Signs & Symptoms of Autism in Children

A child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may:

• lack eye contact
• not show big smiles or other expressions by 6 months of age
• not mimic facial expressions by 9 months of age
• not showing joint attention by 9 months of age (joint attention is the attempt to engage others by showing them something as if to gesture, “look at this,” or “help me with this,” or “pay attention to me.”)
• not respond to their name by 12 months of age
• not babble by 12 months of age
• lack engagement in social or pretend games (e.g. “peek-a-boo” or feeding a babydoll)
• not be interested in playing with toys (instead of looking at toys and putting them in their mouth, they throw them aside)
• show a loss or delay of speech or social skills at any age (see Ages and Stages of Speech and Language Development at enrichmenttherapies.com/blog)
• have frequent and intense emotional outbursts (especially when their routine or environment changes)

It is very important to remember that children without ASD may also show some of these symptoms occasionally. Consider the frequency, intensity, and duration of these behaviors. Early intervention is vital.

Please contact us if you suspect ASD with your child. We can help you get in touch with important resources.

 

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Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center has locations in Johnston and North Liberty, IA, with virtual services also available. We provide individualized speech-language therapy, dyslexia and reading intervention, academic support, and executive functioning services to help children build skills and confidence. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your child.