Possible Red Flags for Autism

If you are concerned that your child may be autistic, watch for these behaviors.

Advertisement
 
Parents, caregivers, family members, teachers, and others who spend a lot of time with children can look for "red flags." Some may mean a delay in one or more areas of development, while others are more typical of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

The child:

  • does not respond to his/her name.
  • cannot explain what he/she wants.
  • is slow to develop language skills or speech is delayed.
  • doesn't follow directions.
  • sometimes seems to be deaf.
  • seems to hear sometimes, but not other times.
  • doesn't point or wave "bye-bye."
  • used to say a few words or babble, but now he/she doesn't.
  • throws intense or violent tantrums.
  • has odd movement patterns.
  • is overly active, uncooperative, or resistant.
  • doesn't know how to play with toys.
  • doesn't smile when smiled at.
  • has poor eye contact.
  • gets "stuck" doing the same things over and over and can't move on to other things.
  • seems to prefer to play alone.
  • gets things for him/herself only.
  • is very independent for his/her age.
  • does things "early" compared to other children.
  • seems to be in his/her "own world."
  • seems to tune people out.
  • is not interested in other children.
  • walks on his/her toes.
  • shows unusual attachments to toys, objects, or schedules (i.e., always holding a string or having to put socks on before pants).
  • spends a lot of time lining things up or putting things in a certain order.
  • Must Read Should Everyone Read This? Yes! I vote for this story
    Share Your Comments
     
    Remaining Character Count:
     
    See All Comments

    Advertisement
     
    Related Links

    Advertisement
    Popular stories from the source site rd.com sorted by diggs