Warning Signs of Autism - 24 Months of Age and Beyond

The signs of autism are slightly different in two-year-olds than infants. They include the following:

• No shared attention (pointing out objects to others).
• Doesn't imitate the actions of others.
• No make believe play.
• Doesn't use single words by 16 months old. and two-word phrases by 24 months.

There are also other areas of concern in older children, such as:

• Loss of language skills at any age.
• Repetitive movements such as spinning and hand flapping.
• Toe walking rather than on the full foot and delayed motor skills.
• Oversensitive to sensory stimulation such as sounds, lights, touch, or food textures.
• Focus on a single object for long periods of time.
• Playing with toys in unusual ways such as spinning wheels and lining up objects rather than typical usage.
• Overraction to change.
• Excessive tantrumming, difficult to console, does not like to cuddle/be touched.

As always, if you have concerns, see your pediatrician for screening.

Warning Signs of Autism - One Year Old

Experts can look at videos of a child's first birthday party and tell with amazing accuracy whether or not the toddler will later be diagnosed with autism. What do they see that others may miss? Problems with social relationships and communication are among the areas of concern.

Social relationship problems include not making eye contact when smiling, little or no joint attention (looking at what others point out or sharing sights with others), doesn't share objects or pass things back and forth, and no empathy or reaction to the emotions of others.

Communication challenges may include the absence of babbling, no response to his or her name, and no gestures such as waving.

For more information, check out The Help Group at http://www.thehelpgroup.org/facts_signs.htm.

Still concerned? See your pediatrician and request a referral for additional evaluation.