How Parents Should Identify Autism in Children - Autistic Spectrum

Autism is a nervous disorder that usually occurs in the first 3 years of a child's life. It severely impairs the child's brain development particularly affecting the child's social and communication skills. Certainly this fateful disorder is on the rise, however awareness of autism is comparatively low. Autistic children should not be considered as normal and have to be provided with extra attention, just for the first few years though. However some autistic individuals can exhibit great skills in other fields.
Some of them are very highly-functioning with super memory. They can also perform several activities, just as normal children do, they can play ball, skate, can be good with computers, kitchen work and so on. However they lack that inherent ability to communicate properly, they cannot understand sign language, hate to get social and sometimes do not perceive emotions as they should be.
The problem is to differentiate the autistic from the normal. I know it can be very harsh to face the truth but if they are brought up in a normal way, they may not be able to give their best. So it is important that you identify it pretty quickly if your child is autistic or not.

Parents should identify autism in children at a very young age.

Psychiatrist Lorna Wing has set a triad of characters that are common in almost every autistic child, called as the autistic spectrum. They have impairments in the following areas:

1. Communication Impairment - There are several variations in this area, they may be good in grammar and articulation and may speak fluently too but with different intonation (pitch). Sometimes they may repeat the words they say, several times (echolalia) and in some cases they understand each and every word with their literal meaning. They also have difficulties in understanding facial expressions and gestures. It is pertinent to note that any difficulties in communication should point out to this direction.

2. Social Impairment - They cannot interact normally with peers and adults. In some cases, they may respond to social interactions but are unable to initiate it. It also includes children who are uncomfortable socially and cannot understand social interactions.

3. Flexibility Impairment - Autistic children get accustomed to routines easily. Any change in it may bring about an extreme reaction in them. They tend to be more isolated and show fascination towards a particular object. Sometimes they may pursue their 'hobbies' at the expense of anything.

Autistic children have to be given extra care because it impacts the way they learn and do things. As education takes place in social circles, they have to be taught to be socially active and eligible. Communication skills also should be improved. Most autistic children have a high memory power and that should help them in grasping sign language gestures and facial expressions.
In case of any misunderstanding of the above criteria, it is best to consult a qualified doctor to confirm it. Identification of autism at an early stage is very important as it affects the way they understand things. I hope these criteria prove useful in identifying it. Be strong and your child can excel if provided with the right care.