Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by communication problems, repetitive behaviors and social and cognitive impairments. Because it is a spectrum disorder, it can be mild or very severe and occur in all types of children. Your Monmouth County developmental pediatrician Dr. Alison Smoller at Developmental Pediatrics of Central Jersey, specializes in diagnosing autism in children of all ages.

Signs of Autism in Children

Some of the most common signs of autism include:

• Not responding to their name
• Not pointing to objects
• Avoiding eye contact
• Preferring to play alone
• Having difficulty understanding other people’s feelings
• Not learning to speak or being delayed in speech development
• Getting upset at changes
• Having obsessive tendencies and/or interests
• Having little to no social skills
• Being unable to answer questions directly
• Having extreme anxiety
• Being hyperactive
• Having a short attention span
• Being impulsive

With the help from your developmental pediatrician in Monmouth County, you can determine whether or not your child is autistic.

Screening for Autism

Development screening is a short test that can tell if a child has the learning basic skills that they should. During this screening, the parent will be asked some questions about the way their child acts and plays. A delay could be a sign of a problem. All children should be screened regularly at their regular well-child doctor visits starting at age 9 months until about 30 months. Additional screening may be required for a child at high risk for problems.

Your Monmouth County developmental pediatrician Dr. Alison Smoller at Developmental Pediatrics of Central Jersey in Oakhurst, NJ can help diagnose autism in children of all ages. We do comprehensive evaluations that include looking at the child’s behavior hands-on. We also offer recommendations for other medical testing if we see fit. To schedule a comprehensive evaluation call (732) 660-0220 today.