Millions of families around the world are affected by autism. Find out more about the disease, learn how to cope and meet other people living with autism through these organizations:

• Autism Speaks
  www.autismspeaks.org
• National Autism Association
  www.nationalautismassociation.org
• The Help Group
  www.thehelpgroup.org

Do you think your son or daughter is different from other children? Although every autistic child is unique, Dr. Anshu Batra, a pediatrician and mother of two autistic sons, shares common warning signs that parents can look out for:

• No babbling by 12 months
• Unresponsive to his/her own name by 12 months
• No pointing or other back-and-forth gestures by 12 months
• No single words by 16 months
• No two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months
• Any loss of language or acquired skills
• Trouble socializing with other children

If you suspect that your child may be autistic, contact your pediatrician.