program for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Children who demonstrate several early warning signs may have developmental delays. They will benefit from early intervention whether or not they meet the full criteria for an autism spectrum disorder.
This was an excellent resource of information but I also visited the NHS website to find out the correct information and advice given in the UK.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Autistic-spectrum-disorder/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx
In most cases, parents notice the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when their child is around two or three years old.
In some instances, mild cases may not be detected until adulthood.
Diagnosing ASD in children
If you are worried about your child's development, visit your GP. If appropriate, they can refer you to a health professional or team who may specialise in diagnosing ASD, or someone who has access to such a team. They will make a more in-depth assessment.
This health professional may be:
a psychologist – a health professional with a psychology degree, plus further training and qualifications in psychology
a psychiatrist – a medically qualified doctor with further training in psychiatry
a paediatrician – a doctor who specialises in treating children
a speech and language therapist – a specialist in recognising and treating communication problems
Some local health authorities now use multidisciplinary teams. These are made up of a combination of professionals who work together to make an assessment.
Assessment
There are no individual tests to confirm a diagnosis of ASD, a diagnosis is instead based on the range of features your child is showing.
The type of assessment carried out often depends on things such as access to additional information (for example nursery or school records) and the skills of the professional or team seeing your child.
A detailed assessment for ASD may or may not be required. If one is carried out, this will involve a number of steps, which are explained below.
For most children:
Any existing information about your child's development, health and behaviour may be sought from relevant people, such as your GP, nursery or school staff.
A detailed physical examination will be carried out to rule out possible physical causes of your child's symptoms, and some children may be referred for further tests, such as testing their blood for genetic conditions with similar features to ASD.
In addition, for some children:
You may be asked to attend a series of interviews so a detailed family history and the history of your child's development can be drawn up.
Your child may be asked to attend a series of appointments so that specific skills and activities can be observed and assessed. This is known as a focused observation. Focused observation looks at language, behaviour, the pattern of your child's thinking (known as their cognitive ability) and how they interact with others.
Once this process is complete, a diagnosis of ASD may be confirmed. If a diagnosis of ASD is not confirmed during an assessment, but your child later develops more significant signs of the condition, a re-assessment may be carried out.
From gaining an understanding of the diagnosis of autism I needed to further understand what treatments are available in the UK to be able to use this information to educate parents.
There is currently no 'cure' for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, a range of specialist education and behavioural programmes (often referred to as interventions) can be effective in improving the skills of children with ASD.
There are many different types of intervention for ASD and it can be hard to judge which one will work best for your child as each person with ASD is affected differently.
Some types of intervention can involve hours of intensive work, and this is not always possible for many families because of the practical, emotional and financial commitments necessary.
Any intervention should focus on important aspects of your child's development. These are:
communication skills – such as the ability to start conversations
social interaction skills – such as the ability to understand other people's feelings and respond to them
cognitive skills – such as encouraging imaginative play
academic skills – the ‘traditional’ skills a child needs to progress with their education, such as reading, writing and maths
Treatments:
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA)
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) involves breaking down skills (such as communication and cognitive skills) into small tasks and teaching those tasks in a highly structured way, as well as rewarding and reinforcing positive behaviour while discouraging inappropriate behaviour.
ABA sessions are normally carried out at home, although some programmes can be integrated into schools or nurseries.
An ABA programme usually begins with simple tasks that become more complex over time, which can help your child's development by gradually improving their skills.
There are concerns from some health professionals about the intensity of certain ABA-based programmes and some professionals feel it is not always clear how useful the skills gained are outside of some highly structured programmes. However, there is good evidence to suggest early intervention programmes that integrate with education can be beneficial.
TEACCH
TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children) is a type of educational intervention that places great emphasis on structured learning by using visual prompts. This is because research has found that children with ASD often respond better to information that is presented visually.
TEACCH is often delivered at special day centres, but you can also have training so you can continue the intervention activities at home.
Parent support programmes
For more in-depth advice, there are some programmes specifically designed to help parents of children recently diagnosed with ASD, such as the EarlyBird programme provided by the National Autism Society.
This is a free three-month course for families with a child who has been diagnosed with ASD but has not yet started school.
The programme aims to support and inform parents, as well as offering practical advice about looking after a child with ASD and helping to improve their skills.
EarlyBird is offered in most areas of the UK by licensed teams. To find out if there is a team in your area you can call 01226 779218, emailearlybird@nas.org.uk, or check for EarlyBird licensed teams on the National Autistic Society website.
Speech and language therapy
Speech and language therapy (SLT) is a type of skills training designed to improve your child's language skills. This can improve their ability to interact with others socially.
The therapist uses a number of techniques, such as visual aids, stories and toys to improve communication skills.
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
Some children with ASD find picture symbols helpful in allowing them to communicate more effectively, which is why an approach called the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is sometimes carried out by trained specialists to help children with the condition.
PECS teaches children to communicate with adults by giving them cards with pictures on them. Over time, the child is taught progressively more difficult skills, such as using pictures to make whole sentences. This approach aims to eventually help children learn to initiate communication with others without prompting.
Makaton
Makaton is a communication programme that involves using signs and symbols in support of spoken language to help people with ASD communicate with others.
The signs used in Makaton are based on British Sign Language and each sign has a corresponding symbol. These symbols are simple drawings that can often be used independently of the signs. These signs or symbols can be used with speech to help provide extra clues as to what someone is saying.
Over time, as their speech and language skills develop, many people with ASD will stop using the signs or symbols naturally at their own pace and start to rely more on their speech to communicate.
Makaton can be helpful in improving basic communication in some people with ASD, as well as helping to improve social interaction and the ability to build relationships.
Psychological therapy
If your child has ASD and a mental health problem (such as anxiety), or if their behaviour is causing problems, a psychological treatment may be offered.
Psychological treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), involve meeting with a therapist to talk about feelings and thoughts and how these affect behaviour and wellbeing.
If a treatment like CBT is offered, the professionals involved in the treatment should also be aware of any changes that need to be made to the treatment because of the ASD. This might include more written or visual information (for example, worksheets and images), and using plain English.
Medication
No medication is available to treat the core symptoms of ASD, but medication may be able to treat some of the related symptoms or conditions, such as:
problems sleeping – which may be treated with a medication such as melatonin
depression – which may be treated with a type of medication called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
epilepsy – which may be treated with a type of medication called an anticonvulsant
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – which may be treated with a medication such as methylphenidate
aggressive and challenging behaviour, such as tantrums or self-harming – which may be treated with a type of medication called an antipsychotic if the behaviour is severe, or if psychological treatments (see above) have not helped
However, these medications can have significant side effects and are usually only prescribed by a doctor specialising in the condition being treated. If medication is offered, your child will usually have a check-up after a few weeks to see if it is helping.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Autistic-spectrum-disorder/Pages/Treatment.aspx
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