Soon after birth, a healthy baby will gaze into your eyes. By the time he is five or six months old, he will smile and respond to his mother or father and begin to communicate by making gurgling, cooing sounds, all while gazing lovingly into the eyes of whoever is holding him. Babies seem to understand at some basic level that eyes are special and they look at eyes more than any other part of a face.

Sometimes a child does not do this. There is an absence of eye contact. Perhaps he focuses on a whirling ceiling fan or a light fixture and appears to be obsessed by the object. A voice or loud clap does not attract the baby's attention and he doesn't respond. Many times, this is the first clue a parent has that something may be wrong.

Studies show that about 17% of children in the United States have a developmental disability such as autism, but fewer than half are diagnosed before starting school. Early diagnosis and treatment is extremely important.

Early Warning Signs Include the Failure to:

• Focus on sights and sounds by 2 months of age.
• Initiate joyful behavior with parents by 4 months of age.
• Exchange smiles and sounds with parents by 8 to 9 months of age.
• Take a parent's hand to find a toy and point to objects by 12 to 16 months of age.