Early Screening for Autism Recommended

A group of pediatricians in US believe that kids must be screened universally for autism at least twice by the age of 2.

Doctors believe that the severity of the effect of autism can be reduced to a great extent if the detection is done at a very early stage. If this is not done, the disorder is very difficult to cure.

Autism is a complex developmental disorder which causes to severe disability and mental retardation. The basic recognizable symptoms of autism include: no babbling or pointing to toys by 12 months, no single words by 16 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months and loss of language or social skills at any age.

Although the specific causes of autism are unknown, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetically mediated vulnerabilities to environmental triggers. While there is disagreement about the magnitude, nature, and mechanisms for such environmental factors, researchers have found seven genes define prevalent among individuals diagnosed as autistic.

According to Dr. Scott Myers, a specialist in neurodevelopment, "If you recognize it earlier, you get them into treatment earlier."

"Kids who start (treatment) earlier do better in the long run," Myers said. He has done work in writing clinical reports designed to help pediatricians identify and manage autism.

Experts say one in 150 U.S. children have the troubling developmental disorder or an autism spectrum disorder whereas according to Autism Society Canada, the figure is about one in 165 children.

The reports insist on a need for universal screening of babies at the regular 18- and 24-month check-ups, irrespective of the fact that the symptoms are there or not. The guidelines framed also state that if the parents feel that the child is showing some specific symptoms, they should immediately start the treatment and not wait for the specialist diagnosis.

"You can begin with therapy geared toward the impairments that are there," Myers said.

Parents of the children, who have already been infected, have welcomed this step. "If we got the diagnosis sooner I think he'd be further ahead,'' said David Hrybinsky, the president of the Toronto chapter of Autism Ontario, and parent of autistic son Matthew, who was diagnosed at the age of 3.

According to Myers not only the new cases will be detected in time but these steps will also help the existing patients.

"In the milder forms, it may not be possible to diagnose early," Myers said. "It is not hopeless by any means if it is diagnosed later but there does seem to be an advantage to getting intervention going as early as we can."

The reports also mention the recommended treatments for autism which should include at least 25 hours a week of intensive behavior-based therapy, including educational activities and speech therapy.

For very young children, therapy typically involves fun activities, such as bouncing balls back and forth or sharing toys to develop social skills, eye contact and other behavioral therapies to increase the interaction of the child with others, which they normally avoid when suffering from autism.