If you think that your child has autism, your first step is to talk to your family doctor. Your doctor will do an assessment or refer you to another professional (for example, a psychologist) for an assessment and diagnosis.
According to Autism Ontario, these are some of the red flags for autism.
- no babbling by 11 months of age
- no simple gestures by 12 months (e.g. waving bye-bye)
- no single words by 16 months
- no two-word phrases by 24 months (noun + verb, e.g "baby sleeping")
- no response when name is called, causing concern about hearing
- loss of any language or social skills at any age
- odd or repetitive ways of moving fingers or hands
- oversensitive to certain textures, sounds or lights
- lack of interest in toys, or plays with them in an unusual way (e.g. lining up, spinning, opening/closing parts rather than using the toy as a whole)
- compulsions or rituals (has to perform activities in a special way or certain sequence; is prone to tantrums if rituals are interrupted)
- preoccupations with unusual interests, such as light switches, doors, fans, wheels
- unusual fears
- rarely makes eye contact when interacting with people
- does not play peek-a-boo
- doesn't point to show things that he is interested in
- rarely smiles socially
- more interested in looking at objects than at people's faces
- prefers to play alone
- doesn't make attempts to get parent's attention; doesn't follow or look when someone is pointing at something
- seems to be in her own world
- doesn't respond to parent's attempts to play, even if relaxed
- avoids or ignores other children when they approach
Every person with autism is different. Each one has a different set of physical, emotional, behavioural and social issues.
It's important to match your child's needs with treatments and strategies that will help your child. You may have to try a variety of treatments to find out what's effective for your child.
The Ministry of Children and Youth Services funds a range of services and supports for children and youth with autism.
