How is autism diagnosed?

Autism is a behavioral diagnosis, which means there is no such equipment that could detect this developmental feature. The doctor observes the behavior of the child, talks with parents or caregivers, conducts tests.

In many countries of the world, and more recently in Russia, parents are recommended to screen their child for autism at the age of one and a half years. To do this, use a special questionnaire М-MCHAT – Based on the answers to the questions of parents or caregivers, the specialist determines whether it is worth sending the child for further examination. An accurate diagnosis requires the work of a team of specialists: an otolaryngologist who must exclude hearing loss, a speech therapist who evaluates speech skills, an occupational therapist who evaluates physical and motor skills, as well as a psychologist, neurologist or psychiatrist.

Autism Symptoms

Autism causes a child to perceive the world around them differently than their peers and experience difficulties with communication and social interaction. This is a spectrum disorder, which means that the symptoms in children with this diagnosis may vary. Here are a few of the most common.

Difficulty developing social skills

From birth, a typically developing child is a social being: he stares at people, turns at the sound of a voice, grabs his finger and smiles. In contrast, many children with autism already in the first year of life prefer to play with objects rather than with people, and less likely to imitate the behavior of others. A child with ASD often chooses more monotonous activities, prefers to play alone, does not always allow him to join his game, does not understand how to interact with peers.

Many children with autism do not make eye contact, but it is important to understand that not all people with this diagnosis do this. Moreover, the inability to maintain direct eye contact is not unique to people with ASD.

Despite the fact that children with autism are attached to their parents, it can be difficult for the latter to recognize this attachment.

Difficulties with the development of communication

At one year, a typically developing child will usually say one or two words, turn and look when he hears his name, point when he wants a toy, and when offered something unpleasant, make it clear that he does not like it.

Most babies who later develop symptoms of autism walk and babble for the first few months, but gradually stop doing so. Up to a year and a half, their speech can develop quite typically, but then either a stop occurs, or the child stops using the words that he used before. In some children, speech development is delayed up to 5-9 years. In working with them, it is important to use additional communication methods.

Children with autism often use language in unusual ways, such as repeating the same phrase over and over.

Some children with ASD develop language quite early, have an unusually large vocabulary, but find it difficult to maintain a dialogue. Their speech is a monologue (on almost any topic), and the interlocutor’s answers are not expected.

In addition, people with autism have difficulty understanding body language, intonation, puns, and sarcasm. For example, the ironic phrase “Oh, it’s just great!” they take it literally. Many of them find it difficult to intonate: their voice does not reflect how they feel. They may speak excitedly and in a singsong voice, or monotonously, “like robots.”

Rigidity and repetitive behavior

Children with autism may make strange repetitive movements, such as clapping their hands or walking on tiptoe. This behavior can be both pronounced and subtle. They can line up their cars and trains for hours instead of playing with them, and get very upset if someone moves one of the toys. Some children repeat the same sounds or phrases that don’t make sense in the situation.

Many children with autism need consistency: a small change in routine (late or early meals, a different dressing or bathing routine, a new route) can cause a lot of stress.

Repetitive behavior sometimes takes the form of a prolonged intense obsession. For example, a child with autism can thoroughly study everything related to vacuum cleaners or lighthouses, know the train schedule by heart. Often, older children with autism are very interested in numbers or letters, symbols, dates, science.

Features of processing sensory information

Many children with autism react unusually to sensory stimuli or cues, showing either oversensitivity or undersensitivity. This reaction is caused by difficulties in processing and interpreting sensory information. Difficulties can be associated with any sensory system: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, sense of movement or body position.

Problems that may accompany autism

Like their peers, children with ASD can get sick. However, studies show that some diseases and conditions are more common.

For example, about 30% of people with autism have a seizure disorder or epilepsy. This is more common in children with cognitive problems. 10-15% of children with autism have genetic disorders such as fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, chromosome 15 duplication syndrome, or other anomalies.

Recent studies show that children with ASD are more likely than their peers to have disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Difficulties with sleep and food are also frequent: high selectivity, difficulties with the introduction of new textures of food, and so on.

After diagnosis

Many modern parents tend to look for the necessary information on the Internet. Parents of children with ASD are no exception. However, it is quite difficult to navigate in a huge amount of information. A separate danger is the promises of charlatans who guarantee the “healing” of a child from autism and offer dubious methods: injections, diets, electric current treatment and medicines that are not used in developed countries.

There are currently no medical ways to “cure” autism, but you can work on eliminating the conditions that accompany it: seizures, hyperactivity.

One should also be skeptical about reports of a “unique author’s technique.” Helping children with ASD is a complex task, for which there are technologies and methods in different countries, the effectiveness of which has been proven by numerous studies.

Of course, parents should not sit idly by: the sooner you start helping your child (ideally, before two or three years), the greater success can be achieved. There are early intervention services in Russia — thanks to them, children with special needs overcome difficulties, learn to communicate, and prepare to attend kindergarten and school. These services give children the opportunity to live the same life as their typically developing peers—make friends and learn new things.