World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) | Autism Spectrum Disorder Day
Does my child have autism (ASD)?
Are you aware that April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD)? World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is commemorated on April 2nd every year to raise awareness and understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The day is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder Day. On this special day, communities come together, and thousands of people dress in BLUE to show support. Many landmarks and buildings worldwide also light up BLUE to recognize individuals with autism and those who love and support them.
This April, we have created a series of articles on ASD to provide accurate and positive information about ASD. The series aims to increase awareness about autism, reduce stigma, and share useful information on ASD.
If you suspect your child has ASD, you may get confused by the overwhelming information available to you. In this article, we have compiled some useful information to help you understand more about autism, it's treatments, and the steps in seeking help.
What is ASD?
Autism is known as a “spectrum” disorder because there is wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a term frequently used interchangeably with autism.
Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look physically, that sets them apart from other people.
However, people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from mild to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.
Learn more about what ASD is: https://www.autismpartnershipsg.com/about-asd/
Signs and Symptoms of ASD
Although symptoms of autism vary from child to child, the core areas affected include:
• Deficits in language and communication
• Impairments in socialization and social interactions
• Undeveloped cognitive and adaptive functioning
• Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior and interests
With the advancement in diagnostic tools, most children with autism can be reliably diagnosed by the age of 3, and earlier diagnosis is even possible for children as young as 12 months old. Parents are usually the first to notice peculiarities with their child’s development, that do not follow the typical norm. Some of these peculiarities noted by parents include sudden regression and onset of social aloofness and/or a lack of progress after the child has reached certain developmental milestones.
You may have noticed certain signs of developmental delay or symptoms commonly identified as ‘red flags’ for ASD. The signs of ASD vary across different age groups. As parents, you can do a preliminary evaluation of your child’s ability based on the corresponding development stage.
Here is a guide and assessment checklist to help you evaluate your suspicion. We have arranged this by age for easy reference.
Early Signs & Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for Babies & Toddlers
Autism Signs and Symptoms
by 12 Months / Age of 1 Year Old
- Not responding to their name
- Lack of imitation
- Rarely looking/responding when others are pointing objects to them
- Limited range of facial expressions
- Little interest in others e.g. Minimal desires to show caregiver items or to interact
- Rarely pointing out object at a distance to their caregivers spontaneously, for the purpose of sharing their interest with them e.g. not pointing out an airplane or birds flying in the sky
Autism Signs and Symptoms
by 18 Months / Age of 1.5 Years Old
- No/Limited words used to communicate
- Display of repetitive behavior e.g. lining up things
- Little interest in peers e.g. rarely observing or following what they are doing
- Little curiosity in learning about things happening around them e.g. parents may find it hard to seek their attention or to engage their interest when demonstrating to them how to play a new toy
- Little interest in playing or rarely engaging in “pretend” games e.g. not pretend to “feed” others, not using remote control or other daily objects to pretend talking on a telephone
Autism Signs and Symptoms
by 24 Months / Age of 2 Years Old
- Delay in language development or untypical speech development e.g. pronoun reversal, not stringing up words to make simple sentences
- Demonstrate unusual or repetitive / stereotypical behaviors
- Immediate or delayed echolia e.g. immediately echoing words or phrases said to them, or repeating phrases said to them after a duration of delay
- Little interest in games commonly played by toddlers
- Display unusual reactions to the way things smell, taste, look, feel or sound
Recognizing Potential Signs of Autism from Other Parents:
As mentioned, every child shows very different signs and symptoms of ASD. To help you recognise potential signs of ASD, we have compiled stories from parents about when and what made them suspect that their child might have autism.
Next Steps:
I suspect my child has autism (ASD). What are the next steps that I should take?
Trust your gut
Get your child assessed by clinical experts
Join online support groups
Realising your child may have autism can be overwhelming and confusing especially when there are abundant of information out there. A good way to manage the stress and confusion is to join online parent support groups. Speak to other parents with similar experiences.
My child has recently been diagnosed with autism (ASD). What are the next steps I should take?
Step 1:
Research treatments and choose a scientifically proven and widely recognized treatment.
Begin by researching proven treatments and choose a widely recognized scientifically proven treatment. In this way, you are making informed decisions. Here’s a list of questions to ask when seeking treatment:
For a thorough guide on treatment, you can refer to our Parents’ Guide on Autism (ASD) Treatment here: https://www.autismpartnershipsg.com/about-asd/autism-treatment/
Step 2: Visit the center and meet with clinicians to better understand programs and the treatment environment.
The next step is to make an appointment to visit the centers that provide the treatment. Visiting the center will provide you with a better understanding of how the programs are run, how the challenges your child is facing can be addressed, and allow you to see if that is an environment you would like your child to be in.
Step 3: Ensure that programs are individualized to ensure your child’s learning needs are met.
An effective program ensures every child has different and specific learning objectives designed to meet his or her individual needs.
Step 4: Work with your service provider to ensure consistency and continuation of program goals to achieve better treatment results.
As parents, you play a vital role in your child’s journey. Work with your child’s team of therapists to learn the necessary skills so that you can help your child achieve the best treatment outcomes.
Can Autism (ASD) be cured?
According to Singapore General Hospital (2018), “There is no known cure for autism. With appropriate education and support, children with ASD can develop their communication and interaction skills to become independent adults and lead productive lives. Therapies do not cure autism, although they bring about marked improvement.”
Many treatment options can help to improve outcomes for children. In a field exploding with alternative treatments, choosing the best course of action for the child with autism can be a daunting task.
Following Singapore’s AMS-MOH Clinical Practice Guideline 1/2010, one of the most scientifically proven treatment methods for autism is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Awarded Grade A in terms of Level of Recommendation and Level 1++ in terms of Level of Evidence. ABA is the highest-rated treatment method by the Ministry of Health, Singapore (MOH).
Read Singapore’s AMS-MOH Clinical Practice Guideline 1/2010 here: https://www.moh.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider4/guidelines/cpg_autism-spectrum-disorders-pre-school-children.pdf