Then his mom began noticing changes that would alter the course of his childhood. Charlotte Cantle, 30, told Newsweek that her son, Rhodes, was the perfect baby. When he was 1, Rhodes could say words such as "mama," "dada," "nana" and "pop-pop." He was also starting to speak in sentences.
Cantle, who shares Rhodes with her husband Josh, 31, said he could answer simple questions too. For example, if someone asked what Santa says, he would respond with "ho ho ho." Then Rhodes stopped talking altogether. But that wasn’t the only change his parents noticed.
He didn’t respond to his name as well as just being distant. He had such a vacant look about him.” Concerned for her son, Charlotte pushed for a pediatrician referral from her health visitor. While autism is often associated with developmental delays, some children experience what’s known as developmental regression—losing skills they had previously acquired.
According to MedicalNewsToday, regression most commonly occurs between 15 and 30 months of age and can involve a loss of language, social communication skills, eye contact or gestures such as pointing and waving. Not every autistic child experiences regression, but it is a well-recognized pattern of development in a subset of children on the spectrum. To parents, such changes can seem to happen almost overnight.
But researchers are still trying to understand why some autistic children lose previously acquired language or social skills while others do not. Studies suggest genetics, immune processes and differences in early brain development may play a role, but scientists have not identified a single trigger for autistic regression. Even now, even though we know it’s autism, it still hurts to look back at old videos.
It almost feels like a different life.” Charlotte said the diagnosis brought a complex mix of emotions. While she grieved the future she had once imagined for her son, Rhodes' regression meant she was also mourning skills and traits he had previously displayed. The early diagnosis did, however, allow the family to begin the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process well ahead of his planned school start date next year.
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