When 'terrible 2s' may be signs of autism

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- A U.S. researcher says a setback in child development may not be the "terrible 2s," but regressive autistic spectrum disorder.

Gerry A. Stefanatos of Temple University in Philadelphia said regressive autistic spectrum disorder describes children who have been diagnosed with autism who demonstrate a history of a regression. The regression refers to a marked loss of previously acquired developmental skills such as language or social ability.

"Often children with regression aren't being seen by professionals at the time of the loss of skills," Stefanatos said in a statement. "The parents are aware of a problem, but not sure what it is so they don't seek medical or psychological help until the symptoms persist for over a year."

Children with regressive autistic spectrum disorder seem to develop normally until about 18 months to 24 months, acquiring small vocabulary and acting social, but then over the course of weeks or months, they lose their speech and no longer use words they had previously learned, Stefanatos said. These children have problems comprehending speech they used to understand and no longer follow commands.

"If you have suspicions, go and see a pediatrician and explain what you're seeing in your child," Stefanatos said. "If there is in fact a regression, it helps to have another set of eyes to confirm suspicions."