How to Recognize Autism: Early Signs and Treatment (video/podcast)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of disorders that affect the development of the brain. Autism is not a mental illness; rather, it is a developmental disorder that ranges from mild to severe.

Historically, most kids with ASD were diagnosed only if their symptoms were severe. Now, as more is known about the disorder, physicians are better able to recognize the signs and provide help sooner. In this video, San Diego Health host Susan Taylor talks with Trevor Hall, DO, a pediatrician at Scripps Coastal Medical Center Encinitas, about how autism is diagnosed and treated.

The earliest signs of autism typically involve social and communication abnormalities — for example, a six-month-old child has limited eye contact and doesn’t really smile. By 12 months, they still don’t respond to their name.

“This includes spoken language as well as non-spoken communication, something we call reciprocal interactions,” says Dr. Hall. “You might see lack of eye contact and then lack of actual back and forth communication. If you say good morning, they might respond with language that is completely unrelated or just repetitive sounds.”

A child also may show rapid repetitive behaviors, such as repeating hand movements or making the same sounds over and over, especially when they’re feeling stressed. Generally, boys are more likely to demonstrate physical behaviors, while language issues are more common among girls.

Autism and ASD symptoms can change over time. Some children outgrow behaviors, specifically rapid repetitive movements. Social skills also may improve as they get older. In most cases, though, therapy can help significantly.

A common misconception about kids with severe forms of autism who have significant behavioral and language challenges is that they cannot get better. Parents may fear that their child will never be able to participate in sports or attend social events. However, Dr. Hall has seen kids improve substantially with treatment.

“We might not ever see them get to a point where they’re exactly like someone who’s lower on the spectrum, but they are able to really advance in their development,” he says. “And they move forward and participate in a lot of those things.”

When autism is diagnosed, Dr. Hall recommends intervention as early as possible.

“It is so beneficial and the earlier we get started, it allows kids and parents to develop the tools they need,” says Dr. Hall. “We want to see these kids eventually develop language and social skills that allow them to interact with everybody and be functioning members of society.”

The mainstay of autism treatment is applied behavioral analysis (ABA). ABA therapy uses scientifically proven techniques to improve communication and decrease unusual behaviors. Therapists work with children to help them learn to manage their challenges and model socially accepted behaviors.

For example, a child who makes repetitive noises may learn to replace them with appropriate language.

Diet also may play a role. Dr. Hall notes that while there is some evidence that gluten-free or keto diets may be helpful, dietary changes do not help every child.

“It’s hard for pediatricians to say we need to do some sort of special diet because it really is dependent on the child,” he says. “That’s a conversation to have with your pediatrician.”

While there is no medication that treats autism directly, some can address issues that often occur alongside autism, such as anxiety or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Managing these can help reduce some of the signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.

Any time you have concerns about your child’s development, the first call should be to your pediatrician. If your child is not reaching specific developmental milestones and you are concerned about ASD, your pediatrician can help determine what is happening and the next steps to take.

Dr. Hall says families affected by ASD should not lose hope.

“There is an incredible amount of research being done, and we have a lot more resources like ABA and speech and occupational therapies that parents can plug their kids into to really get the help they need.”