Articles labeled: autism screening

As someone who was under the impression that a diagnosis of autism in a child could not be definitive until 4 years old, this is interesting news. The American Academy of Pediatrics today is urging parents to bring their kids in for at least 2 autism screenings before they are 2 years old. Certain warning signs can apparently be seen as early as 4-months-old, and the recommendation is to try to catch and treat cases of autism as early as possible:

The advice is meant to help parents and doctors spot autism sooner. There is no cure for the disorder, but experts say that early therapy can lessen its severity.

Symptoms to watch for and the call for early screening come in two new reports. They are being released by the American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday at its annual meeting in San Francisco and will appear in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics and on the group’s Web site.

The reports list numerous warning signs, such as a 4-month-old not smiling at the sound of Mom or Dad’s voice, or the loss of language or social skills at any age.

The authors of the report are quick to point out that parents should not freak out if your kid displays a couple of the symptoms, as not all kids with “quirky behavior” are autistic.