Autism is a complex spectrum disorder that encompasses a range of developmental disorders, primarily characterized by behavioral and social impairments. Autism affects individuals differently and ranges from mild to severe. Signs of autism typically appear before the age of three, but the exact age at which a child begins to exhibit signs may vary. While some children demonstrate signs of autism during infancy, others may not show signs of the disorder until 24 months. Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a child may appear to develop normally until 18 months when she stops gaining new skills or loses skills she once had. Although autism is not curable, it is treatable. According to the Autism Society of America, early recognition of symptoms and early intervention improve outcomes.
Delayed Communication
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 40 percent of children with autism do not speak at all, while others have only a slight delay in communication skills. Early signs of autism include a lack of babbling by one year of age, no single words by 16 months, and no two-word phrases by the age of two. While the rate at which children develop verbal communication skills varies, children without autism often attempt to communicate in other ways, such a pointing. An early sign of autism is not pointing at objects to show interest or not using gestures, such as waving, by 14 months of age.
Poor Social Response
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, impaired social interaction is the hallmark feature of autism and children, with the disorder may demonstrate poor social responses as early as infancy. Signs of poor social interaction include poor eye contact, unresponsiveness to people, absence of smiling, and no response to his name by 12 months.
Lack of Make Believe Play
Children with autism are unable to engage in imaginative play and are unable to engage in pretend behaviors. A child with an autistic disorder may not pretend to feed a bottle to her baby doll. A child without an autistic disorder typically engages in pretend or imaginative behaviors by 18 months of age.
Repetitive Mannerisms
Young children with autism often show signs of repetitive behaviors or movements such as spinning in circles and hand flapping. Occasionally, these repetitive behaviors are harmful and may include head-banging and biting. Additional mannerisms include obsessively lining up objects or toys and the inability to adhere to specific daily routines. Furthermore, children with autistic disorders often become fixated on parts of objects such as the wheels of a toy car.
Diagnosing Autistic Spetrum Disorders
It is imperative to recognize that autism is a spectrum disorder and the signs of autism vary depending on the severity of the disorder. A child with a mild form of autism, known as Asperger's Disorder, may have highly developed communication skills but may be unable to interact socially. Furthermore, children develop at different rates, and a child with one of the mentioned symptoms may not have an autistic disorder. Therefore, it is important that a child with suspected autistic behavior be evaluated and diagnosed by a trained medical provider.
