Early intervention for autism improves outcomes, says UCI Health expert

Earliest signs appear between 1 and 2½ years of age

IN THE NEWS: The earliest signs of autism begin to appear between the ages of 1 and 2½ years old for most children diagnosed with the neurodevelopmental disorder.

UCI Health pediatrician and neurodevelopmental specialist Dr. Peter Chung spoke to Verywell Health about the challenges of diagnosing autism earlier than that.

“It's really hard to make a diagnosis of autism before the age of 1 year. I've done that very rarely. And part of that is because some children will actually show typical development up until a year of age or so and then may start to show signs of autism between the first 1 to 2 years of age.”

Early intervention is a critical factor for outcomes, he says.

“…Early intervention, especially in the first five or six years of the child's brain development, can make a lot of differences, especially in the trajectory of the child over time. And the more intensive the services, the better the outcome seems to be.”

Chung is a board-certified UCI Health pediatrician who specializes in developmental and behavioral pediatric medicine. He is an associate clinical professor at the UC Irvine School of Medicine and medical director of the UCI Health Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

To make an appointment, call 657-579-4100.

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