Parents May Notice Early Symptoms Of Autism In Their Child Before An Official Diagnosis

Can a parent's concerns predict autism? New findings published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry show how many parents will notice early signs of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in their child even before he or she is diagnosed. 

Researchers at the University of Alberta's Autism Research Centre identified how many parents will first detect the early symptoms of the issue in their child. Lead study author Lonnie Zwaigenbaum of the university says many physicians like him would do well to seek other expert advice when working with children who have not yet been diagnosed.

"Parents are the experts when it comes to their kids and their observations are really valuable," added Zwaigenbaum, in a news release. "In some respects, parents are picking up on differences at six and nine months of age that we have a much harder time seeing in the clinic."

Findings revealed that parents of children at a high risk for an ASD not only reported more early concerns than other parents, but also that those concerns can be predictive of autism spectrum disorder.

They examined the concerns of over 300 families for children aged six months to three years old over a 12-year period, with samples including concerns of parents of children without any heightened risk of ASD and those with high risk as well.

At about three years of age, all children underwent a clinical assessment to determine if they had autism or not. Then, they looked back at the parents' concerns to see if the groups differed regarding types of concerns parents had as well as the number of concerns they had.

"We found that parents whose children ended up being diagnosed at three years of age did report more concerns," added  Lori Sacrey, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pediatrics. "Interestingly, they reported sensory and motor concerns starting at the age of six months. And then they increasingly reported more language and social concerns at about 12-15 months of age."

It really highlights the importance of talking to parents and taking their concerns seriously."

Researchers said they believe that if parental concerns are acted on early, they can provide better care for children at risk for ASD sooner.

An earlier diagnosis helps to provide better treatment, understanding and planning for the future.