Autism is a complex brain disorder that affects many aspects of a child's development such as social skills, communication and behavior, according to the Mayo Clinic. The signs of autism usually present between infancy and 36 months of age. Parents usually notice developmental delays in their child by 24 months of age. Early intervention makes a huge difference in the outcome of the disorder, so it is important to know the warning signs and seek immediate help if you spot them in your child.
Failure to Respond
An early warning sign of autism is when a child fails to respond when he hears his name. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, an infant with autism may appear to lack interest in people and his surrounding environment. At 3 to 4 months, a child with autism may fail to respond to his name and may avoid eye contact with other people. At 6 months old, an autistic child does not smile or laugh, and he has a difficult time interpreting what others are thinking or feeling because he does not understand voice tones, facial expressions or gestures. An autistic child may appear to be in his own world unaware of what is happening around him. At 6 months, an autistic child may appear to be passive and inactive when a parent tries to engage him.
Lack of Communication
An early warning sign for autism is a lack of communication, according to Melinda Smith, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., founders of Help Guide, a non-profit mental and emotional health website. Autistic children have problems with both verbal and non-verbal communication. At 9 months, autistic children may have trouble sharing smiles, imitating sounds or copying the facial expressions of a parent. At 12 months, autistic children may not know how to babble, coo or "baby talk." Children with autism lack crucial non-verbal communication skills such as pointing, waving and reaching for objects. At 12 months, children with autism do not display back-and-forth gestures such as pointing at something that interests them, reaching for the object that they want or waving goodbye to someone when they leave.
Lack of Speech
The Center of Autism Spectrum Disorder states that children with autism lack language skills. At 16 months, autistic children do not know how to speak simple words such as "hi" or "bye" and at times may appear to be hearing impaired. At 24 months, an autistic child cannot combine two-word phrases such as "walk dog."
Repetitive Behavior
Melinda Smith, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., state that that an early sign of autism is when a young child consistently engages in repetitive movements such as hand flapping, rocking, twirling, biting or head-banging. By 18 months, a child with autism will show repetitive movements and behavior. Another early warning sign of autism is when a child exhibits an extreme resistance to a change in schedule or routine and when the child forms an obsessive attachment to an unusual object.
Impaired Social Skills
An early warning sign of autism is the inability to play with toys either alone or with other young children, according to the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder. By the age of 3, autistic children tend to attach and play with one particular toy for extended amounts of time. In addition, children who have autism repeatedly line their toys up in rows. If your child loses social skills or the ability to interact with other children at any age, you should bring this to the attention of his health care provider as it suggests the possibility of autism.
