Signs That Your Child May Have Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how a person views and interacts with the world around them, including other people. In most cases, differences become apparent by the time your child reaches 24 months. Mainly, parents notice behavioral differences and language delays. If you suspect that your child has ASD, schedule an appointment with your local pediatric office. We work with you to figure out what to do next.

Signs of ASD 

Every child with ASD is different. Not everyone will have the same symptoms or experiences. With that in mind, here are some summaries on social, communication, and behavioral differences.

Social Differences

• Your child doesn’t keep or make eye contact
• They don’t respond to your facial expressions or smiles
• Does not reciprocate facial expressions or have the appropriate ones
• Doesn’t respond to parent’s pointing 
• Has problems making friends
• Shows a lack of concern for others

Communication Differences

• Your child hasn’t spoken by 16 months
• Repeats or parrots what others say
• Doesn’t feel the need or want to communicate 
• Starts missing language and social milestones after 15 months
• Doesn’t pretend play but does have a good memory for numbers, songs, and letters

Behavioral Differences

• Has an affinity for routines and schedules and does not like altering them
• Likes to twirl their fingers, sway, rock, or spin
• Has strange activities that they enjoy doing repeatedly
• They are sensitive to sounds, lights, touch, textures, and smells
• They are more interested in the parts of a toy instead of the whole thing

Common Examples

Don’t feel overwhelmed by the information listed above. As mentioned, a child can have a mixture of any of these behaviors. There are a few other common examples that your pediatrician sees. These give you insight into how a neurotypical child reacts in certain situations versus a child with ASD.  

By the age of 12 months, your child should turn their head when they hear their name. A child with ASD won’t respond even if their name is called multiple times.

By 18 months, a child with speech delays finds accommodations through gestures, facial expressions, or pointing. Children with ASD find no reason to compensate for speech.

After 24 months, many children enjoy bringing their parents objects or toys to look at or play with. A child with ASD may bring their parent an object but will not play with their parent or respond to their reaction.