When Can Children Be Diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder

Host: At what age can children be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder?
Peggy Halliday: There are many experts who believe that children can reliably be diagnosed with autism at about 18 months of age. Parents will say that there are lots of autism symptoms that they noticed perhaps starting at about 6 months of age and there are research studies going on with siblings, of children who are already diagnosed to watch those kids from a very early age and they are noticing some differences as early as six months. But in order for a reliable diagnosis most doctors agree and most specialists who work with children with autism agree that 18 months is about the age where the diagnosis can be given reliably. Unfortunately, most children are not diagnosed until three or four years old and in many cases children are not diagnosed with autism until they go to school, so even above the age of five.



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