Autism Awareness Month

The core symptoms of autism are:

social communication challenges and
restricted, repetitive behaviors.

Symptoms of autism may:

begin in early childhood (though they may go unrecognized)
persist and
interfere with daily living.

Specialized healthcare providers diagnose autism using a checklist of criteriain the two categories above. They also assess autism symptom severity. Autism’s severity scale reflects how much support a person needs for daily function.

Many people with autism have sensory issues. These typically involve over- or under-sensitivities to sounds, lights, touch, tastes, smells, pain and other stimuli.

Autism is also associated with high rates of certain physical and mental health conditions.

What are the signs of autism?

The autism diagnosis age and intensity of autism’s early signs vary widely. Some infants show hints in their first months. In others, behaviors become obvious as late as age 2 or 3.

Not all children with autism show all the signs. Many children who don’t have autism show a few. That’s why professional evaluation is crucial.

The following may indicate your child is at risk for an autism spectrum disorder. If your child exhibits any of the following, ask your pediatrician or family doctor for an evaluation right away:

By 6 months

Few or no big smiles or other warm, joyful and engaging expressions
Limited or no eye contact

By 9 months

Little or no back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions

By 12 months

Little or no babbling
Little or no back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving
Little or no response to name

By 16 months

Very few or no words

By 24 months

Very few or no meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating)

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/or colors