Jared was 1 ½ years old, but he didn't talk like the other kids in the playgroup. In fact, he didn't even point to things. He seemed to have no interest in communicating at all. And he had no interest in the other children. While they were playing make-believe or arguing over who had what toy, Jared sat in the corner wildly flapping his arms.

His mom was confused and a little embarrassed when another parent commented, "He's a loner, isn't he?"

"I guess," his mom responded, with a forced chuckle. She wanted to believe that it was that simple, but, deep down, she knew it was something more.

The Disorder
Although it's impossible to make an accurate diagnosis without a professional evaluation, Jared's behaviors are indicative of autism. Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the normal development of communication and social skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as one in 500 individuals have the condition, which is more likely to occur in boys than in girls. Most often, signs of the disorder typically appear by a child's 3rd birthday and continue to varying degrees throughout his life.

Researchers have yet to find a specific cause for autism, but there are a variety of theories. Because many autistic children have family histories of autism or related disabilities, it is believed to have a genetic link. There is also evidence that autism may be caused by an overabundance of yeast in the body. Still other researchers have linked autism to lack of oxygen at birth, food allergies and vaccines.

In the process of identifying causes for the disorder, scientists have proven many long-held beliefs wrong. We now know that autism is not a mental illness. It is not caused by bad parenting or by unruly children. Additionally, there are no known psychological factors in the development of the child that lead to autism.

Warning Signs
According to the Autism Society of America (ASA), "Evidence shows that early intervention results in dramatically positive outcomes for young children with autism." Therefore, it is important to be watchful for warning signs of the disorder.

Language Delay
Dr. Frank Aiello III, a developmental pediatrician at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, Va., says one of the early signs of autism is delayed language development. For example, a 12-month-old baby who is not using "mama" and "dada" specifically for his mom and dad or who does not point for the things he needs may have a developmental delay. Additionally, an 18-month-old who doesn't have a vocabulary of at least 10 words and who doesn't point to pictures in books should be evaluated.

However, a language delay does not automatically mean your child is autistic. "Lots of children, with a whole host of different kinds of problems, can have language delay," explains Dr. Aiello. "But almost all children with autism do have language delay."

Abnormal Social Relatedness
Children with autism also have an impaired ability to relate to others. "Parents don't necessarily know how to articulate it," Dr. Aiello says, but most know something just isn't right. Poor eye contact, lack of affection and little interest in interacting with others are common examples of this impairment. Evidence of these social problems is often recognizable by 6 months of age.

Perseveration
Another behavioral sign of autism is perseveration, or doing something over and over and over again. Unlike a normally-developing child who likes to hear the same story or watch the same movie again and again, autistic children take it to an extreme. They may spend hours stacking things or lining them up. Or they may flap their arms over and over and over again.

This perseveration also causes an exaggerated need for sameness as the child grows. For example, your daughter may become a picky eater, not because she likes or dislikes a certain food, but because she so strongly resists change. "I remember a child who liked Fruit Loops, but would pick out a specific color he didn't want to eat. It was always the same one. He just wouldn't eat that color," recalls Dr. Aiello.

Inappropriate Play
Children with autism also play differently than other children their age. They have difficulty with imaginary concepts. "They don't learn how to play with toys in a representational way," says Dr. Aiello. For example, if you give an autistic child a toy brush, she won't use it to brush a baby doll's hair with it. Instead, she's likely to hold it up close to her eyes and scrutinize it.

Abnormal Sleep Patterns
Many autistic children have abnormal sleep patterns. They may sleep during the day and be awake much of the night. "They don't establish a normal biorhythm for sleep-wake patterns," says Dr. Aiello. He clarifies that this symptom is not always present, but it is likely.

Diagnosis
If you notice these symptoms in your child, it is important that you mention them to your doctor. Although there are no medical tests for diagnosing autism, various tests may be ordered to rule out or identify other possible causes of the symptoms.

The ASA states, "An accurate diagnosis [of autism] must be based on observation of the individual's communication, behavior and developmental levels." This is most effectively performed by a team of specialists, who may include a psychologist, neurologist, developmental pediatrician, speech/language therapist, educational counselor or other professional with specific knowledge of autism.

Additionally, parental input and a developmental history are needed to effectively diagnose the disorder. "At first glance, some persons with autism may appear to have mental retardation, a behavior disorder, problems with hearing or even odd and eccentric behavior," reads a recent ASA report. "To complicate matters further, these conditions can co-occur with autism." A thorough and comprehensive evaluation by a team of experts can lead to a correct diagnosis.

Getting Help
Early diagnosis leads to early intervention, which has been shown to be most effective in helping autistic children. The ASA recommends preschool programs that emphasize "early, appropriate and intensive educational interventions for young children." Programs should also offer some degree of inclusion, instruction based on the interests of the child, extensive use of visuals to go along with instruction and a highly structured schedule of activities. Parent and staff training programs are also very important.

The ASA suggests, "In addition to appropriate educational supports in the area of academics, students with autism should have training in functional living skills at the earliest possible age." This includes learning how to cross the street safely or how to ask for assistance when needed. An effective program should also "be flexible in nature, rely on positive reinforcement, be re-evaluated on a regular basis and provide a smooth transition from home to school to community environments."

The Cure
"At this time, there is no cure for autism," says Dr. Aiello. However, early intervention can lessen the effects of the disorder. Although the majority of autistic individuals will continue to exhibit some of the signs of autism to some degree throughout their entire lives, the ASA assures, "With appropriate intervention, many of the associated behaviors can be positively changed, even to the point in some cases, that the child or adult may appear to the untrained person to no longer have autism."