Autism Signs in Infancy Parents Should Focus On!!!

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has become an internationally recognized developmental disorder having an early onset in human beings. Although the complete biological basis of autism is yet unknown, however specific behavioral and physiological patterns have been set as a standard to diagnose this disorder. When it comes to autism signs in infancy, scientific research has helped parents a lot.

For every disorder, early detection is the basic key to successful interventions. If babies, under the age of 2 years, show specific set of behaviors, then chances of autism tend to be highly likeable. Different areas are included in recognizing these signs such as play, social communication and sensory regulations, etc.

We have prepared a complete guide for parents of infants, having varying age ranges, to check for the autism signs in infancy:

Autism: 2 months old

2 months old babies typically follow objects with their eyes. they can also make eye contacts with people they see. Smiling, babbling and grasping are also some common behaviors of this age group. Babies having autism, however, show different behavioral signs.

Looking for signs of autism in babies 2 months old may not seem to be easy at first glance. However, with proper caution parents can point out specific behaviors that are indicative of autism:

• They avoid any and every type of eye contact.
• Smiling behavior is typically not manifested by them.
• They do not show any facial expressions at all.
• Their eyes do not move with a moving object.
• They are not reactive towards loud noises and sounds.
• They do not bring their hands to their mouths.
• On seeing new tactile objects, they get fussy. Things may be like clothing, blankets, etc.

If you see any of these signs in your 2 months old infant, you should discuss them with your doctor.

Autism: 4 months old

Signs of autism in babies 4 months old tend to be basically the similar as that of 2 months old babies. However, some additional behavioral tendencies also need to be checked properly. For instance:

• They cannot hold their heads steadily.
• They do not coo or make any sounds that are typical of 4 months babies.
• Moving both eyes in the same direction poses problems for them.
• When they are placed on a hard surface, they do not push down with their legs.
• They feel extremely uneasy around new people.
• Again smiling is not manifested.

Autism: 6 months old

Typically, babies around the age of 6 months old start using their senses to explore the world around them. They start noticing strangers around them. They do not shy away from new tactile experiences either. Atypical babies or babies having autism signs in infancy, on the other hand, show the following non-typical behaviors:

• No interest or affection for strangers.
• Laughing or squealing is non-existent.
• They remain unusually stiff almost always.
• They never reach out for things around them.
• Sounds like ah, eh, oh are not uttered at all.
• They give no response to sounds around them.

Autism: 9 months old

Nine months is a very interesting and active developmental stage for babies. They start talking a little bit. Motor movements are also improved quite a bit. All in all, typical babies show huge developmental progress around this age span. Signs of autism in babies 9 months old are as follows:

• They do not babble mama or dada.
• The ability to recognize familiar people is non-existent.
• They cannot sit with help.
• Responding to their names also does not exist.
• They cannot transfer toys or other objects from one hand to the other.
• When you point towards something, they never look in that direction.
• Bearing weight on their legs with the help of some sort of support is impossible for them.

Autism: 1 year old

If you observe the above-mentioned signs in your infants according to their age spans, then you should start observing them more keenly. Also, go for professional help from a certified doctor. Non-typical behaviors for this age are as under:

• They cannot wave their heads in yes or no gestures.
• They cannot wave bye-bye gestures.
• Saying single words is impossible for them. For example, mama, baba, up, etc.
• They cannot stand with support.
• They cannot crawl at all.
• When you hide some thing in front of them, they never search for it at all.
• They lose their previous small-scale skills as well.

Autism: 18 months old

Signs of autism in 18-month old babies become more clear and significant. They may exhibit following deficiencies:

• They cannot walk at all.
• Imitating other people is impossible for them.
• They cannot use at least six words.
• When a caregiver leaves them alone, they do not care at all. Separation anxiety is non-existent for them.
• They never gain any new word. In fact, they even lose their older speaking skills as well.
• When you give them a familiar object like a spoon or mobile, they do not know what to do with it.
• They cannot point towards things to let other people see them.

Autism: 2 years old

Autism signs in infancy are usually limited to the age of 2 years old. Afterwards, the toddler age range comes into the picture. When an infant reaches two years of age, their speaking and motor movements are improved greatly. Exploring the world also becomes quite active for them. However, non-typical infants cannot exceed in these areas like typical infants. They exhibit the following behavioral and motor deficiencies:

• They cannot say 2-word phrases at all such as mama up, give water, etc.
• Walking may start but it is very unsteady and flawed.
• They cannot follow simple instructions at all. For example, if you ask them to pick up their toy, they cannot do so.
• All the other above-mentioned behaviors and motor movements still remain dysfunctional. In fact, the tendency is likely to become poorer.

Conclusion!!!!

It is undoubtedly very discouraging and fearful for the parents to even think that they have to experience autism signs in the infancy stage of their child’s life. We advise you not to get pressurized by disturbing thoughts and negative emotions. Scientific research is still working hard to uncover the lying causes of autism in human beings. Therefore, there is no single and simple explanation for the onset of autism. Also some people confuse autism with cerebral palsy, both are developmental disorder. Do not confuse them because in autism the brain is developed differently but in cerebral palsy the brain development is abnormal which leads to the weakening of muscles.

Even if you see the signs of autism in your infant, you should always seek professional help before making any assumptions. Autism sings in infancy can be mixed with slow development. Therefore, professional doctors are the sole authority to check for actual signs. You should visit the doctor as early as possible. Early detection can lead to early intervention. You can help your child in managing his/her symptoms. He/she can learn how to work through the signs of autism. Moreover, you as the parent and the other family members can also contribute a lot.

Early intervention can help your infant in different ways. It can decrease the severity of the symptoms. In fact, some habits can disappear altogether. All this allows the infant to start living a normal life. All in all, whatever the behavior is, let your doctor know each and every detail.

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