What is Autism?
Autism spectrum disorder is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. The term "spectrum" in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity.
There are two major symptoms of autism:
- Challenges with social communication and interaction skills
- Restricted and repetitive behaviors
Early Warning Signs of Autism
If you suspect a child is developing communication and/or social skills in atypical fashion, below are some early warning signs of autism spectrum disorder.
Early signs of autism in newborns include:
- Not following moving objects with their eyes
- Sensitivity to loud noises
- Limited facial expression
- Poor facial recognition (especially new faces)
Signs of autism in babies aged 4 to 7 months include:
- Showing disinterest in certain sounds (such as not turning to locate where sounds are coming from)
- Perceived lack of affection
- Limited babbling
- Limited verbal expression (like not laughing or making squealing sounds)
- Not reaching for objects
- Not grasping or holding onto objects
- Demonstrating limited facial expressions and emotional reactivity (such as not smiling on their own)
Signs of autism in babies aged 8 to 12 months include:
- May not crawl
- May avoid eye contact
- Limited or incomprehensible speech
- May refrain from using gestures such as waving or shaking their head
- May not point to objects or pictures
- May appear unbalanced or unable to stand even when supported
Sings of autism in toddlers aged 16 to 24 months include:
- Very few or no words
- Very few or no meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating)
Signs of autism at any age:
- Loss of previously acquired speech, babbling, or social skills
- Avoidance of eye contact
- Persistent preference for solitude
- Difficulty understanding other people’s feelings
- Delayed language development
- Persistent repetition of words or phrases (echolalia)
- Resistance to minor changes in routine or surroundings
- Restricted interests
- Repetitive behaviors (flapping, rocking, spinning, etc.)
- Unusual and intense reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, textures, lights and color
Developmental Milestones
A developmental delay is identified through assessments of simple skills. Listed below are some milestones broken down by behavioral categories that might help you identify if your child is in need of further evaluation.
|
Milestone |
Typical Age Of Presentation |
Concern If Absent At: |
|---|---|---|
|
Searing for lost object in several places other than place object was last seen |
18 months |
24 months |
|
Playing with toys in functional way |
18 months | 24 months |
|
Re-enacting familiar activities |
18 months | 30 months |
|
Being able to imitate actions later |
18 months | 30 months |
|
Using one object to stand for another object in play |
18 months | 30 months |
|
Using imaginary objects in real play |
36 months | 48 months |
Social Emotional Development
Here are some goals at various early ages that you should keep in mind.
At 3 months:
- Can be calm/recover from crying with comforting
- Able to be alert/looks at speaker when talked to
At 5 months:
- Displays positive affect toward primary caregiver
- Displays full range of emotions
At 9 months:
- Makes purposeful two-way interactions
|
Milestone |
Typical Age Of Presentation |
Concern If Absent At: |
|---|---|---|
|
Shared attention: Do you see what I see? |
18 months |
30 months |
|
Showing strong sense of self: No, mine. |
18 months | 30 months |
|
Playing side by side with single peer |
24 months | 36 months |
|
Separating from parent without crying |
36 months | 48 months |
|
Labeling feelings in self |
36 months | 48 months |
|
Taking turns and sharing |
36 months | 48 months |
|
Playing group games with simple rules |
48 months | 60 months |
Language Development
The first five years of life are critical. This is when significant language development occurs.
At 1 year:
- Understands simple requests
- Very little verbal expressive ability (2-4 words)
At 5 years:
- Defines familiar words
- Argues
- Tells stories
- Comments on future events
- Lies
|
Milestone |
Typical Age Of Presentation |
Concern If Absent At: |
|---|---|---|
|
Combining two ideas |
18 months |
24 months |
|
Naming one picture in a book |
18 months | 27 months |
|
Following two-step commands |
18 months | 27 months |
|
Making three- to four-word sentences |
24 months | 36 months |
|
Using pronouns appropriately |
24 months | 30 months |
|
Name use of common objects |
30 months | 36 months |
|
Identify two colors |
36 months | 42 months |
|
Understandable to a stranger |
36 months | 48 months |
Treatment for Autism
Early intervention is key if you believe your child is showing warning signs of autism spectrum disorder and is not meeting developmental milestones.
A notable treatment for autism spectrum disorder is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which helps children with autism and other developmental disabilities enhance communication and social skills, as well as learn coping skills to improve appropriate adaptive behavior and reduce problem behaviors.
The dedicated team at The Pierce Autism Center's offers Focused ABA Therapy services to support families and children with developmental disabilities.
