Signs of Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Signs of Autism

Facts and Myths

A child or adult with an Autism Spectrum Disorder might:

not play "pretend" games (pretend to "feed" a doll)
not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over)
not look at objects when another person points at them
have trouble relating to others or not have an interest in other people at all
have a delay or absence of spoken language
avoid eye contact and want to be alone
have inappropriate attachments to objects
have trouble understanding other people's feelings or talking about their own feelings
prefer not to be held or cuddled or might cuddle only when they want to
appear to be unaware when other people talk to them but respond to other sounds
be very interested in people, but not know how to talk, play, or relate to them
repeat or echo words or phrases said to them, or repeat words or phrases in place of normal language (echolalia)
have trouble expressing their needs using typical words or motions
repeat actions over and over again
have trouble adapting when a routine changes
have unusual reactions to the way things smell, taste, look, feel, or sound
have difficulty understanding social “rules” and relationships
have self-injurious behaviors and/or apparent insensitivity to pain
have no real fear of dangers
lose skills they once had (for instance, stop saying words they were once using)

Contact a doctor or nurse if a child experiences a dramatic loss of skills at any age.

(Sources: Some information on this page was provided by The National Autism Association, Kyle’s Treehouse, the American Psychiatric Association, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.)