Parents are the number one experts when it comes to their children, and when your instincts are telling you that something is a concern, there is a good possibility you are right. Sometimes, an early language delay or other delay in social or developmental milestones can be due to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism is a lifelong form of neurodiversity that affects 1 in 66 Canadian children. 

 

Individuals with Autism form a wide and varied group of individuals, who bring unique and important interests, strengths, and abilities to our community, but who also often require additional support to reach their own highest potential. When a child with Autism is diagnosed early (ideally, before the age of 2 years old), they can have increased opportunity to access early intervention in a timely manner. 

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Some things parents often tell us they noticed early on include: their child is not responding to their name (maybe they suspect a hearing difficulty), their child is slow to begin speaking, or even stops using words they used before, or their child is easily upset by changes in their environment, or their child is moving their body or playing with toys in an unusual manner.

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Baby Navigator is a website that offers video guides to what to look for in your child’s early development and is an exceptional resource for parents, caregivers, and professionals: https://babynavigator.com/

 

Dr. Hanson offers diagnostic assessments (including measures such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) for children as young as 15 months of age.