ASD: Early Signs and Early Intervention

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 in 36 children in the United States, with boys being 4 times as likely as girls to be diagnosed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). A multitude of symptoms are associated with ASD, however its main impact is preventing normal behavioral, cognitive, and social development. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the easier it is to address symptoms and aid development. 

You may be asking yourself: What are the early signs of autism? How does one deal with them? When is the appropriate time to seek help? What are the current therapies and approaches to treating autism spectrum disorder? 

First, identifying the early signs of autism is crucial. The National Institute of Mental Health establishes that ASD symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life (2024). Additionally, parents need to pay special attention to their children’s development as symptoms can often go unnoticed (Ozonoff et al., 2010). In fact, Ozonoff et al. indicate the major signs to look out for in very young (first year of life) ASD children are “decline[s] in eye contact, social smiling, and examiner-rated social responsiveness” otherwise a general lack in responsiveness to inquiries (2010). Other symptoms to be aware of are very limited speech and speech development, little response to being called by name, and no exchange in small gestures such as waives (Autism speaks, 2019). Finally, motor signs can also be an indication that your young child may have autism. According to Poscar and Visconti, the major indications are delays in sitting without support and walking. If you feel that, in addition to motor impairments and delays, as well as communications difficulties are manifesting in your child, you may want to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist to see if you are diagnosed?

The importance of early identification and diagnosis cannot be emphasized enough. In clinical settings, the earlier ASD can be addressed in children, the higher the likelihood that increased or normal development can occur. That is, however, not to say that beyond a certain age, treatment is ineffective. ASD is a lifelong condition where treatment will help at any age. 

Now, in the case of a very defiant autistic child, it can be incredibly difficult to manage their outburst and tantrums. At the Sherkow Center, we believe in an approach that seeks to identify and understand the emotions triggering said fits. If the child is in a safe space, we would urge a parent to take a break, to step away from their child, and acknowledge them being upset. Next, you should communicate and try to establish what exactly sets them off to get a better baseline for their behavior. Our method is not supportive of punitive methods to managing tantrums, as we believe that they do not help in understanding the complex emotional processes involved in autistic behaviors. It may be, if a child’s outbursts are severe, a certain amount of medication would be required to help them control themselves, though it is not our first recommendation. 

As of today, there are a variety of early intervention methods that can be used to help address the behavioral problems ASD children are confronted with. One of the most prominent is the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) which aims to restore normal development. To do so, it reinforces developmental milestones in a neurotypical child’s developmental trajectory, in a neurotypical order. Studies have demonstrated that doing so promotes far more results than if behavioral skills were taught or reinforced in a miscellaneous order. Furthermore, this model takes a team approach to care, so that all aspects impacted by autism, including motor development, communication development, education, relationships, and applied behavior (Rogers, 2016). 

References

CDC. (2024, February 22). Data and Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/index.html

National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). Autism spectrum disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd

Ozonoff, S., Iosif, A.-M., Baguio, F., Cook, I. C., Hill, M. M., Hutman, T., Rogers, S. J., Rozga, A., Sangha, S., Sigman, M., Steinfeld, M. B., & Young, G. S. (2010). A Prospective Study of the Emergence of Early Behavioral Signs of Autism. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(3), 256-266.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2009.11.009

Posar, A., & Visconti, P. (2022). Early Motor Signs in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children, 9(2), 294. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9020294

Rogers, S. (2016). Early Start Denver Model. Comprehensive Models of Autism Spectrum Disorder Treatment, 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40904-7_3


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Managing Behavioral Issues

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The Sherkow Center Method: Dr. Sherkow’s psychoanalytic approach and method to ASD treatment with two examples