NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- According to the National Health Interview Survey, about one in 45 children between the ages of three and 17 have autism.
If you're a parent, you might want to learn more about autism and the signs to look for in your child.
Doctor Janice Keener, a pediatric psychologist with CHKD, says autism appears to have its roots in the early brain development of children. Symptoms of autism tend to emerge between the ages of two and three.
Experts say each individual with autism is unique. Many of those on the autism spectrum have exceptional abilities in visual skills, music and academic skills.
Two levels of screening have been developed to help identify autism in children before two years of age. Signs to look for include limited babbling, pointing, social interactions, or gesturing by 12 months; no single words spoken by 18 months; no two-word spontaneous expressions by age 24 months or loss of any language or social skills at any age.
For more information visit CHKD's website or attend their event, Assessing Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children, which will be held Oct. 27 from 2 to 4 p.m., at CHKD Health Center at Landstown in Virginia Beach.