Sound Mental Health -Early Intervention is Key

A mother taking care of a child with Autism narrates her story of self denial when repeated signs of slow development indicated to her that her child may be running a high risk of being autistic. Fearful of social stigma and the possibility of her husband and relatives letting her down, she kept the child off the necessary diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, the child developed severe developmental issues and since the treatment was delayed, precious time lost in the process denied the child rightful treatment.

What prevented the parent from giving the child early treatment? Lack of support and awareness on the importance of tracking development and associated issues. During pregnancy, the doctor advises on the importance of fetus growth and movements, a significant chart to ensure the baby is developing well. We have the same for a born child also. Pediatricians today provide a growth chart along with vaccination schedule to keep track of the child’s development.

Agreed that all children are not alike and some children might do things earlier and others might take a little longer. But then, there is a time range given and it is okay if a specific activity is missing and the child does the other ones. Simply, the child does not like a particular activity. To understand better, a child of 6 months must smile, recognize faces and make an eye contact. If the child fails to do it, the mother must take it serious and understand that the child may be running high chances of being autistic.

A child following the developmental milestones and suddenly failing to do the activities can also fall in the high risk category. We came across a website TotsGuide focusing on Autism Spectrum Disorder developed by Pediatrician Dr Nandini Mundkur and her team. It provides parenting tips and helps parents to track development milestones of children.

Says Dr. Nandini Mundkur to Bangalore Mirror

“It’s imperative to have a diagnosis when the brain is growing fastest — from the age of three to five. Interventions done at this age give the child the best opportunity to develop normally”

Remember Autism affects social, emotional, communication, cognition and motor skills and timely early intervention is the key. Our child deserves the best and let nothing come in between us to ensure all round health and wellness for our kid.