WHAT TO LOOK FOR

SIGNS OF AUTISM

(Usually apparent in toddlers; watch for a cluster of symptoms)
No pointing by one year
No babbling by one year; no single words by 16 months; no two-word phrases by 24 months
Any loss of language skills at any time
No pretend playing
Little interest in making friends
Extremely short attention span
No response when called by name; indifference to others
Little or no eye contact
repetative body movements, such as hand flapping, rocking
Intense tantrums
Fixations on a single object, such as a spinning fan
Unusually strong resistance to changes in routine
Oversensitivity to certain sounds, textures or smells

SIGNS OF ASPERGER'S

(Usually diagnosed at age six or over)
Difficulty making friends
Difficulty reading or communicating through nonverbal social cues, such as facial expressions
No understanding that others have feelings different from his or her own
Obsessive focus on a narrow interest, such as reciting train schedules
Awkward motor skills
Inflexibilty about routines, especially when changes occur spontaneously
Mechanical, almost robotic patterns of speech
(Even "normal" children exhibit some of these behaviors from time to time. The symptoms of autism and Asperger's, by contrast, are persistent and debilitating)

WHERE TO START

EARLY SIGNS: One of the commonest descriptions of babies that might be autistic is that they are very good. They are very passive, very quiet, it's almost like not having a baby in the house. There is a minority who scream all the time without stopping and cannot be comforted, but that is a very much smaller group.
GET AN EVALUATION: Take your child to a developmental pediatrician with expertise in autism or Asperger syndrome. The pediatrician will evaluate your child with a team of specialists (speech therapists, occupational therapists, behaviour therapists) to determine the areas in which your child needs help.

HOW TO TREAT IT

There is no cure for autism, but there are many treatments that can make a difference:
SPEECH THERAPY: Can overcome communication and language barriers
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: Helps with sensory integration and motor skills
BEHAVIORAL THERAPY: Improves cognetive skills and reduces inappropriate behaviour
EDUCATIONAL THERAPY: A highly structured approach works best
MEDICATION: Can reduce some symptoms
SPECIAL DIETS: Eliminating certain food groups, such as dairy, helps some children

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