Autism

While it’s easy to screen for hearing or vision problems, it isn’t always as easy or straightforward to screen for certain developmental or behavioral disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is because there is no simple blood test that we can perform to provide a definitive diagnosis. Rather, one of our board-certified pediatricians will need to evaluate your child’s medical and developmental history and behaviors in order to make a proper diagnosis.

How Early Can Autism Be Detected?

It is possible for our team here at Horizon Pediatric & Primary Care to diagnose a child as young as 18 months old with autism; however, most of the time, parents don’t bring their child in for an evaluation until after two years old. In some cases, a diagnosis isn’t made until their teen years or even adulthood, depending on the severity of their symptoms and how it impacts their everyday life.

What Are The Early Signs of Autism?

Wondering if your child is displaying normal childhood behaviors or the early signs of autism? Some signs that your child could have autism include,

  • Avoiding eye contact
  • Showing little to no interest in socializing or playing with others
  • Limited language or delayed speech
  • Outbursts or temper tantrums when there are changes to their routine

While we don’t want parents to be alarmists when it comes to evaluating their child’s behaviors, it certainly doesn’t hurt to monitor and record your child’s behaviors and talk with our pediatrician here at Horizon Pediatric & Primary Care if you have any concerns.

The best thing you can do for you and your child is to get them the proper care they need and to act early if you notice the warning signs.

When Should My Child Be Screened In Thornton or Denver, CO?

Regardless of your child’s behaviors, the American Academy of Pediatrics highly advises all children to be screened for any development delays during their 9, 18 and 30-month checkups. Factors that could put your child at a higher risk for developmental problems such as preterm birth may also play a role in whether we recommend additional screenings throughout their childhood.

Screenings for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often performed by our pediatric team at your child’s 18 and 24-month checkup. A screening for ASD typically involves,

  • Going through you child’s medical history
  • Evaluating and observing your child’s behaviors
  • Medical tests, to rule out underlying medical conditions that could be causing your child’s symptoms and behaviors
  • Developmental screenings

Understanding Someone With Autism

Autism symptoms manifest themselves in different ways in different people. While some autistic patients do have intellectual disabilities, many autistic patients have average or above-average intelligence, including the presence of autistic savants.

Other autism patients struggle to communicate verbally, though they can learn to communicate non-verbally with patience and help from the experts like those at Horizon Pediatric & Primary Care. Accepting, respecting, and supporting autistic patients can go a long way in helping them live a long and healthy life.

If you are concerned about autism spectrum disorder and want to learn more about the screenings we offer here at Horizon Pediatric & Primary Care, simply call us in Thornton, CO at (720) 929-8300, or Denver, CO
at (720) 489-1111.