What are the Early Indicators of Autism?

Below listed are a few possible early indicators of autism.

Newborn to 18 months:

• May avoid people's gaze
• Does not like people cuddling
• Prefers to be alone
• Delayed smile or does not smile
• Repetitive behavior or actions with the body, like hand flapping or rocking
• Has hyperactivity (excessive physical activity, restless, not sitting at one place) when there is a change in the routines
• Lack of non-verbal communication like gestures, poor facial expression and no body language

1½ years to 4 years:

• May have impaired imitation (copying others' actions)
• Poor language comprehension (understanding the meaning)
• Not approaching parents for comfort, even when ill, hurt or tired
• May have delayed language development
• Lack appropriate gestures
• Repetition of whatever is said to him /her (echolalia)
• Handles objects strangely, e.g. spinning or turning them or arranging them in a line
• Have unusual body movements, e.g. hand-flicking or hand twisting, spinning, head banging or whole body movements
• Preoccupied with parts of objects, e.g. playing with only wheels of a toy car
• May have attachment to unusual objects, e.g. wires, threads, buttons, etc.
• Have difficulty in toilet training

4 years and older:

• Poor eye contact
• Lack an awareness of the existence or feelings of others
• Absence of pretend play, e.g. dressing up a doll, or pretending to be a teacher
• Increased hyperactivity
• Lack or have unusual emotional responses, e.g. crying or laughing without any reason
• Indifferent towards or responds negatively to physical affection like hugging, patting, etc.
• Poor social interaction
• Not understanding conventions of social interaction, such as turn-taking, making requests, etc.
• Inappropriate gestures, e.g. hugging strangers
• Fail to initiate or sustain conversations
• Meaningless speech
• Attachment to unusual objects
• Spinning objects

The above age-wise list of symptoms will help you detect the early signs of autism so you can reach the experts at the earliest.