Autism is a developmental disorder that interferes with a child's ability to communicate and interact normally with the environment. According to the Neurology Channel, the symptoms of autism may begin as early as infancy, but there may be no abnormal developmental signs until after age 2. Most cases are diagnosed by the age of 3. If you think your child is showing any of the early signs of autism, contact your physician for advice.
Early Predictive Symptoms
While symptoms may vary from child to child, a study published in April 2005 in the "International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience" identified a number of early symptoms that reliably predict whether a child will develop autism. Around the age of six months, these symptoms may include decreased activity level and passive temperament. Approaching 1 year of age, babies may have a tendency to fixate on objects and demonstrate reduced social interaction and a lack of facial expressiveness. By 12 months, these same children may show problems with communication, using fewer hand gestures than their peers. They may also understand fewer phrases and score lower on both expressive and receptive language tests.
Unusual Reactions to Environmental and Social Stimuli
According to the Neurology Channel, infants and children with autism may under-react or overreact to sensory stimuli. For example, they may experience mild smells as extremely offensive, touches to be unusually painful or ordinary noises to be painfully loud. Bright lights, loud noises or strong smells may elicit extreme reactions, such as inconsolable crying. Infants with autism may also exhibit abnormal interaction with people and objects in their surroundings, and they may show marked decreases or increases in activity level. They may appear to be indifferent to their environment, happier when playing alone and show a lack of interest in toys or playing with others. Unlike normally developing infants, they may also fail to demonstrate protodeclarative pointing--pointing out objects that interest them to other adults and children.
Babies and young children may also resist cuddling or touching, develop inappropriate attachments to inanimate objects and make little to no eye contact with others.
Impaired Language Skills
While decreased use of gestures and comprehension of language may develop by 12 months of age, further language impairment may become evident by age 3. Young children may have a hard time expressing their needs with words and may cry or show distress for unknown reasons, according to the Neurology Channel. To adapt, some autistic children may develop their own abnormal speech patterns or rudimentary language, repeating basic words or phrases over and over again.
Behavioral and Motor Symptoms
Young children may have frequent behavioral outbursts and tantrums and they may rigidly adhere to unusual rituals or routines, according to eMedTV. Autistic children may also develop uneven motor skills and may engage in repetitive or self-injurious behaviors, such as biting, scratching or banging their heads.
