CHICAGO - The country's leading pediatricians group is making its strongest push yet to have all children screened for autism twice by age 2, warning of symptoms such as babies who don't babble at 9 months and 1-year-olds who don't point to toys.
The advice is meant to help parents and doctors spot autism sooner. There is no cure for the disorder, but experts say that early therapy can lessen its severity.
Symptoms to watch for and the call for early screening come in two new reports. They are being released by the American Academy of Pediatrics today at its annual meeting in San Francisco and will appear in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics and on the group's Web site, www.aap .org.
The reports list numerous warning signs, such as a 4-month-old not smiling at the sound of mom or dad's voice, or the loss of language or social skills at any age.
Experts say one in 150 U.S. children have the troubling developmental disorder.
The academy's renewed effort reflects growing awareness since its first autism guidelines in 2001. A 2006 policy statement urged autism screening for all children at age 18 months and 24 months.
A Web site that debuted in mid-October, www.autism speaks.org, offers video clips of autistic kids contrasted with unaffected children's behavior.
The reports say children with suspected autism should start treatment even before a formal diagnosis.
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