Autism in babies has become a serious problem nowadays. The number of autistic infants is increasing day by day. 1 in every 54 babies is diagnosed with autism. Usually, the signs of autism are detected by the age of 2 years. Hearing loss, not responding when called, and abnormal behavior are the primary symptoms of autism. However, the signs of autism will vary from child to child. Autism can be identified through a baby's developmental differences. That is, a baby's development difference is called Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD for short. Every parent should pay close attention to every behavior and body gesture of the child as he grows up. If a parent knows what behavior is normal for a baby at what age, then he can easily catch the signs of autism in the baby. Can You See Signs of Autism in Babies? Here is some information for you to detect autism in babies.
Causes of Autism in Infants
There is no specific cause of autism. Researchers have discovered many causes of autism. Here are some common causes of autism.
Genetics: This is the main cause of autism. If one of the baby's parents is affected by an autism problem, the baby is also likely to be affected by autism.
Polluted Environment: Infants who grow up in polluted environments are more likely to develop autism if there is a lot of garbage around the residence. babies from industrial areas are especially at risk of being affected by autism.
Test Tube Baby: The number of childless couples is increasing day by day. So many childless couples are adopting the "Test Tube Baby" method to have a baby. Since this is not a completely natural process, there is a possibility of birthing an autistic baby.
Negligence in Vaccination: After the birth of the baby, some necessary vaccinations such as the polio vaccine, various types of oral vitamin capsules, etc. must be given to the baby at certain intervals. If the baby is not given the necessary vaccinations at the right time, the baby is at risk of developing autism.
Medications During Pregnancy: Many women take various medications during pregnancy that directly affect the baby. As a result, there is a risk of having an autistic baby.
Elderly Parents: Currently, many people think of late childbearing while doing family planning. Moreover, many people get married late. The older the parent, the higher the risk of having an autistic baby.
Congenital Defects: If the birth weight of the baby is low, if there is a breathing problem, or if the oxygen saturation is low then the baby can be affected by autism.
Physical Illness of The Mother: Mothers who have various physical problems like diabetes, overweight, low immunity, etc. due to which autistic baby can be born.
Research is still going on to identify the causes of autism. The above reasons are primary reasons. Apart from these, infants can be affected by autism due to various other reasons.
Signs of Autism in Infants
Autism cannot be identified by the baby's physical structure. Autism can be diagnosed by looking at how a baby communicates with others or responding to others. Autism symptoms differ from child to child. If you see the following signs in your baby, you should consult a pediatrician.
Decreasing Eye Contact
Babies make eye contact with others from a young age. Around 2 months of age, babies often recognize faces and make skillful eye contact. Eye contact then becomes a means of establishing social relationships and obtaining information about the environment. However, babies with autism cannot make eye contact properly. Decreased eye contact may be an early sign of autism.
Slight Pointing or Gesturing
Before learning to speak, children usually express their feelings through gestures or pointing. Autistic children generally do not point, and their hand gestures are much lower than those of non-autistic children. Another sign of autism is when you point an autistic child to look in a certain direction, the child does not look in that direction or does not understand your point.
Limited Response
Babies usually respond to being called by their name from 6 months of age, especially when their parents call them by their name. Some children respond a little late. But if the baby does not respond to his name even after 9 months of age, then the parent should consult with a pediatrician.
Facial Expression
By looking at the child's facial expression, the child's good or bad feelings can be understood. As autistic children have low sensitivity, they cannot express their feelings through facial expressions. So as the child gets older, his facial expressions should be observed.
Sluggish Speech or Language
Children usually learn to pronounce single words by 12 months of age and can pronounce 2-word or 3-word sentences by 2 years of age. Studies have shown that autistic children cannot pronounce a single word by the age of 12 months. So if you see that your child is not able to speak any words by the age of 16 months or cannot speak any sentences by the age of 2 years then contact a pediatrician as soon as possible.
Low Intelligence
By the age of 2 years, the child develops some skills. For example, when the child is around 2 years old, he can say some alphabets or numbers. Even at this time, the child can count a small number of objects. But in the case of autistic children, these skills do not develop by the age of 2 years.
Unusual Gestures
Although most gestures of babies are meaningless, the gestures of autistic babies are somewhat unusual. An autistic baby may run aimlessly in any direction at any time or can rotate continuously looking up. There are also some unusual gestures by which a baby's autism can be identified.
Do Autistic Babies Laugh When Tickled?
If the child does not laugh when tickled, it should be understood that his sensitivity is low. Autistic children are generally less sensitive.
Treatment of Autistic Children
Many institutions have come up to provide health care for autistic children where different types of therapy are given according to the child's symptoms. Here are some primary therapies for autistic babies.
Behavior: Autistic children are taught how to behave with others.
Joint Attention: The therapist trains the autistic child to pay attention to a specific direction.
Social Skills: Therapists introduce autistic children to people around them. Father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, grandfather, grandmother, friends, etc. relationships are tried to be understood by the child.
Speaking Therapy: Autistic children are taught to pronounce different meaningful words.
Physical Exercise: Autistic children are given various types of exercise so that they can overcome their physical inertia.
Educational Activities: Therapist provides various types of educational training to autistic children. For example, children are given ideas about alphabets, numbers, colors, animals, etc.
Nutritious Food: Autistic children are provided with a variety of nutritious food so that they can overcome their physical and mental weaknesses quickly.
Some Tips to Save Babies From Autism
Autism is mostly a natural problem. However, if some rules are followed, it is possible to cure the primary causes of autism.
Clean Environment: The accommodation should be arranged in a place where the environment is clean and there is no garbage around. Avoid living in industrial areas.
Vaccinate Properly: The child should be given the right vaccination at the right time.
Careful at Pregnancy: This is the most important step to protect the baby from autism. Pregnant women should be very careful in eating and walking. Eat nutritious food and avoid taking medicines as much as possible.
Family Planning: Get married at the right time and have children at the right time. Try to refrain from giving birth at an older age.
Insemination Method: Avoid the artificial insemination method. This is the main cause of autism in babies.
In conclusion, autism is not the parent's fault. In most cases, this is a natural defect. With proper care, in many cases, the child's autism problem can be cured. So parents should not worry about autistic children. It can be overcome if the child is properly cared for according to the advice of a pediatrician.