Early signs

Aug 4, 2009 6:01am

staceyjbird 95 Posts

The Sooner You Notice Symptoms of ASD, The Sooner Your Child Can Get Help

If you suspect your child may have an autism spectrum disorder, speak to your pediatrician as soon as possible. Though the symptoms of ASD can vary greatly, there are some key early signs that could be a cause for concern.

What Many Parents Notice First

One of the most common red flags parents report is that they suspect their child is deaf. Because their child no longer responds to his name, and doesn’t look at them when they speak, they often think there may be a hearing issue. But in fact, the lack of response or eye contact can point to an ASD. Other early signs include: not pointing to things in the environment (most children begin to point around 10 months), not speaking (children usually have single words by 15 months), and not showing interest in other children (children usually want to play with peers even as toddlers).

Red Flags to Look For

by 6 months:

Doesn't make eye contact
Doesn’t smile or make other warm, joyful expressions
Doesn’t babble or coo
Doesn’t react when you play peek-a-boo or seem to enjoy face-to-face play
Doesn’t repeat sounds you make
Doesn’t like to be hugged and cuddled

by 14 months:

See 6 months and...

Doesn’t say single words
No longer says words or sentences
Doesn’t respond to his own name
Doesn’t wave hello or point to things he wants
Seems unnaturally attached to one toy or object
Seems unaware of others
Is either overly sensitive or not at all sensitive to sound, smell, light or touch
Rocks, spins and/or flaps hands or twirls fingers
Appears to be deaf
Likes routines and rituals and strongly resists change

by 2 years:

See 6 and 14 months and...

Doesn’t combine two words to communicate with others
Doesn’t follow simple instructions
Doesn’t recognize names of familiar people and objects
Seems obsessed with a few activities or interests
Doesn’t speak or socialize anymore
Seems uncoordinated

by 3-5 years:

See above and...

Still isn’t speaking
Speaks in a flat, emotionless tone, or has a high-pitched or sing-song voice
Repeats the same word over and over, or “parrots” what he hears (echolalia)
Has violent or uncontrollable tantrums
Hurts himself (i.e., head banging, hair pulling, arm biting)
Seems afraid of harmless objects
Doesn’t fear danger or pain
Seems oblivious to extreme cold
Plays alone all the time, ignoring other children
Seems overly focused on one activity with little interest in anything else
Uses toys to line up or put in his mouth instead of for pretend play
Has unusual moods or emotional reactions (such as laughing or crying at unusual times or showing no emotional response when you would typically expect one)
Doesn’t have separation anxiety when you leave or over reacts to separation from parent
Has unusual eating habits (is a picky eater and rejects new foods)
Has unusual sleep habits or patterns (e.g., has difficulty falling asleep, doesn’t sleep through the night)
Has repetitive behaviors (like hand flapping, tapping fingers, obsessively lining up toys, or turning lights on and off)

The above lists shouldn’t be used to make a diagnosis, but these early warning signs can mean your child is at risk, so it’s important to know what to watch out for. If your child displays a number of these symptoms, speak to your pediatrician. While all children progress differently, if your child has autism, the sooner you find out the better, so that you can begin treatment. By paying attention to when, or if, your child hits key developmental milestones, you can spot potential problems early on.

To learn more about developmental milestones, visit the CDC website

Sep 21, 2009 3:00pm

staceyjbird 95 Posts

PDD-NOS

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Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Including Atypical Autism)

This category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Personality Disorder, or Avoidant Personality Disorder. For example, this category includes atypical autism --- presentations that do not meet the criteria for Autistic Disorder because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these.

-(DSM-IV Criteria)

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Sep 21, 2009 3:01pm

staceyjbird 95 Posts

Autism Criteria

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Autistic Disorder Criteria (from DSM-IV Manual) <dl><dl>

(A) A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

<dl>

(a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction

</dl>

<dl>

(b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

</dl><dl>

(c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)

</dl><dl>

(d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

</dl>

2. Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:

<dl>

(a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gestures or mime)

(b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

</dl><dl>

(c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language

</dl><dl>

(d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

3. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

(b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals

(c)stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

(d) persistent preoccupation with parts of an object

</dl></dl>

</dl><dl>

         (B)   Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:
                   (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative
                    play.

</dl><dl>

(C) The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

</dl>

-DSM-IV criteria

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Sep 21, 2009 3:01pm

staceyjbird 95 Posts

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

<dl>

(A) Apparently normal development for at least the first 2 years after birth as manifested by the presence of age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior.

</dl><dl>

(B) Clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills (before age 10 years) in at least two of the following areas:

</dl><dl>

1. expressive or receptive language

2. social skills or adaptive behavior

3. bowel or bladder control

4. play

5. motor skills

(C) Abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas:

1. qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to

develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity)

2. qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack of spoken language, inability to

initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe
play)

3. restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, including

motor stereotypies and mannerisms

(D) The disturbance is not better accounted for by another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or by Schizophrenia.

</dl></dl>

-DSM-IV criteria

Sep 21, 2009 3:02pm

staceyjbird 95 Posts

Asperger's Disorder

Asperger's Syndrome (DSM-I V)

(A)
Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

         1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal
              behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial
              expression, body postures, and gestures to
              regulate social interaction

         2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to
              developmental level

         3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment,
              interests, or achievements with other people(e.g.,
              by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out
              objects of interest to other people)

4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity

(B)
Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more
sterotyped and restricted patterns of interest that
is abnormal either in intensity or focus

2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific,
non-functional routines or rituals

3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms
(e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or
whole-body movements)

4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

(C)
The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

(D)
There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

(E)
There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

(F)
Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.

-DSM-IV criteria

Sep 21, 2009 3:09pm

staceyjbird 95 Posts

Characteristics

Autism/ PDD Characteristics

People with autism spectrum disorders may exhibit some of the following traits. However, it is important to remember that each person is an individual and not all of the listed characteristics will be seen in every person with autism spectrum disorder. The Autism Society of America lists the following characteristics for autism spectrum disorders:

Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words
Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
Prefers to be alone; aloof manner
Tantrums
Difficulty in mixing with others
May not want to cuddle or be cuddled
Little or no eye contact
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
Sustained odd play
Spins objects
Inappropriate attachments to objects
Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
No real fears of danger
Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
Uneven gross/fine motor skills
Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range.

Jan 23, 2010 7:39am

staceyjbird 95 Posts

personally, quinn didn't reach all his milestones on time... did everything late as well as being very low tone (muscular tissue was lax) Anyhow, that's when i noticed something was different. Of course, I didn't get a diagnosis that early (he was almost 4) but those were the first signs for our family that something was "up" with quinner.

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Early signs

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Early Signs

The Sooner You Notice Symptoms of ASD, The Sooner Your Child Can Get Help

What Many Parents Notice First

Red Flags to Look For

Aug 4, 2009 6:01am staceyjbird 95 Posts	Early Signs The Sooner You Notice Symptoms of ASD, The Sooner Your Child Can Get Help If you suspect your child may have an autism spectrum disorder, speak to your pediatrician as soon as possible. Though the symptoms of ASD can vary greatly, there are some key early signs that could be a cause for concern. What Many Parents Notice First One of the most common red flags parents report is that they suspect their child is deaf. Because their child no longer responds to his name, and doesn’t look at them when they speak, they often think there may be a hearing issue. But in fact, the lack of response or eye contact can point to an ASD. Other early signs include: not pointing to things in the environment (most children begin to point around 10 months), not speaking (children usually have single words by 15 months), and not showing interest in other children (children usually want to play with peers even as toddlers). Red Flags to Look For by 6 months: Doesn't make eye contact Doesn’t smile or make other warm, joyful expressions Doesn’t babble or coo Doesn’t react when you play peek-a-boo or seem to enjoy face-to-face play Doesn’t repeat sounds you make Doesn’t like to be hugged and cuddled by 14 months: See 6 months and... Doesn’t say single words No longer says words or sentences Doesn’t respond to his own name Doesn’t wave hello or point to things he wants Seems unnaturally attached to one toy or object Seems unaware of others Is either overly sensitive or not at all sensitive to sound, smell, light or touch Rocks, spins and/or flaps hands or twirls fingers Appears to be deaf Likes routines and rituals and strongly resists change by 2 years: See 6 and 14 months and... Doesn’t combine two words to communicate with others Doesn’t follow simple instructions Doesn’t recognize names of familiar people and objects Seems obsessed with a few activities or interests Doesn’t speak or socialize anymore Seems uncoordinated by 3-5 years: See above and... Still isn’t speaking Speaks in a flat, emotionless tone, or has a high-pitched or sing-song voice Repeats the same word over and over, or “parrots” what he hears (echolalia) Has violent or uncontrollable tantrums Hurts himself (i.e., head banging, hair pulling, arm biting) Seems afraid of harmless objects Doesn’t fear danger or pain Seems oblivious to extreme cold Plays alone all the time, ignoring other children Seems overly focused on one activity with little interest in anything else Uses toys to line up or put in his mouth instead of for pretend play Has unusual moods or emotional reactions (such as laughing or crying at unusual times or showing no emotional response when you would typically expect one) Doesn’t have separation anxiety when you leave or over reacts to separation from parent Has unusual eating habits (is a picky eater and rejects new foods) Has unusual sleep habits or patterns (e.g., has difficulty falling asleep, doesn’t sleep through the night) Has repetitive behaviors (like hand flapping, tapping fingers, obsessively lining up toys, or turning lights on and off) The above lists shouldn’t be used to make a diagnosis, but these early warning signs can mean your child is at risk, so it’s important to know what to watch out for. If your child displays a number of these symptoms, speak to your pediatrician. While all children progress differently, if your child has autism, the sooner you find out the better, so that you can begin treatment. By paying attention to when, or if, your child hits key developmental milestones, you can spot potential problems early on. To learn more about developmental milestones, visit the CDC website

Sep 21, 2009 3:00pm staceyjbird 95 Posts	PDD-NOS <table cellspacing="0" border="0" width="770" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="1%"> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="99%"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" style="margin-bottom: 1px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td> Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Including Atypical Autism) This category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Personality Disorder, or Avoidant Personality Disorder. For example, this category includes atypical autism --- presentations that do not meet the criteria for Autistic Disorder because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these. -(DSM-IV Criteria) </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Sep 21, 2009 3:01pm staceyjbird 95 Posts	Autism Criteria <table cellspacing="0" border="0" width="781" cellpadding="0" style="height: 895px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="1%"></td> <td valign="top" width="100%"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="99%"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" style="margin-bottom: 1px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #696969;"> Autistic Disorder Criteria (from DSM-IV Manual) <dl><dl> (A) A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3): 1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: <dl> (a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction </dl> <dl> (b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level </dl><dl> (c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest) </dl><dl> (d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity </dl> 2. Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following: <dl> (a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gestures or mime) (b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others </dl><dl> (c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language </dl><dl> (d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level 3. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: (a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus (b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals (c)stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements) (d) persistent preoccupation with parts of an object </dl></dl> </dl><dl> (B) Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play. </dl><dl> (C) The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. </dl> -DSM-IV criteria </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Sep 21, 2009 3:01pm staceyjbird 95 Posts	Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Childhood Disintegrative Disorder <dl> <dl> (A) Apparently normal development for at least the first 2 years after birth as manifested by the presence of age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior. </dl><dl> (B) Clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills (before age 10 years) in at least two of the following areas: </dl><dl> 1. expressive or receptive language 2. social skills or adaptive behavior 3. bowel or bladder control 4. play 5. motor skills (C) Abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas: 1. qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity) 2. qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe play) 3. restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, including motor stereotypies and mannerisms (D) The disturbance is not better accounted for by another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or by Schizophrenia. </dl></dl> -DSM-IV criteria

Sep 21, 2009 3:02pm staceyjbird 95 Posts	Asperger's Disorder Asperger's Syndrome (DSM-I V) (A) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: 1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction 2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level 3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people(e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people) 4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity (B) Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: 1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more sterotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus 2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, non-functional routines or rituals 3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or whole-body movements) 4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects (C) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. (D) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years) (E) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood. (F) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia. -DSM-IV criteria

Sep 21, 2009 3:09pm staceyjbird 95 Posts	Characteristics <table cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="1%"> </td> <td width="99%"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="690" cellpadding="0" style="height: 9px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Autism/ PDD Characteristics People with autism spectrum disorders may exhibit some of the following traits. However, it is important to remember that each person is an individual and not all of the listed characteristics will be seen in every person with autism spectrum disorder. The Autism Society of America lists the following characteristics for autism spectrum disorders: Insistence on sameness; resistance to change Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language Laughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others Prefers to be alone; aloof manner Tantrums Difficulty in mixing with others May not want to cuddle or be cuddled Little or no eye contact Unresponsive to normal teaching methods Sustained odd play Spins objects Inappropriate attachments to objects Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain No real fears of danger Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity Uneven gross/fine motor skills Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range.

Jan 23, 2010 7:39am staceyjbird 95 Posts	personally, quinn didn't reach all his milestones on time... did everything late as well as being very low tone (muscular tissue was lax) Anyhow, that's when i noticed something was different. Of course, I didn't get a diagnosis that early (he was almost 4) but those were the first signs for our family that something was "up" with quinner.