Signs of Autism in Children

Look out for the following signs of autism in children listed below. If a child presents with these signs, please don’t delay further investigation, and see a doctor or paediatrician:

❏ Lack of eye contact
❏ Not responding appropriately to greetings or when their name is called

❏   Not engaging in pretend play

❏   Preferring to play alone

❏   Not playing peek-a-boo by eight months

❏   Not babbling by 12 months

❏   No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing or showing by 12 months
❏ No imitative behaviour such as waving bye-bye by 12 months

These signs of autism in children listed above must be determined and discussed with your paediatrician.

More signs to look out for include:

❏ No words by 16 months
❏ No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months

❏   Any loss of speech at any age

❏   Losing previously acquired skills at any age

❏   No sharing of enjoyment or interest

❏   Becoming distressed by minor changes in routines

❏   Performing repetitive movements such as hand flapping or rocking
❏ Playing with toys in unusual ways, for example by spinning them or lining them up

❏   Having unusually strong attachments to particular objects

❏   Limiting conversations to very specific topics

❏   Exhibiting oversensitivity to sounds or textures

❏   Being a picky eater

❏   Experiencing plateaus or delays in skills development

As much as it may be anxiety provoking for parents to consider these points, the signs of autism in children, must be considered so that children can receive help as soon as possible. Early intervention is key when parents or teachers pick up signs of autism in children.

Here are a few more signs of autism in children:

❏ Displaying challenging behaviours such as aggression, tantrums and self-injury
❏ Appearing to be in their own world
❏ Not following any, or following too few, receptive instructions
❏ Repetitive movements with objects or posturing of body, arms, hands or fingers
❏ Being hyperactive
❏ Being unable to sustain their attention compared to their peers

The above list can be taken with to your paediatrician to help them establish whether your child in fact has autism and whether the signs mentioned in this article have been detected in your child. Many treatment options are available to help children with autism. Once signs of autism in children, have been established, it is a good idea to ask the parent’s paediatrician for a diagnosis and for guidance.

The signs of autism in children, has been taken from the list of red flags to autism, that appear in the book: Saving My Sons – A Journey With Autism