Q: My toddler isn't talking yet and he doesn't seem to notice others around him. He's very cuddly and laughs alot, but I can't get him to pay attention when I talk to him and he gets frustrated very easily. My parents think he may be have autism. Is it too early to know?
Autism is a unique neurodevelpmental profile that has been observed and studied for decades. It is possible to notice signs even before one year of age, and children can be definitively diagnosed by the age of two. Social communication and interaction skills can be challenging for children on the autism spectrum. Examples of social communication and social interaction characteristics related to autism in the infant toddler years can include:
• Avoids or does not keep eye contact.
• Does not respond to name by 9 months of age.
• Does not show facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised by 9 months
of age.
• Does not play simple interactive games like pat-a-cake by 12 months of age.
• Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age (for example, does not wave goodbye).
• Does not share interests with others by 15 months of age (for example, shows you an
object that they like).
• Does not point to show you something interesting by 18 months of age.
• Does not notice when others are hurt or upset by 24 months of age.
Autistic children have behaviors or interests that can seem different than their neurotypical peers. These behaviors or interests set autism apart from conditions defined by problems with social communication and interaction only.
Examples of restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests related to autism can include:
• Lines up toys or other objects and gets upset when order is changed.
• Repeats words or phrases over and over (called echolalia).
• Plays with toys the same way every time.
• Is focused on parts of objects (for example, wheels).
• Gets upset by minor changes.
• Has obsessive interests.
• Must follow certain routines.
• Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles.
• Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel.
If you suspect your child my be on the spectrum, talk to your pediatrician and request a neuordevelopmental evaluation to understand your child stengths and areas in need of support.. Research has demonstrated that early intervention is crucial in supporting children on the spectrum and their families. A diagnosis can open the doors to access the support your child and family needs to help your child on the road to reaching his full potential.
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