The Signs of Autism

Something seems different with your baby or child, but you can't exactly put your finger on it. You do not know what it is exactly, but what you do know is that something is wrong. You've heard about Autism, and you pray that your child is not affected; nonetheless, you want to get down to the bottom of matters, so you can start helping your child right away. If you think that your child may have Autism, you'll want to take a look at the below signs to see if your child is exhibiting them.

Signs for Babies and Toddlers

Most babies love to be cuddled, picked up, and played with. The Autistic baby becomes extremely annoyed at these activities. This baby would rather be left alone and be given his own space. Failure to do this could lead to a baby that is immensely irritated.

By the age of twelve months, babies usually babble or coo gesture or wave. An Autistic baby would not be doing these things. As a matter of fact, he will not even make eye contact with you or anyone else around him.

Between sixteen to twenty-four months, your baby will normally start saying one to two word phrases. If this is not happening, then, he needs to be evaluated to see if everyone is okay.

Signs for Children

Your child may be normal, talking and playing like other children. But at some point, he becomes withdrawn, losing his ability to speak or carry on a conversation. He would rather be left alone, and he would prefer to play by himself. He is contented doing this for hours on end. While being content alone for hours is not a problem in itself, it can be a problem if accompanied by the other signs.

Your child may also behave in an awkward fashion. Some of the behaviors may consist of things such as rocking back and forth, head banging, rubbing his face against objects because to him it feels good, talking in a singsong or robotic voice, or repeating words that he hears over and over again. Your child could even begin talking much later than other children his age.

Signs for Both

Your child may become upset at the minutest changes in his routine. Autistic children love familiarity, and the slightest changes can really set them off to the point of having a dramatic meltdown. They may become aggressive, scream to the tops of their lungs, or cry uncontrollably, just to name a few.

Your child may also have fascinations with only parts of objects rather than the whole thing. An example of this could be the fascination with a certain button on a toy, pressing it again and again. To others around him, it may be a major annoyance. To him, it is wonderfully stimulating.

If your child is able to speak, he may not make eye contact with you. He may try to avoid your gaze.

If a lot of what is listed here describes your child, it is advantageous that you go to your doctor and make your concerns known. Write everything down and be as detailed as possible. The more detailed you are, the closer you will be to a diagnosis.