Symptoms of cognitive disorders like autism can begin showing in a child as young as two years old. As a parent, it’s your responsibility to understand how to properly identify potential signs of any cognitive issue and receive the correct medical assistance afterwards.
Though these discussions can be extremely difficult to have, they are important and can help ensure that your child has the best possible quality of life. Hopefully this guide will help you understand how to look for cognitive problems in a child and what next steps should be taken.
Identifying youth cognitive disorders
Here are a few signs of autism that parents should be looking out for from the time the child is only a few months old:
- Lack of smiling — Most babies are full smiles by the time they are just five or six months old. If your child isn’t smiling that often, though it could be nothing, you should keep track of the downtime in between smiles and speak with a medical professional.
- Not responding to their name — During the first few months of life, obviously your child won’t be able to recognize their name. But by the time they are six to 12 months old, they should start responding to their name. There is a chance that this unresponsiveness can be attributed to hearing loss, but it’s important to always monitor this information and consult with a neuropsychologist.
- Limited eye contact — If your infant has trouble making and maintaining eye contact with you and other family members, as well as demonstrates and inability to follow moving objects visually, that could be an early indicator of cognitive issues.
Whether or not you suspect your child is showing any of these signs, it’s still best to monitor every aspect of your child’s life in order to keep track of their progression throughout the years. If you do notice these early warning signs, however, it’s recommended to head to a neuropsychologist’s office right away and schedule some cognitive assessments.
If you want to learn more about autism testing, ADHD testing, and speak to an experienced neuropsychologist, give the Center For Cognitive Assessment a call today.
