Question: What Are the Signs of Autism in Children?
Most experts agree that it's best to catch and treat autism as early as possible. What are the early signs of autism in children?
Answer: There are a number of red-flag symptoms that parents and teachers can look for. These may be evident even in a child as young as one year old -- or may not become evident until age three or older. Some signs to look for include:
- unresponsiveness to people, and/or intent focus on one item to the exclusion of others for long periods;
- lack of response to their name;
- lack of eye contact;
- difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling;
- delay in gaining speech and/or odd speech patterns;
- repetitive movements such as rocking or twirling, or self-abusive behavior such as head-banging;
- speaking in a flat or sing-song voice;
- unusually low or high sensitivity to pain, noise, light or crowds.
Source:
Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) National Institute of Mental Health, 2004.
