Autism

Autism generally emerges in the first few years of life. Signs that may indicate autism include:

• Uses eye contact or pays attention to people less often than peers
• Smiles less often during interactions with others
• Doesn’t respond when their name is called (sometimes this can also be related to hearing, so it’s helpful to have hearing checked)
• Uses fewer gestures, such as pointing or showing things
• Shows less interest than expected in playing games such as patty-cake or imitation games
• Lack of or reduced babbling or use of words to communicate
• Uses gestures or movements that look a bit different, such as hand flapping, spinning objects, or looking closely at objects

Signs May Not Become Obvious Until Later
Primary care doctors are encouraged to screen for early signs of autism in toddlers at ages 18 and 24 months. In some cases, when signs are more subtle, autism may not be recognized until later.

If You Are Concerned About Your Child's Behavior
Contact your primary care doctor or reach out to us directly. An early diagnosis allows us to have the greatest impact on your child’s development. Individualized supports and interventions, especially those put in place at a young age, can be highly effective in nurturing your child’s ability to thrive at home, in school, and in social situations.

Sensitivity and Respect
We know how committed you are to helping your child lead a fulfilling and productive life. We listen carefully to your perspective and insights, include your child’s perspectives as appropriate, and incorporate your family’s goals and priorities into your child’s care plan. We make every effort to help your child feel safe and comfortable. We conduct all evaluations and therapies with sensitivity and respect.

We See Children of All Ages
We see children from 6 months of age through young adults. It is our aim to start working with children as early as possible to achieve maximum benefit from therapies.

Your Child's Team
Your family may receive support from one or more members of our team, which includes psychologists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, neurodiagnostic technicians, social workers, and nurses. We can also bring in additional Duke experts to help your child with issues that often accompany autism. These may include experts in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, sleep problems, eating issues, and learning difficulties.

Access to Specialists
Children with medical conditions, such as seizures and sleep problems, will benefit from our teams of specialists, both in the hospital and in our clinic, who are sensitive to how these conditions can impact a child’s coping skills and behavior. They can give special attention to helping your child manage additional stressors created by having both autism and a physical illness.

Clinical Trial Eligibility
You or your child may be eligible to participate in clinical trials at Duke that provide access to novel autism therapies that are not widely available. Our autism experts participate in, and often lead, research into innovative therapies designed to improve outcomes for individuals with autism.