Common Signs that Your Child Might Have Autism

Common Signs Of Autism

There are a number of things that parents, teachers and others who care for children can look for to determine if a child needs to be evaluated for Autism. The following are common signs that can be used to determine if your child may need further evaluation:

Does not respond to his/her name
Has poor eye contact
Seems to hear sometimes, but not others
Doesn’t follow directions
Cannot explain what he/she wants
Language skills or speech are delayed
Doesn’t point or wave bye-bye
Walks on his/her toes
Used to say a few words or babble, but now he/she does not
Spends a lot of time lining things up or putting things in a certain order

Gets “stuck” on things over and over & cannot move onto other things
Throws intense or violent tantrums
Has odd movement patterns
The child is hyperactive, uncooperative or oppositional
Does not know how to play with toys
Does not smile when smiled at
Seems to prefer to play alone
Seems to tune people out
Is not interested in other children
Shows unusual attachments to toys, objects, or schedules

"It is important to remember that there are many possible explanations for most of the symptoms listed above. A child’s attachment to a particular toy or difficulty with language skills is not, in itself, a sign of Autism.”