Guest Author - Sunniej Jackson

At a recent pediatric conference it was reported that infants and toddlers should be tested twice for autism by the age of two. Pediatrician groups are urging the health department and insurance companies to have a plan to include all children under two tested twice for autism.

Autism affects one out of every 150 children in the United States. There is no known cure for autism at this time; however, early detection with therapy is thought to lessen the severity of this developmental disorder. Current recommended treatment includes twenty five hours per week of therapy working with speech and activities surrounding education.

There are numerous alarming symptoms that all parents should be aware of and consciously observe in their developing infants and toddlers. Some of these symptoms include babies that don’t babble and toddlers who don’t point to toys by the age of one. Another symptom is an infant four months or older that does not smile at hearing their mom’s or dad’s voice. I am sure there is a much more detailed list available from your physician, pediatrician or obstetrician including symptoms and developmental timelines that your child should be obtaining.

All of our children are unique so be careful at making assumptions about your child or young children in your family regarding this disorder. If the child is interacting appropriately socially and communicating well then the personality quirks may be just that.

There is so much new information on disorders, diseases and potential deformities that it is difficult to keep up with all the new discoveries. As a parent or potential parent, we owe it to ourselves and our children born and unborn to stay abreast to all of the forthcoming medical information. We should all take advantage of the vast amount of information available on the internet. Take the time to search and browse on various sites and sign up for any newsletters that pertain to your respective interests and that of our family members. There are lots of free newsletters covering a large array of topics both broad and very specific. When the newsletters come in browse through them for any information pertaining to your respective interest and highlight that area and copy to a document. This way you can save this information for continued review and follow up. Any newsletters that are void of information important to you, delete it immediately this will keep your mailbox from filling up with unnecessary information.

I hope this information helps someone minimize their child's developmental loss. Make sure to share new information with your friends and family. It just might make a huge difference for them and theirs.