Learn the Signs

One of the most important things you can do as a parent or caregiver is to learn the early signs of autism and become familiar with the typical developmental milestones that your child should be reaching.

What are the signs of Autism?

The autism diagnosis age and intensity of autism’s early signs vary widely. Some infants show hints in their first months. In others, behaviours become obvious as late as age 2 or 3.

Not all children with autism show all the signs. Many children who don’t have autism show a few. That’s why professional evaluation is crucial.

It is important to understand that:

No single behaviour is indicative of autism, nor will a child show all the behaviours listed. The significant factor is a pattern of behaviours from each of the four essential areas. They are language or communication, ways of relating to people, responses to sensory stimuli, and developmental discrepancies.

Some of the behavioural indicators may be intense, while others may be relatively mild.

Some of the behaviours that indicate autism are typically seen at specific stages of normal development. The significant difference in autism is the intensity of the behaviour and the persistence of the behaviour beyond the normal developmental stage.

Behavioural Indicators of Autism in Young Child

Language/Communication

Has flat or limited facial expressions
Does not use gestures
Rarely initiates communication
Fails to imitate sounds or actions
May have little or no speech or may be quite verbal
Repeats or echoes words or phrases
Uses unusual vocal intonation/rhythm
Seems not to understand word meanings
Understands and uses words literally

Relating

To people :

Is unresponsive
Has no social smile
Does not communicate with the eyes
Eye contact is limited/fleeting
Seems content when left alone
Seeks social contact in unusual ways
Does not play turn-taking games
Uses adult’s hand as a tool

To the environment :

Play is repetitive
Is upset by or resists changes
Develops rigid routines
Drifts aimlessly about
Exhibit strong and inflexible interests

Responses to sensory stimuli

Sometimes seems deaf
Exhibits panic related to specific sounds
Is oversensitive to sound
Plays with light and reflections
Flicks fingers before eyes
Pulls away when touched
Strongly avoids certaain clothes, foods, etc
Is attracted to specific patterns/textures/odours
Is very inactive or very active
May whirl, spin, bang head, bite wrist
May jump up and down and/or flap hands
Exhibits unusual or no response to pain

Developmental discrepancies

Skills are either very good or very delayed

Learns skills out of normal sequence; for example :

Reads but does not understand meaning
Draws detailed pictures but cannot button coat
is very good with puzzles, pegs, etc. but is very poor at following directions
Walks at normal age but cannot communicate
Echoed speech is fluent while self-generated speech is not fluent
Can do things sometimes but not at other times