BackGround Image Grassy Field
What is Autism?
Autism is a complex disorder that is diagnosed by a medical professional familiar with the disability. It is diagnosed based on observed behaviors that the child displays. There is no medical or genetic test for autism. This is why it is very important that parents who may have concerns about their child’s development to learn the signs and symptoms of autism. The three main areas of development that are disrupted by an autism disorder are; Language, Social and an unusual insistence on sameness. Symptoms can range from very mild to severe. If you have concerns regarding your child’s development it is very important that you bring those concerns to the attention of your child’s physician. You can use the following checklist to help organize your thoughts for the discussion. Print this checklist off and place a checkmark next to the symptom your child displays consistently.
Autism Symptoms Checklist
Language Concerns
  • No babbling or cooing by 12 months
  • No single words by 18 months
  • No 2 word phrases by 24 months
  • Any loss of language skills
  • In an older, verbal child language may be only in the form of
    echolalia (repeats only what others say)
  • Repetitive or stereotypical language (instead of having a conversation with you a child may repeat phrases over and over)
Social Concerns
  • limited to no eye contact
  • No pointing or other gestures by 12 months
  • Does not “show” toys to caregiver or try to gain the attention of others by 24 months
  • Cannot follow the gaze or point of an adult by 24 months
  • Does not engage in “pretend play” by 24 months (pretends to talk on a phone, pretends to eat toy food)
Restricted, Repetitive or Stereotypical behaviors
  • often engages in self stimulatory behavior. (bangs head, flaps hands, finger flicking,
    body rocking, etc)
  • Engages in odd forms of play (spins objects, lines objects up, stacks objects repetitively)
  • persistent preoccupation with parts of objects (wheels on toy car, blades of a helicopter etc)
  • Adheres to non functional or odd routines
  • Has a difficult time transitioning from one activity to another causing tantrum outside of the normal toddler tantrum.
  • Often engages in self injurious behavior