The average age of diagnosis for autism is 6 years old. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children at 18-24 months should be screened for autism and other developmental delays. Occupational Therapists can diagnose autism in kids from as early as 2 years. Experts working with children agree that early diagnosis can really help autistic kids.
Does Early Intervention Help Autistic Kids
Early Intervention in Autism can help both the parents and the kids:
Research on Early Intervention
Research on Early Intervention in Autism reveals that diagnosing autism within the first two years does help. There is empirical evidence that children who enter therapy at a younger age show better results than children who enter the same therapy at a later stage.
Studies have concluded that children who received more than 20 hours of therapy during their early childhood are likely closer to their peers than children who receive little or no treatment.
Work on Neuro-connections
One of the reasons experts stress on early intervention is because children below the age of 3 are gaining more than a million neural connections every second. This time is actually crucial for a child’s brain formation and affects how the child will learn, communicate and behave for the rest of his life.
When therapists work with a child, they enable these connections so a child achieves developmental milestones earlier.
Support For Parents From Professionals
Parents often visit OTs when they realize their child is delayed in language development, or they are exhibiting strange behavior like repeatedly hitting their head (stimming). This usually happens around the age of 3 and above. Before that, parents often go through a difficult time, both socially and mentally.
With the right intervention, parents can receive the support they need to help their child and themselves. When OTs work with autistic children, they also work with the parents to strengthen their emotional ability to cope with the situation. They teach the parents how to interact and stimulate the child to enhance their skills.
Early Intervention Can Help Achieve Goals
Children with autism achieve certain developmental milestones later than their peers. OTs identify these milestones and work with the child on the ones where the child is delayed. Some skills that OTs work on are:
- Physical skills
- Communicating skills
- Social skills
- Emotional skills
When Should I Be Concerned?
Parents are usually the first people to realize the something might not be right with their kids. If you are concerned, here are some signs you need to look for before you set up a meeting with your therapist:
- Delayed Language Development
- Poor eye contact
- Repetitive Behavior and interests
- Unusual sensory responses
- Limited social interactions
- Infrequent attempts at sharing
- Limited Facial Expressions
If you notice your child is exhibiting signs of autism, we would love to help you determine your child’s individual needs. Please reach out to set up a free consultation. We are here to support you as you help your child blossom!