Do you find yourself needing a babysitter? Finding just the right sitter for your family can be challenging enough, but it’s even more complicated when you have a child with special needs such as those that autism often requires.

It is no secret that Autism Spectrum Disorder can greatly affect a child’s speech and language development. Up to 35% of children with autism are considered minimally verbal. This leaves parents and therapists reaching for tools that will help these children communicate.

Experts agree that the earliest autism can be accurately and formally diagnosed is somewhere between the ages of 18 and 24 months. However, it is possible for signs and symptoms of autism to present sooner. Some parents report seeing suspected signs as early as six months.

Autism—also referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD)—is a developmental disorder that affects a child’s or adult’s communication and social skills. The fact that the disorder manifests on a spectrum means that its symptoms vary greatly in their scope and severity. Let’s briefly examine the three levels of autism and how the treatment approaches differ for each.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is an evidence-based treatment for autism and other developmental conditions. It has been used for decades to help improve children’s social skills, communication, learning, and overall quality of life

ABA is considered the primary therapy for treating individuals with autism, but all of these therapies have something to offer. No single therapy will work for everyone every time, so treatment plans are varied and highly individualized to meet each child’s needs. Professionals consider the strengths and weaknesses of the child as well as the pros and cons of any particular therapies when creating a treatment plan.

Some people wonder if a person is able to grow out of autism. There are even research studies that suggest that some children have been able to “recover” from their autism diagnosis as they get older.

In 2017, researchers determined that approximately 75% of children with autism are boys and 25% are girls. At the time, some experts were excited to hear that these two numbers were not further apart than they are.

" Considering the intricacies of genetics, it is no small task to answer the question, “Is autism genetic?” Many factors play a role in what we consider genetics. It is true that genes are tucked away in every cell and that these are comparable to a recipe or a blueprint for our bodies. It is also true that external factors can influence these genes to effectively change the data contained within.