The signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) vary greatly among individuals of all ages. Some children show signs as early as a few months old while others do not show any obvious signs until age two or three. It is important to remember that every child is unique in their growth and development. Even children who do not have autism may exhibit some of these signs.
Autism has its own distinctive ways of manifesting in each child but a generalized list of signs includes:
- Problems with eye contact
- Delayed or no language development
- Regression in speech, language, or social skills at any time
- Impulsivity
- Hyperactivity
- Little or no response to their name
- Preference to being alone
- Resistance to change
- Problems with nonverbal communication
- Problems with social skills
- Unusual interests or behaviors
- Unusual reactions
- Poor skills in play and imitation
Why are these signs red flags?
Problems with eye contact
Eye contact is an important part of non-verbal communication skills. There may be negative social implications if a child makes little or no eye contact with others since it helps indicate interest and attention during conversations.
Delayed or no language development
Delayed or no language development is indicative of atypical development in language centers of the brain.
Regression in speech, language, or social skills
Any sort of regression in speech, language, or social skills negatively impacts a child’s ability to communicate.
Impulsivity
Lack of impulse control can have a negative impact on a child’s physical and emotional health. Impulsivity can be seen in the form of food consumption, meltdowns, aggression, emotional outbursts, and destruction of property.
Hyperactivity
Hyperactivity can have an impact on a child’s social life if they are constantly on the move during class, unable to sit with friends, and may be perceived as socially awkward if they are unable to settle down.
Little or no response to name
Little or no response to their name can be indicative of an audiological problem. If no audiological problem is present, lack of response to their name can make communicating with others very difficult.
Preference to be alone
Every child is different. Some children are naturally more introverted than others. The preference to be alone is not a bad thing, however, if a child spends extended periods of time by themselves, they may have difficulty making friends and bonding with their family.
Resistance to change
It is normal to be comfortable in a routine but sometimes unexpected changes are inevitable. Resistance to change can present challenges during minor changes in routine or surroundings as well as during major life transitions. The ability to adjust is a very valuable life skill that some children may have difficulty with.
Problems with nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication plays a large role in social interaction. There may be negative social implications if a child is unable to use effective nonverbal communication. Problems with nonverbal communication indicative of autism include:
- Few or no happy expressions
- Little or no gestures such as pointing, reaching, or waving
- Little or no back and forth sharing of facial expressions or sounds
- Problems with joint attention (following another person’s gaze or pointed finger)
- Not showing items or sharing interests
Problems with social skills
Social skills play a large role in a child’s social development. A child who lacks social skills may have difficulty making friends or participating in a social environment. Problems with social skills indicative of autism can include:
- No social smiling
- Difficulty understanding or showing understanding of other people’s feelings or their own
- Not responding to sounds, voices, or name
- Does not demonstrate any signs of interest
- Give unrelated answers to questions
Unusual interests or behaviors
Unusual interests or behaviors can impact a child’s social life as well as their physical health. Interests and behaviors indicative of autism can include:
- Obsessive interests
- Restricted interests
- Repetitive behaviors (rocking, flapping, spinning, etc.)
- Constantly repeating words or phrases
- Unusual eating or sleeping habits
Unusual reactions
Unusual reactions affect all areas of life. They can inhibit social interaction and make going out into public very difficult. Children may stick to a very strict routine in order to avoid triggers and meltdowns. Relationships can be affected when a child does not want to hug their family, play tag with their friends, or sit at circle time with their classmates. Unusual reactions indicative of autism can include:
- Unusual and intense reaction to sounds, smells, tastes, textures, lights and/or colors
- Unusual mood or emotional reactions
- Avoid or resist physical contact:
- Unusual or extreme anxiety or phobias
- Lack of fear or more fear than expected
- Unusual mood or emotional reactions
- Avoid or resistant physical contact
- Unusual or extreme anxiety or phobias
- Lack of fear or more fear than expected
Poor skills in play and imitation
Each child has their own unique approach to play. There is no “right” way to play, however, behaviors indicative of autism during play can include:
- No “pretend play”
- Repetitively lining up toys
- Playing with the same toy the same way every time
- Becoming overly interested in the parts of the toy, rather than the toy itself (wheels of a truck, foot of a doll, etc.)
- Having an unusual attachment to one particular toy or object