Autism is a complicated disorder to be diagnosed. So when a doctor suggests that your childmay have autism, you are most likely to seek a second or third medical opinion to prove or disprove your first doctors diagnosis.
A disorder that manifests during a young age, autism is usually detected at the age of three or can be earlier. Delay in speaking and unusual behavior in social situations are both early signs of autism.
If you suspect your child to demonstrate these unusual behaviors, then your child must undergo a thorough physical exam, a review of family history by your pediatrician and a visit to a specialist who has examined autism and oter disorders to ensure that your child is accurately diagnosed.
Hearing tests are also included in Autism diagnosis. There are two types of auditory tests. First. recognized tones that the child can hear is recorded. Another would require the use of sedatives then the brain response to the tone is measured.
Next step would be testing your child for Fragile X syndrome whih is present with children with autism. Metabolism can also be taken note of by analyzin a child’s DNA through a blood, urine or saliva sample.
Diagnostic tools such as MRI or CAT scan can also help. you would just have to trust your doctors. Second opinions are useful but if your child is diagnosed, stay with one doctor. by doing so, you are not only letting your child get use to his doctor but the treatments to be done will not be as complicated if you change doctors all the time.
It is a difficult disorder to be detected so parents and carehivers should arm themselves with enough knowledge to address the special need of an autistic child.
By early detection of autism, you are giving your child a shot to be a highly functional individual in his life.