One thing that seems to baffle many is when I tell them that I knew from day one our son was autistic. How could I possibly know, or at least, be concerned about autism before we even left? While there is awareness of autism in both youth and adulthood, many are unaware of the early warning signs of Autism in babies.
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It’s generally understood that every child develops at their own rate and level, however it can be a red flag when a child doesn’t reach certain milestones. According to a 2005 Canadian study published in the International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, it is possible to pinpoint whether a child as young as 12-months-old will develop autism. With that being said, Alicia shares her experience diagnosing her own children with autism and what some of the most common early warnings signs are…
Before Autism was Diagnosed as Cleary
Jump back over 20 years into my teenage years, I became an older sibling for the very first time. I absolutely adored my baby brother and spent every waking hour I could with him.
While I did not understand why, at the time, I knew my mom seemed overwhelmingly exhausted. Something was much different from even how she was during her pregnancy. Looking back, it was more than just postpartum depression. It was pure exhaustion from my brother having nonstop sleep disturbances and not receiving those interactions a mother normally received from her child.
Like me, my brother received his autism diagnosis later than what is considered ideal. His diagnosis did not come until he was 10-years-old. When I look back now, the signs were all there. He did not display the eye contact you would expect from an infant. Prior to even being able to roll, sit up, or walk, his little arms and legs would stiffen up. As he became older, he did speak on time, however other milestones like sitting, crawling, and walking were all late.
