Signs of autism
Children ages 18 to 24 months old who don’t respond when you say their name and who don’t make eye contact to communicate with you could be exhibiting early signs of autism, says a report in the April 1 Woman’s Day.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies be screened for subtle indicators of autism at their 18-month and two-year checkups. That way, those suspected of having autism can get early intervention, says Dr. Scott M. Myers, co-author of the recent academy guidelines.
Besides the early-intervention program, the doctor should provide referrals to an audiologist to test for hearing problems and to an expert such as a developmental pediatrician, a child neurologist or a child psychiatrist who specializes in diagnosing autism- spectrum disorders.
Besides the first two signs of autism listed above, watch for the following:
* A child who doesn’t point at objects or look when you point at them.
* A child who doesn’t use words spontaneously.
* A child who doesn’t pretend in playing with toys, such as feeding a doll.
* A child who doesn’t imitate you.
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Watch your contacts
Don’t get lazy about caring for your contact lenses or you could end up with an eye infection, redness, pain or even vision loss.
A story in the April 1 issue of Family Circle offers these guidelines for good lens “eye-Q”:
* Every night, sanitize lenses by rubbing each side with solution for 30 seconds.
* Put the lenses in a case and fill it with solution to prevent floating lenses that may not get fully cleansed.
* Mark your calendar if you wear disposables so you change the monthly lenses the first of every month and two-week lenses on the 1st and 15th of the month.
* Remove your lenses before showering or swimming to avoid potential infection.
* Don’t sleep in your lenses. It can cause a corneal infection.
* Clean and air-dry your lens case daily, and replace it every three months (because bacteria can get into plastic).
