Infant Mental Health: 'Treat babies for autism'
Babies who show early signs of autism, such as avoiding eye contact and not bonding with their parents, should be treated in the first few months of life, according to an expert in infant mental health.
While children in the UK are not usually diagnosed with autism until two-and-a-half years, international research suggests pre-autistic behaviours can be detected at just a few months.
Psychologist and child and adult psychotherapist Dr Stella Acquarone believes that early intervention is 'fundamentally important in the first year'. She told Nursery World that it was crucial to help 'rewire' the brain.
Dr Acquarone, director of the School of Infant Mental Health and Parent Infant Clinic, which specialises in early intervention, set up the charity International Pre-Autistic Network to give support and guidance to parents and train professionals.
She is calling for Government funding to treat pre-autistic behaviours and train professionals to treat babies early.
'The first three years are the most important for brain development, which helps us to understand the world,' Dr Acquarone said. 'After the age of three years, brain growth is much slower and many possibilities of connections that have not been made are lost.'
She added, 'It is extremely important for nursery teachers not to improvise with children who show signs of autism. These children should be treated as early as possible and there should be at least one nursery teacher who follows specific training to help them.'
In one clinic case described by Dr Acquarone, a baby's environment was 'emotionally overwhelming for him. There were three other siblings, a noisy TV, a very lively family. The baby needed a lot of the mother's attention. We moved to a calmer situation and increased stimulus slowly, and the siblings saw the baby one at a time. After a few months, when the child was well-established and well-connected, we asked the parents to treat the child like the others.'
That child, now nine, did not develop autism and is in mainstream school.
Further information
A conference, 'Understanding the baby's needs', is on 24-26 November in London. Visit www.infantmentalhealth.com.
Signs of Autism in young babies
- Interpersonal - Interested in objects, not people;
- Sensory - Overwhelmed by the world around them, retreat into self-comforting. The baby might have a blank gaze;
- Motor - While babies usually move their body forward to be picked up, these babies are 'floppy' and prefer to be left alone;
- Emotional response - Shows no expression. The baby is not attuned to the mood of the mother;
- Effect on parents - Parents will call the baby's name more to try to get a response; they are often depressed and distressed.
