Do you think you know someone with autism?

   Some of us seem to get to be considered experts in autism by virtue of regularly associating with someone who has it.
   We may not
meet any official criteria of "expert," and we don't want to claim to always be right, but we do get a sort of feel for it. 

The main thing

 to remember is, if you have any questions about your child, or your spouse, or yourself, ask a professional.  Yeah, you can ask one of us, the unofficial corps, and maybe get a clue, but you still need a professional with their professional tests.
  And ideally that means some experience as well.  Our pediatrician, the same wonder-full professional who saved the lives of both our infants when they were failure to thrive babies, told me that Max couldn't possibly have autism because he made eye contact and loved to give and receive hugs.
  But this doctor had never seen autism before.  My friend, whose son also has it, knew what we were looking at.  
  And she said,  

"Don't Wait.  Get Help."    

  She was right.  Next to a concerned, caring family, early intervention makes the most difference in how successfully a person with autism can integrate into our world.
  Here are some carefully chosen 

links which may help you begin.

•  The Basics of Determination, as set out by a Denver psychiatrist
•  Tools to Diagnose Autism 
• Getting Max's Diagnosis: Part 1, Part 2, That Paper (on my Someday to be Written list)
• Does your friend or spouse have autism?   
•  Sometimes an autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed later in life, often in relation to learning, social or emotional difficulties. As with young children, diagnosis of adolescents and adults involves personal observation and interview by a trained specialist. Often, a diagnosis brings relief to those who have long struggled with difficulties in relating socially while not understanding the source of their difficulties. A diagnosis can also open access to therapies and assistive technologies that can improve function in areas of difficulty and, so, improve overall quality of life.
•  And here's another you may want to check, re previously undiagnosed adults.
• Can training your brain help your autism or other deficit?