University of Ghana Medical Officer, Dr Josephyne Konadu, has shed more light on how parents whose children have autism must go about it.

Speaking on the AM Show Thursday, Dr Konadu told host, Benjamin Akakpo that early detection and management will enable the child to live on their own.

“Early intervention is so critical to the outcome of how the child grows to be independent. So as early as these signs are noted, the attention of health professionals should be drawn so that these children are directed to appropriate quarters.

“Signs may not always transform to be autism. Some may be just an evidence of language delays,” she stated.

The medical practitioner further added that studies have shown that the brains of children find it difficult to absorb certain information at age five.

Thus, it is critical for parents to pay more attention to their wards at this stage, so as to report any ‘abnormality’ they detect for appropriate medical attention.

“If we want to get these children to live their full capacity we must attend to them as early as possible,” she stressed.

The challenges with an autistic child is common in a world that thrives on communication.

Some of these challenges are known when a child does not share their attention to occurrence around them, when they don’t point to noisy objects and poor eye gazes among others.

Dr Konadu is, therefore, urging parents and caregivers to be on a high alert and never ignore the signs when noticed.

Autism is is usually confused with down syndrome as they share similar symtoms.

Essentially, Autism is a social impairment, affecting children's ability to communicate and socialise with other children and adults.

On the order hand, Down Syndrome is a condition in children born with physical and mental developmental delays and disabilities.