Signs and Symptoms
The behaviors of autism spectrum disorder may be apparent in infancy, but they usually become clearer during early childhood. As part of a well-baby or well-child visit, your child’s doctor should perform a “developmental screening” and encourage you to ask specific questions about your child’s development progress.
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) developed a detailed list of behaviors, listed in four categories (shown below). Additionally, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has a developed a list of Signs and Symptoms, which can be found here.
The disorder’s symptoms vary so widely, therefore these symptoms do not mean your child has autism. However, if your child is showing these behaviors we encourage you to have him/her evaluated by a multidisciplinary team. This team might include: a neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, speech/language therapist, learning consultant, and/or other professionals who are knowledgeable about autism.
