Common Signs of Autism

Early Signs of Autism
  • People with autism often have problems making friends.
  • They may show no interest in interacting with others including family members.
  • It can be difficult to make eye contact or they may avoid it all together.
  • They may avoid hugs or touching or only accept hugs only under special circumstances (allow hugs only if they are hugged from the back).
  • Often children don’t engage in pretend play. Instead of pretending to feed a doll they may just move the different parts of the doll back and forth instead of pretending to rock the doll or put it to sleep.
  • Appear to be unaware of the people around them, recognize when others are talking to them or appear deaf because they don’t respond to sounds.
  • They may show an interest in their peers, but are unable to start a conversation, play with, or sustain a peer relationship.
  • Not engage in joint attention, they may not point at objects to show interest, like an airplane flying over, or look at objects when another person points at them
  • They may have the inability to show empathy, have trouble understanding another’s feelings or understanding their own feelings.
  • Exhibit signs of echolalia (repeating words or phrases said to them, or that they’ve heard from a video) instead of engaging in meaningful conversations.
  • Have trouble expressing their needs or wants using words or non verbal forms of communication.
  • Repeat actions over and over again such as rocking, lining objects up walking back and forth with no purposeful intent.
  • Have difficulty dealing with changes in routine or their environment.
  • Have unusual reactions to common sensory experiences (smell, taste, look, feel, or sound).
  • Lose developmental skills they once had (for instance, stop saying words they had previously learned).
  • Constantly express an interest in being alone.


Examples of Specific Language Issues
  • Has difficulty with pronouns and may reverses pronouns I/me/my and you/your
  • Repeats words/phrases over and over again instead of using purposeful language (Echolalia)
  • Can not initiate or respond to someone trying to start a conversation.
  • Can not maintain a topic of conversation, or makes comments that are unrelated to conversation topic
  • Has difficulty with abstract language - jokes, sarcasm, idioms, teasing, or similes
  • Inability to use the pronoun I, instead refers to self by name
  • Creates their own language by creating new words (jargoning)
  • Has difficulty answering questions and may an unrelated answer to a question.
  • does not point, respond to their name or to someone trying to get their attention or use gestures
  • They may talk in a flat or monotone voice


Examples of Specific ASD Repetitive Behaviors and Unusual Interests
  • Hand flapping/finger flicking
  • Stare at spinning objects
  • May toe-walk.
  • Does not play purposefully with toys, may lines up toys
  • Stare at spinning objects
  • Very dependent on routines or upset by changes to routines
  • Unaware of danger (e.g., may run into the street)
  • Stare at spinning objects
  • Mouths on or eats inedible items, sand, rocks, grass (pica)
  • Have a high pain tolerance or seem insensitive to pain
  • Have severe, long lasting tantrums for no apparent reason
  • Gets into a routine way of playing with their toys - plays with them same way every time.
  • Highly organized and rigid object placements
  • Has an obsessive interests in a subject or thing.
  • May walk over things (e.g., toys) and seem completely unaware
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