Grandson Might Have Autism

Mar. 28, 2016

Dear Cathy:

My daughter was young when she had her baby. I am concerned that my grandson may have autism. He is 14 months old and never laughs or giggles out loud. He also never have responses when spoken to. Sometimes he smiles slightly but he is already walking so is there anything to be concerned about. At his age, he has already had 10 vaccinations. Concerned Grandmother, Michigan

Dear Concerned Grandmother:

Having too many vaccinations that close together that contains heavy metals that turns the brain off and eating GMO processed foods that contains heavy metals can certainly turn off the brain, especially of a young child. So it's important to monitor his progress along the way.

Autism affects mostly male children so you have the right to be concerned about your grandchild, especially if the child’s mother and father are too young to really see what is happening. 

Supposedly, pediatricians performs developmental screenings at each and every visit, and any delays out of the ordinary should be investigated further. Typical autistic features include social interaction difficulties and speech delay.

Autism is a very difficult diagnosis to establish because of the age of a child. Most pediatricians will do an M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers) at 18 months of age. 

If it reveals areas of concern, a full developmental assessment is recommended but what most of us know today is that many in the medical industry do not follow through with patients -- so it will be up to the parents and other relatives, like yourself, to make sure your grandson get what he needs.

Make it a point to visit the pediatrician with your daughter on the next doctor's visit and bring up any questions you might have. Early detection and early treatment will be the key for your grandchild to develop correctly so again stay involved with this issue. You should be commended as a grandmother.