Now that kids are back to school, it's a certainty that some parents are hearing about "red flags" from their preschool and kindergarten teachers. Maybe their child isn't attending as he should, can't manage circle time, is lining toys up in rows, or can't seem to interact socially. Maybe their child's language skills are underdeveloped, or their child has a tough time with loud noises and bright lights.
Whatever the issues may be, parents out there are wondering "is my child autistic? and if so - what do I do about it?"
Of course, if you really have concerns about your child, an important first step is to set up a screening - or, in some cases, a full scale evaluation. Based on the outcomes, you will almost certainly find that some form of therapy (usually speech, occupational and/or physical therapy) will be recommended (even for relatively mild developmental delays), and often provided free of charge. If your child is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, of course, you'll want to learn about more therapies and options - but it may be a long wait (sometimes as long as ten months) before you get your evaluation and diagnosis.
What do you do in the meantime?
Fortunately, there are options available that not only can't hurt, but might very well help your child - whether or not he or she winds up with an autism diagnosis. Even better, several are free (assuming you're willing to buy a book or video and spend quality time with your child!).
My top recommendations for parents concerned about their child who is not yet diagnosed with autism:
- Read Stanley Greenspan's "Engaging Autism," and get started with Floortime developmental play
- Read "Talkability" by Fern Sussman, which describes the very parent-friendly Hanen approach to speech and social therapy.
In addition, you might want to take a peek at these articles on my Autism at About.com Website:
- Should I Wait to Have My Child Diagnosed with Autism?
- What Should I Do While I Wait for an Autism Diagnosis?
"I Think My Kid Is Autistic" (and what to do about it) originally appeared on About.com Autism on Saturday, September 4th, 2010 at 08:35:18.
