All children should be screened by their pediatricians for childhood autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) at 18 and 24 months - even if parents haven't noticed problems with their child's development - according to a recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The recommendation is part of a push toward ever-earlier treatment of children with ASDs, which affect the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. It is estimated that as many as one million people in the United States have some form of ASD, and early diagnosis and treatment can make a tremendous impact on a child's life.
Traditionally, pediatricians have relied on "red flag" indications of potential problems before screening a child for ASD. These include:
• no babbling, pointing or other gestures by 12 months of age
• no single words by 16 months of age
• no two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months of age
• loss of language or social skills at any age
But experts are increasingly urging parents of infants, as well as pediatricians, to watch for earlier subtle signs, such as:• not turning when a parent says the baby's name
• not turning to look when a parent points or says, "Look at …"
• not pointing to show parents an interesting object
• lack of back-and-forth babbling by 6 months of age
• smiling late
• failure to make eye contact with people
A companion report also advises doctors to begin intervention immediately if a child is suspected of having ASD, rather than waiting for a definitive diagnosis. And the report gives a nod to the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments for ASD, such as the gluten-free/casein-free diet, which is being studied but hasn't yet been clinically proven effective.
"Many parents are interested in CAM treatments, such as various vitamin and mineral supplements, chelation therapy and diet restrictions," says report co-author Scott M. Meyers, M.D. "It's important for pediatricians to maintain open communication and continue to work with these families, even if there is disagreement about treatment choices."
Christina Elston is a senior editor and health writer for Dominion Parenting Media and Parenthood.com.
© Parenthood.com, used with permission.
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