Autism Symptoms in Young Children: An Overview

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Autism Symptoms in Young Children An Overview
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Understanding Autism

• Autism or Autism Spectrum disorder refers to a
  range of neurodevelopmental disorders that
  affect
• Social personality
• Behavioral traits
• Communicational abilities
• Sensory processing abilities
• Children with Autism often have trouble following
  rules or communicating with others, which makes
  it hard for them to form relationships.
• The symptoms of Autism usually become evident by
  the time the child is two or three years old.
• 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.

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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

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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

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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 peoples feelings

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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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