Talking about the value of early diagnosis, it is necessary to briefly talk about the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.

Here's how the NHS classifies

Autism in young children

Signs of autism in young children include:

• not responding to their name

• avoiding eye contact

• not smiling when you smile at them

• getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound

• repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body

• not talking as much as other children

• repeating the same phrases

Autism in older children

Signs of autism in older children include:

• not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling

• finding it hard to say how they feel

• liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes

• having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities

• getting very upset if you ask them to do something

• finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own

• taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like "break a leg"

The age of diagnosis of autism decreases over time. Doctors look at the child's developmental history and behaviour to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger. By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very reliable.

As research and studies in the field of autism increase, we now know how valuable early diagnosis is. Research shows that early diagnosis of and interventions for autism are more likely to have major long-term positive effects on symptoms and later skills. 

We can name asd as a long journey for children and families. The hardest part of this journey is the beginning. Families feel suspicious about their children's communication or verbal skills, they need an expert’s opinion. Most important point is not to lose time when having some suspicions. After all, the journey begins. 

 We are talking about a situation that is difficult to understand and accept. Unfortunately, families can lose time in this process. It is not easy to accept the situation, prepare a plan suitable for the situation, organize life and constantly acquire new information……

Families prefer to prioritize their children's education as soon as possible, however, getting support from the beginning of this process causes them to be less tired on this journey. 

While accompanying our child on this long journey, knowing "what to do, how to behave" saves us time.

Then the long journey starts with the support of child’s needs (special education, occupational therapy, speech therapy, applied behaviour analysis, physical therapy, pharmacological therapy and more)