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A leading pediatrician group in America is pushing for all children to be screened for autism twice by the age of two.

They said early symptoms included babies who do not babble at nine months and one-year-olds who do not point to toys.

The advice is meant to help both parents and doctors spot autism sooner. There is no cure for the disorder, but experts say that early therapy can lessen its severity.

The call for early screening was made in a report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It also listed numerous warning signs, such as a 4-month-old not smiling at the sound of their parents' voices, or the loss of language or social skills at any age.

Experts say one in 150 U.S. children have the troubling developmental disorder.

"Parents come into your office now saying 'I'm worried about autism.' Ten years ago, they didn't know what it was," said co-author Dr Chris Johnson of the University of Texas Health Science Centr.

The academy's renewed effort reflects growing awareness since its first autism guidelines in 2001. A 2006 policy statement urged autism screening for all children at their regular doctor visits at age 18 months and 24 months.

The authors caution that not all children who display a few of these symptoms are autistic and they said parents should not overreact to quirky behavior.

If a child likes to line up toy cars or has temper tantrums it "doesn't mean you need to have concern, if they're also interacting socially and also pretending with toys and communicating well," said co-author Dr. Scott Myers, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician in Danville, Pennsylvania.

"With awareness comes concern when there doesn't always need to be," he said. "These resources will help educate the reader as to which things you really need to be concerned about."

The two new reports say children with suspected autism should start treatment even before a formal diagnosis. They also warn parents about the special diets and alternative treatments endorsed by celebrities, saying there is no proof those work.

Recommended treatment should include at least 25 hours a week of intensive behavior-based therapy, including educational activities and speech therapy, according to the reports.

Dr Ruby Roy, a pediatrician with Loyola University Medical Centre, who treats autistic children, applauded the reports.

"This is a disorder that is often missed, especially when it's mild, and the mild kids are the ones...who can be helped the most," Dr Roy said.

The report will appear in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.

I think this would be excellent but hard to put in to practise. However I think one thing that should be got across more is that being tested or having your child tested for anything should not be seen as shameful or wrong but should be viewed positively. Far too many parents put off having a child screened for a fear of something being wrong but then worry afterwards that they have not taken advice earlier. This is especially true if the child then needs to go through statementing which, as we know, takes 6 months at least.