Little Neil is just 2 years old. Last week, he began to repeat a word nonsstop, “car car car” and avoided eye contact during dinner. Her mother, Kavita looked at her closely, nervous used to get up in her chest.

“Is he trapped in that word? Why would he not see me? Is he autistic?” Until dawn, Kavita was tired, scrolling through the symptom list and booking a consultation, even if he was not sure what he had more fear: remembering something or finishing it. Parents of children like Neel, in homes all over India, are experiencing this fear. Once repeated or a stagnation that lasts for a very long time becomes a possible red flag. But often, the label that is labeled to worrying behavior is very young.

What data tells us

How common is autism?

• The World Health Organization estimates that 1 out of 100 children globally has autism.
• India has a large -scale research diagnosed at the rate of 1 in 500 children, although the prevalence studies by the functioning and the field vary are different.
• Accurate estimates for toddlers in India are limited.
• However, according to the National Mental Health Survey 2016, about 1.6% of Indian adolescents such as neurodevelopmental issues for mental disorders, about 1.6% mental disorders for mental disorders (age 13-17), 2016

Are more families asking for help?

A Chennai III Mental Health Center demanded help in increasing the demand of young people (ages 10-24) from 240 to 437 to 437 in 2017 in more than 80% in the five years

This tally reflects normal youth-only autism-but it indicates the demand for mental health concerns and demanding support.
Meanwhile, a comprehensive picture in India suggests that about 50 million children (age 0–1) are estimated to suffer from mental disorders, but less than 1% are treated or professional assistance is received.

Why do parents overcome and why it is difficult to let it go

Many factors feed this concern:

• Awareness-manufacturing by social media, parenting blogs and online videos can blur the line between curiosity and clinical anxiety.
• Post-pandemic isolation and increased screen use has disrupted early social development for many children.
• Screening tools such as M chat can also flagged off or repeat in neurotipical children and lead to over-conducting.

Specialist and parents voice

Dr. Aditi Joshi, developmental pediatrician, Mumbai: “Toddlers often repeat the voice or avoid the eye contact due to autism, but just because they are looking or feeling ashamed. A few weeks observations usually help more than hours of anxiety.”

“Our daughter stopped using full sentences for a few days. We got nervous. Three weeks later, she came back to talk clearly. I came to know that children sometimes stay under stress from school routine.” Vikram Mehta, a father in Bangalore, says

How to support without terror

• Observe more than 4-6 weeks before demanding a professional journey. Many quirks are naturally solved with development.
• Use reliable screening tools at 18 and 24? Not every stagnation in months needs alarm bells.
• If concerns persist, consult a pediatric development specialist, not only on online forums.
• Get a second opinion before labeling the child; Children quickly internal the label.
• Look for initial intervention if needed, but do not deform normal baby behavior.

Careful parents are the best among their growing expectations and huge amounts of information. Nevertheless, normal baby behavior, repetition, sometimes shyness is often considered wrong for red flags.

Let’s choose patience on terror. A child repeating the “car” can just be engrossed in rhythm, not on the spectrum. Fear can blur the perspective. Our children need time, not diagnosed, to bloom in themselves.