Autism Symptoms in Young Children: An Overview

Autism Symptoms in Young Children: An Overview

Understanding Autism

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Autism or Autism Spectrum disorder refers to a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect: ○ Social personality ○ Behavioral traits ○ Communicational abilities ○ Sensory processing abilities

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Children with Autism often have trouble following rules or communicating with others, which makes it hard for them to form relationships.

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The symptoms of Autism usually become evident by the time the child is two or three years old.

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Occupational Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Social Skills Therapy are all useful forms of intervention to help the child adjust better to social situations.

Symptoms of Autism in Babies

By Three Months ● Not making eye contact ● Not paying attention to new faces ● Not following moving objects with their eyes

By Seven Months ● Not smiling or laughing ● Not reaching for objects ● Not cooing or babbling ● Not responding to games like peek-a-boo ● Not showing affection for parents or caregivers

By Twelve Months ● Not pointing to pictures or objects ● Not responding when their name is said, but responding to other sounds like meows or barks ● Not speaking their first word

Symptoms of Autism in Toddlers

1. Communication/ Language Symptoms ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Repeating the same phrases over Repeating back what is said when spoken to Delayed speech and language skills compared to peers Not pointing to objects or people, or not responding when other people point at the same Not starting or keeping up conversations Speaking in a monotonous or sing-song voice Not understanding jokes, sarcasm, or other nuances of speech Reversing pronouns, such as, saying ‘you’ in place of ‘I’ Losing language, typically between 15 and 24 months, a symptom called regression

Symptoms of Autism in Toddlers

2. Social Skills-related Symptoms ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Not responding when their name is called Not making facial expressions Not smiling back when a loved one smiles at them Avoiding physical contact such as hugs Not understanding when given instructions Not wanting to play with other children or with caregivers Not wanting to share toys or other things Hard to comfort or soothe when upset or angry Not understanding other people’s feelings

Symptoms of Autism in Toddlers

3. Irregular Behavior Symptoms ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Making repetitive movements like hand flapping or rocking back and forth Getting very upset by certain smells or sounds Getting very upset by even small changes in routine Having obsessive interest in specific objects or parts of objects, like toys with spinning wheels Doing a few things repeatedly all day, such as shutting doors or counting things Playing with toys the same way all the time Looking at objects from unusual angles Having frequent, often aggressive tantrums Being impulsive Being hyperactive Showing either a lack of fear or unusual amounts of fear Displaying self-injuring behaviors, like pinching or hitting head against a wall

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