The Autism Society promotes early identification and access to effective treatments before age 3, as early intervention is key in future success. Autism can be detected as early as 18 months, and possibly earlier. If you suspect that your child has autism at any age, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s pediatrician.
Possible Signs of Autism
- No big smiles by 6 months
- No back and forth sharing of sounds or smiles by 9 months
- No babbling by 12 months
- No back and forth gestures (reacting to sounds, waving) by 12 months
- No words by 16 months
- No two-word phrases by 24 months
- Any loss of speech, babbling, or social skills at any age
- No pretend play
- Doesn’t respond to name
- Doesn’t make eye contact
- Prefers to play alone
- Has difficulty showing an understanding of other people’s feelings
- Repeats words or phrases over and over
- Gets upset by minor changes
- Obsessive or restricted interests
- Flaps hands, rocks body or spins in circles
- Lines up toys
- Unusual play (e.g. plays with toys the same way every time)
- Focuses on one part of a toy (e.g. spinning a wheel on a toy car or playing with eyelashes on a doll)
- Hyperactive
- Picky eater
- Unusual sleeping habits
For more information, please visit this website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/freematerials.html