Autism can adversely affect the cognitive development of the child. However, early detection and intervention of autism can be a significant opportunity to help the child improve on the cognitive development of the child. Usually, the diagnosis of autism can be made more accurately at the age of two years, a time when the social and communication impairment is the primary source of the condition. When autism is not attended to at an early stage, it can always result in serious developmental and social problems for the child who may grow up with several developmental impairments. Over the past few decades, the rate of prevalence of autism has been on the rise, with studies showing that five out of every one thousand children are suffering from autism ( Burger, 2010 ). However, there has been a lot of studies that have indicated that early intervention of autism can significantly contribute to the gains in the cognitive, social and language functioning and development of the child.
Several studies have shown that early intervention can play a significant role in the overall development of the child. Many children who are exposed to early appropriate autism education and support at the various crucial stages of development are more likely to gain essential social skills and cognitive development which make them react better in the society ( Wing, 2013 ). Many studies have also shown that early detection of autism can always provide the children with greater potential to live a better life full of great social association and cognitive development. Parents whose children are suffering from autism can always learn on how to detect autism early enough in their children so that they can help them improve their mental, physical and emotional development all through the developmental stages of the child while at the same time seeking assistance from the specialists on how to help their children develop.
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Reports have shown that the current prevalence of the autism among children has been rising at a rapid rate compared to the previous days. Many individuals with autism have reported an entire range of cognitive ability, with several others showing signs of mental retardation as well as a substantial prohibition of the developmental in the psychological and social functioning of the child ( Dawson , et al., 2012). At the same time, the retrospective parental report has shown having early information about the early development of the children with autism can be the initial step in preparation for the early intervention. Unlike non-autism children, children with autism have been reported to experience late social communicative behaviors. These social behaviors include making direct eye contact, greeting other people, showing and pointing at objects and making imitations. At the same time, these children are less likely to respond to the communication made by other people. Also, children with autism have been reported to be less likely to play lap games and also less responsive to their parents. They are also less likely to smile at others and also more likely to display a face that is expressionless as compared to the non-autism children.
Early intervention involves taking the right steps as early as possible to work on the child’s autism characteristics. It consists of a combination of various therapies and services aimed at helping the child develop mentally and socially. Beginning these interventions as early as possible can be the most effective way of assisting the child in the developmental processes. The brain of children with autism develop slowly as compared to their peers and having an early detection and intervention can be an essential thing to assist these children to develop both mentally and socially ( White et al., 2010 ). Studies have also shown that the majority of the Australian children with autism miss out of the early intervention programs making them experience a slow development. According to studies, learning and development are at high levels during the preschool age. However, children with autism experience delayed learning and development, which make them risk missing out on some of the most crucial aspects of development for the children. However, early interventions for autism can play a significant role in helping the children make milestone steps towards their development and learning during their early years.
Early intervention services and programs can also provide mental support for the children and their families who could be experiencing frustrations, disappointment, and stress, however, with early intervention, both the mental stability of the family and the development of the autism children can be positively impacted. It provides a conducive environment for the nurturing of the autism children while at the same time providing a supportive environment for these children to develop mentally and socially ( Schumann et al., 2010 ). Early intervention is always forward-looking and can assist the children even in their adult age. Studies have shown that early interventions not only provide immediate benefits into the current, but it also offers a significant increase into the ability of the child to integrate the future social environment, including things like schools and the community as a whole.
The primary aspects of the good practice in the early intervention for the positive development of autistic children have been identified in many previous research and literature reviews. Early intervention has been documented as an evidence-based intervention that can be helpful in increasing the development of the autism children not only in their current state but also into their future life ( Itzchak & Zachor, 2011 ). Studies done to evaluate the outcomes and the impacts of early intervention programs have also shown that there are tremendous improvements in the autism symptoms, increased communication, and daily living activities and a more enhanced cognitive development. Further research has also shown that early intervention can lead to increased everyday life skills mainly in areas such as improved communication skills, increased social communications, and increased cognitive skills. Children who have autism and are subjected to early intervention have been reported to have a higher chance of brain development and living independently in the future as well as securing employment. They are also more likely to develop a more serious and lasting friendship and establish a long-term relationship as they grow thus showing benefits for the children as they develop into later stages.
Studies have also shown that children who are exposed to the early intervention, usually at two years or less, have shown greater brain responses to the social information and reasoning compared to those who fail to receive early intervention. The studies showed that a view of the face of women demonstrated a brain activity pattern that was virtually identical to the children with autism. Early intervention was associated with increased social behavior and enhanced brain activity. According to the survey by the American Academy of Pediatrics, early intervention has been associated with increased brain development, increased brain activity and a more enhanced communication and social activities. Helping the parents detect autism early enough in their children and starting early intervention can be beneficial to the children develop normally as their peers without autism. During an early intervention, children with autism are taken through various therapy services which are essential in improving their brain development and social interaction.
Scientists have stated that early detection of the autism can be done by taking brain scans as early as six months, a time when even the signs have not been identified. After an early detection, the child is then taken through an early intervention which is essential in preventing the children from experiencing the retardation that occurs leading to delays in communication, motor skills as well as social skills. At a very young age, the brain of the child is still malleable and going the process of circuitry which makes it easy to achieve a positive outcome. Early detection will, therefore, increase the chances of the brain of the child to develop as compared to when it is detected at a later stage.
In conclusion, early detection and intervention of autism have been found to be essential in helping and improving the development of children with autism. Many studies have shown that early detection and intervention of autism can help the children improve on their social activities such as communication and other brain activities. At a very young age, the brain of the children is still malleable making it easy to realize a positive outcome through early intervention. Parents should, therefore, be encouraged to be keen and identify early signs of autism in their children to enable them to undergo early intervention. At the same time, brain scans have been suggested by the scientists as the best method to detect autism at just six months even before the signs start to appear.
References
Burger, K. (2010). How does early childhood care and education affect cognitive development? An international review of the effects of early interventions for children from different social backgrounds. Early childhood research quarterly , 25 (2), 140-165.
Wing, L. (2013). Autistic Children: A Guide For Parents & Professionals . Routledge.
Dawson, G., Jones, E. J., Merkle, K., Venema, K., Lowy, R., Faja, S., ...& Smith, M. (2012). Early behavioral intervention is associated with normalized brain activity in young children with autism. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry , 51 (11), 1150-1159.
White, S. W., Albano, A. M., Johnson, C. R., Kasari, C., Ollendick, T., Klin, A., ...&Scahill, L. (2010). Development of a cognitive-behavioral intervention program to treat anxiety and social deficits in teens with high-functioning autism. Clinical child and family psychology review , 13 (1), 77-90.
Schumann, C. M., Bloss, C. S., Barnes, C. C., Wideman, G. M., Carper, R. A., Akshoomoff, N., ... &Courchesne, E. (2010). Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study of cortical development through early childhood in autism. Journal of Neuroscience , 30 (12), 4419-4427.
Itzchak, E. B., & Zachor, D. A. (2011). Who benefits from early intervention in autism spectrum disorders?. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders , 5 (1), 345-350.
