A common phrase in the autism community is, “If you’ve met one child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism.” Unfortunately, detecting whether or not your child is indeed one of the 150 children diagnosed with autism is not as easy as answering the questions on the checklists. As a mother of a child with autism and an educator who has seen countless kids on the spectrum of autism disorders, I can state with certainty that your own instincts are as useful in this process as any checklist.
The fact that you are reading this article probably means that there is a child in your life about which you noticed some behavior(s) that might signal an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Perhaps, as was the case with my son, he isn’t speaking like you might expect him to for his age. Maybe you’ve noticed repetitive behaviors such as rocking, lining up his toys, spinning in circles, or flapping his hands. It might be the social interactions that have bothered you. I found myself constantly making excuses for my son’s behavior around others. The boy I knew at home was warm and loving, smiling and affectionate; with family and friends, he was remote and distant. I said he was “shy” or “just tired.” I believed that he was.
If you’ve read the checklists already you know that a child with ASD will demonstrate developmentally delayed or inappropriate behaviors in each of these categories: communication, repetitive behaviors, and social interaction. He or she probably also has some “sensory issues” such as being incredibly sensitive to light, sound, or certain tactile stimulation.
Unfortunately for the parent or concerned adult, any child with autism is also an individual. Eventually, of course, this will again be seen as a virtue. Only now it is a real deterrent to identifying any characteristics usually seen as common. You see, not one of them will have every characteristic of autism. On the contrary, many neuro-typical children will have many traits found on the spectrum. Therefore, identifying a child with autism, especially when one might not want to see that diagnosis, becomes extremely difficult.
Ultimately, when there is cause for concern, an evaluation by professionals is the only sure-fire way to know how to proceed. If the child is at least 18 months old (although many agencies may want to wait until two years of age for a complete test), contact your state or county’s early intervention services. The agency goes by different names in different areas of the country, but your county’s health department can put you in touch with those who perform evaluations in your area.
Asking for a evaluation is not a negative step. In fact, it may very well be the step that puts your mind at ease once and for all. If you have the test performed and professionals can assure you the child is developing normally, then you have nothing to worry about. Many children have traits that are present on the spectrum (how many of us like to have our things lined up just so? or maybe aren’t social butterflies?) but continue to develop into perfectly healthy, typical children.
However, if an evaluation leads to the discovery that the child is in fact on the spectrum, it is still a positive step. With early therapy and parent training, ASD children like my son are making tremendous strides. In fact, the earlier you begin therapy, the more likely you are to see positive results, and the greater those results are likely to be.
There really is no reason to delay getting an evaluation. No matter the outcome, a sooner is better approach applies. Don’t rely solely on the checklists. Trust your instincts. As a parent, especially if you are a parent of a child with autism, you’ll be doing a lot of that. A trusted professional and those parenting instincts are and will be the greatest resource you have.
