Characteristic

Autism is a developmental disorder of the brain and nerves of children that affects the way they interact, socialize, speak, express, and communicate verbally and nonverbally. The characteristics of autism in infants and children can be seen in the first three years of life. The following is an explanation of the characteristics of autism in infants and children.

The characteristics of autism in infants

Autism includes all disturbances in the way children interact, socialize, speak, think, express, and communicate both verbally and nonverbally. Autism can also make a child experience behavioral disorders.

In infants, this disorder is quite difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are vague and prone to be misunderstood as other health problems.

However, launching the Help Guide, there are several signs and symptoms of autism that can be seen in babies from an early age. The various symptoms are:

1. Troubled with eye contact

The visibility of newborns is generally still short and limited (no more than 25 cm) so that their eyesight is not clear.

In addition, his eye coordination has not been optimal so that he has not been able to follow the motion of an object.

During the first two months, your baby's eyes will often appear unfocused in the first two months of life. You may often find him staring at the ceiling of the house.

However, at around 4 months of age, babies can begin to see more clearly and broadly, and can focus their gaze. Starting from this age, the baby's eyes can also follow the motion of an object.

However, be aware of the characteristics of an autistic baby if past that age their eyes often don't follow the motion of the object in front of them.

A blank, unfocused gaze like daydreaming is the most common symptom of autism in babies and you can observe it every day.

The characteristics of autistic babies can also be seen from their eyes that never meet yours when fed food or smile back when you smile.

2. Does not respond when his name is called

Newborn babies are not able to recognize various sounds around them, including the voices of their parents. Therefore, your little one may not respond to affectionate calls early in life.

The minimal response of babies in the first few months is still relatively normal.

This is because both the sense of sight and the sense of hearing are not well coordinated. The muscles around his neck are also not fully developed.

But by the age of 7 months, babies will be able to recognize their parents' voices and respond to other sounds.

He is also able to look right, left, up and down when he hears a sound that appeals to him.

The more often you ask him to talk, the better chance your little one will master this ability faster.

However, if the baby may not show a response when you call his name, this could be an early symptom and sign of autism to watch out for.

However, it should be understood that not all babies develop at the same age, it can be faster or slower than the average age.

3. Not babbling like other babies

Newborn babies are not able to speak like adults. Babies often cry because they are the only way to communicate.

He may cry when hungry, feel sick, urinate, and various other conditions.

Reporting from the Kids Health page, when entering the age of 2 months, the baby has started babbling.

It made meaningless sounds. They make this sound because of reflex muscles around the baby's mouth or are done to get the attention of those around them.

However, babies with autism are unlikely to exhibit these characteristics in their development.

Your little one tends not to chatter or follow the sounds that are made. If a baby experiences this accompanied by the symptoms and causes of autism mentioned, it may be possible to suspect autism in the baby.

4. Poor eye coordination with limbs

The ability of the body that is controlled by babies is the coordination between the eyes and limbs, both hands and feet.

This ability allows the baby to respond to a hug, reach out to be hugged, or touch objects in front of him.

However, in infants with autism, they have characteristics less responsive. They probably won't wave when someone else says goodbye.

5. The characteristics of autistic babies from other symptoms

The characteristics of autism in babies are not only that. As you get older, the symptoms will become clearer and can be distinguished from other babies.

Some of the symptoms of autism in older babies include:

Avoiding eye contact when other people stare or talk to you
Frequently performing repetitive behaviors, such as clapping hands, swinging hands, or playing with fingers does not recognize the situation.
Not answering questions correctly, tends to repeat questions
Babies prefer to play alone and do not like physical contact, such as being hugged or touched
In some cases, autism shows the characteristics of a child who is late in speaking
Children tend to repeat the same words or phrases over and over
Abnormal tone of speech, can be flat when asking questions or even pitched when making statements
Does not understand simple commands or questions
In some cases, children also show symptoms of hyperactive children

Every child can have different symptoms, especially in girls.

Quoting from Child Mind, autistic girls show repetitive behavioral characteristics less clearly than boys.

Susan F. Epstein, PhD, a neuropsychologist also mentioned that autistic girls are more interested in toy horses than memorizing train departure schedules or things related to numbers.

In addition, girls who were diagnosed could still smile or respond to certain responses, but less frequently.

These vague symptoms in girls make it difficult for doctors to make a diagnosis, so they are often switched to other conditions, such as ADHD, depression and anxiety.

Common autistic characteristics in children

In general, parents can observe the characteristics of autism in children from three main factors, namely from social skills or interaction, communication, and behavior:

1. Having problems with social skills (interaction)

Children with autism usually have difficulty interacting with other people, which is indicated by the following characteristics:

Unable to respond to being called by name at 12 months of age.
Not interested in playing, talking and interacting with other people.
Prefers to be alone.
Avoid or refuse physical contact.
When upset, children usually don't like to be entertained.
Children do not understand their own feelings and that of others.

Pay attention if the child has the above conditions.

2. Problems in communication

Children with autism (autism) usually have communication problems with characteristics such as:

Talking late compared to other children his age.
Talking in a strange tone of voice that is often difficult to understand.
Often repeating the same phrases over and over.
Respond to questions by repeating them, not answering them.
Doesn't understand simple directions, statements, or questions.
Couldn't understand the joke that was given.

Children who frequently use language incorrectly, for example using third person pronouns in referring to themselves, are also a sign of autism.

3. Characteristics of children with autism from the aspect of unusual behavior

Children with autism will exhibit unusual behaviors such as:

Doing the same motion over and over again, for example, flapping your hands, rocking back and forth, or snapping your fingers.
Move with constant excess behavior.
Get into a special routine and get annoyed when the routine is changed.
Have more fussy eating habits.
Often acts without thinking.
Have aggressive behavior, both with yourself and with others.
Can't focus on one thing for a long time.
Has unusual sensory interests, for example sniffing toys, objects or people.
Playing something in a repetitive and unimaginative way.

If you see these symptoms in your child, then try to get them checked by a doctor to find out the root of the problem. Early treatment can help the effectiveness of treatment.

Can autism be cured? There is no cure for autism, but early symptom management can help improve children's quality of life.

How parents observe the characteristics of autism in children

As a parent, you are in the best position to spot the early symptoms of autism in children.

You can observe the development, behavior, and strange habits of children rather than doctors who only see parents for a limited time.

Doctors have a big role to play in making the diagnosis through your reports and directing the best treatment according to the severity of the symptoms.

Here are some things you can do to find out the features of autism in early children, such as:

Monitor child's development

Autism (autism) which attacks children is characterized by delayed development of bodily functions.

Therefore, knowing the normal development of a child and comparing it to your little one can be used as a way to detect autism earlier.

While not all developmental delays lead to autism, it can help detect other health problems facing children.

If you are worried, don't hesitate to consult a doctor

Every child has a different development. You don't need to panic, if your little one is slower in walking or talking.

However, parents also should not underestimate this. If your little one's tardiness causes concern, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.

Waiting longer, it can make the child's condition worse. In fact, it reduces the chance for children to recover from several health problems apart from autism.

So, being swift in taking this action is the best step you can take.

Trust your instincts

As a parent, your bond with your little one is much closer. This causes instincts to be more sensitive so that parents can find out about mistakes that have happened to children continuously.

Through trusting instincts, you will be motivated to take your little one to the doctor to find out more about his condition.

When to take your child to the doctor?

The following are some of the characteristics of children with autism that need to be taken to the doctor, such as:

Over 5 months of age your little one shows no sign of being interested in his surroundings
His eyes do not follow the direction of motion of the object in front of him.
Entering the age of 6 months, children do not show smiles or other expressions, even though they have tried to get their attention
Infant language development is not going well (no babbling and noises at 9 months of age).
Towards the age of 1 year, your little one does not respond to turn his head when his name is called
At the age of 1 year, babies do not show activity such as pointing, reaching, or waving
Entering the age of 16 months, babies do not say a single word or very rarely chatter
By 2 years of age, babies do not try to repeat certain words or imitate certain gestures.

When you see these characteristics in children, you can suspect them of autism (autism).

However, parents cannot diagnose this disorder based on personal perception. Your little one must undergo several medical tests recommended by the doctor, until the doctor can truly determine the diagnosis.

Although there is no specific laboratory test that can detect autism in children, doctors will do a variety of test approaches.

You will need to provide a medical history report, symptoms, and certain behaviors for reference.

Explaining your medical history can help your doctor make a diagnosis.

Especially in babies who were born prematurely (born before entering the age of 26 weeks) or the mother used valproic acid (Depakene) or thalidomide during pregnancy.

The doctor may involve a specialist to find out how severe the child's condition is.

Then, recommend appropriate treatment, such as behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and additional medication to reduce the characteristics of autism in children.