🗞️ By indiaherald Staff Writer
📍 From nellore | red Flag Awareness Story | In Association with Pinnacleblooms.org
“She’d Sit in a Corner and Laugh at the Wall.”
At first, we thought it was adorable.
Our daughter, Anika, just over two years old, would smile suddenly. Giggle softly. Laugh with no one around.
“She’s such a happy baby,” everyone said.
“So well-behaved. So quiet.”
But the signs were there.
She didn’t look when we called her name.
Didn’t play pretend.
Didn’t say “Amma” or “Appa.”
But she smiled — so much, so randomly, that we stopped questioning everything else.
❌ We Thought Happiness Meant Health. It Didn’t.
At Pinnacle® Nellore, therapists explain something many families don’t know:
“In early autism, some children don’t show sadness — they show disconnect.
Laughter, when unrelated to interaction, is often a sensory or self-stim behavior.”
Children who laugh randomly, stare at spinning fans, or giggle without shared context may be:
- Overstimulated
- Processing sounds or textures in their mind
- Repeating learned expressions
- Using laughter as a self-regulating tool
This doesn’t mean they’re broken.
It means they’re struggling to connect the outer world with their inner one.
📞 We Didn’t Call Until Someone Told Us the Truth
A speech therapist visiting our playschool quietly pulled me aside and said:
“I know she’s happy. But is she engaged?
She should be pointing, waving, saying simple words.
Please don’t wait. Call Pinnacle®.”
So we did.
📞 9100 181 181 – Pinnacle® National Autism Helpline
The person on the call spoke gently, in Telugu.
They said:
“Let’s check. Let’s see. Let’s give her a voice if she’s struggling to find it.”
📊 Anika’s AbilityScore©® Was Eye-Opening
- Communication: 🔴 red (470/1000)
- Joint Attention: 🔴 Red
- Social Smiling: 🟡 Yellow
- Sensory Response: 🟡 Yellow
- Cognitive Skills: 🟢 Green
She was intelligent. Alert. Curious.
But her social brain wasn’t connecting with her language system.
“She wasn’t laughing at nothing.
She was laughing into silence.”
🤖 Her Therapy Plan Gave Us a Way to Reach Her
Guided by TherapeuticAI©®, her therapy included:
- Social imitation games
- Eye contact + pointing prompts
- “Watch and wait” joint attention tasks
- Emotional labeling with facial expression boards
- Parent modeling — in Telugu
After 5 weeks:
- She looked at me and said “Amma”
- Pointed at the refrigerator
- Laughed after we laughed
- And hugged her grandmother without needing a prompt
“She was never distant. She was just on pause.
And now she’s starting to play.”
💬 What We Now Tell Everyone in Nellore
“Don’t mistake a smile for social skill.
Don’t mistake calmness for connection.
And please — don’t wait for laughter to turn into loneliness.”
🌍 This Autism Awareness Month — Decode the Signs That Look Innocent
If your child: ✅ Smiles or laughs at “nothing”
✅ Doesn’t engage with others during play
✅ Repeats patterns or gestures
✅ Avoids eye contact
✅ Isn’t pointing, waving, or talking by 2
Then it’s time to check. With love. Not fear.
📞 Book Your Child’s Screening in nellore Today
📞 Call the Pinnacle® National Autism Helpline: 9100 181 181
🌐 www.Pinnacleblooms.org
📍 nellore | Ongole | Kavali | Gudur
✅ Free AbilityScore©® Screening
✅ Social + Communication Zone Report
✅ Therapy in telugu + English
✅ Family Walkthrough Support
⚠️ Disclaimer
This article is intended for informational and awareness purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for professional evaluation, diagnosis, or therapy. For expert guidance tailored to your child’s needs, please consult a qualified healthcare provider — or contact the Pinnacle® national autism helpline at 9100 181 181.
click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel