There are specific developmental milestones that most children reach by the time they’re 4 years old, such as having a conversation or telling a story. exhibit repetitive or restrictive behaviors that cause significant impairmentĭoctors diagnose children as autistic by observing them at play and interacting with others.have fixed interests or obsessions that cause significant impairment.have great distress or difficulty changing their focus or redirecting their attention.have extreme difficulty coping with unexpected changes to their routine or environment.have a very limited desire to engage socially or participate in social interactions.have a limited ability to communicate, only when requires needs to be met.have nonverbal or significant verbal impairment.an unusual or a reduced ability to communicate or interact with othersĪn autistic child who needs significant support on a daily basis may:.repetitive behaviors that interfere with their daily life.severe and obvious behavioral challenges.a significant lack of verbal and nonverbal communication skills.difficulty coping with a change to their routine or surroundings.trouble adapting to changes in routine or behaviorĪn autistic child who needs a moderate amount of support, or who needs daily support, may have:.trouble with appropriate communication (such as volume or tone of speech, reading body language, or social cues).difficulty initiating social interactions or maintaining conversations.little interest in social interactions or social activities.An autistic child may need minimal support in some aspects of their life and more significant support in other aspects.Īn autistic child who needs minimal support may have: showing a lack of fear or more fear than expectedĪSD encompasses a broad range of signs and symptoms.unusual reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, sights, or textures.self-injury, which may include punching or scratching.hyperactivity or a short attention span.These signs are usually accompanied by some of the other signs listed above: likes certain parts of objects (often wheels or spinning parts).

plays with toys the same way every time.

gets upset or frustrated by small changes in their daily routine.

persistently or repeatedly lines up toys or other objects in an organized fashion.

performs repetitive motions, such as flapping their hands, rocking back and forth, or spinning.does not understand jokes, sarcasm, or teasingĪn autistic child who has adopted certain repetitive or restrictive behaviors may exhibit some of these signs:.rarely or never uses gestures or body language such as waving or pointing.reverses pronouns (for example, says “you” instead of “I”).does not answer questions appropriately or follow directions.has difficulty expressing or talking about their own feelingsĪn autistic child who needs more support in developing language and communication skills may exhibit some of these signs:.has difficulty understanding other people’s feelings.does not make facial expressions or makes inappropriate expressions.is not interested in making or does not know how to make friends.

does not like or actively avoids physical contact.is not interested in interacting with or socializing with others.does not share well with others or take turns.prefers playing alone over playing with others.Social skillsĪn autistic child who needs more support in social situations may exhibit some of the following signs: Most signs of autism become more apparent as children age. What are the signs of autism in a 4-year-old?

Autism in girls checklist