Early signals of autism that parents should know
Missing developmental milestones is a sign, says UCI Health developmental and behavioral pediatrician
IN THE NEWS: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder and the first signs typically appear between the ages of 1 and 2.5. Dr. Peter J. Chung, board-certified pediatrician, medical director of the UCI Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders shared with Verywell Mind that diagnosis can begin early because of the developmental milestones physicians look for during well child visits.
“It's hard to make a diagnosis of autism before the age of 1 year. Part of that is because some children will show typical development up until a year of age or so and then may start to show signs of autism between the first 1 to 2 years of age.”
Chung says its important to focus on early intervention, especially in the first six years of brain development because it can impact the child’s long-term trajectory. Chung adds that the more intensive the services, the better the outcome seems to be.
Chung is a board-certified UCI Health pediatrician who specializes in developmental and behavioral pediatric medicine. His clinical interests include medical education, quality improvement, deaf culture, assistive technology, narrative medicine and video games for therapeutic application. He is an associate clinical professor and chief of the Division of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
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About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.