Muskan BhatiaNew Delhi, April 2 -- At 18 months, a child who doesn't respond to their name or avoids eye contact isn't always seen as a cause for concern in many Indian homes. More often, it is explained away - "Boys talk late," families say. "He's just reserved. His father was the same," another common interpretation.
According to developmental experts, these everyday reassurances may be quietly delaying crucial autism diagnoses across India.
Dr Naeem Sadiq, a Neurologist and founder of Bengaluru-based Plexus Neurocenter, points to a pattern that rarely makes headlines: parents don't just miss the signs of autism, they reinterpret them.
"Delayed speech is one of the most important early indicators," he explains. "But families often norm...