Common signs of autism in young children: what you need to know

Morgan Hall, PhD, Axis for Autism

Over the course of my 20-year career, I’ve learned that parents who suspect their children have autism are almost never wrong.

These parents often worry about whether their child will struggle in school or with peers, but a proper diagnosis and appropriate interventions can help families mitigate the challenging aspects of autism and help children live full and happy lives.

Signs of autism can vary dramatically from one child to the next, but there are many common behaviors — or a lack of certain behaviors — that often indicate autism.

9 months: Your baby doesn't respond to their name or exhibit a range of facial expressions — like joy, sadness or frustration. They may also have frequent outbursts of intense distress.

12 months: Your child doesn't play pat-a-cake, wave goodbye or engage with others in similar ways.

2 years: Your toddler doesn't express empathy when others are hurt or upset and doesn’t use words or gestures to communicate.

3 years: Your child doesn't show an interest in playing with other children and seems more drawn to household objects than toys.

4 years: Your child doesn't engage in imaginative play — like playing dress-up or pretending to be a superhero.

5 years: Your little one isn’t interested in singing, dancing or performing and prefers collecting objects rather than playing with them.

7 years: Your child struggles to form friendships at school and frequently faces challenges in social interactions with classmates.

Young children may also display restricted and repetitive behaviors, like repeating words or phrases incessantly; arranging toys meticulously and becoming upset when the order is disrupted; developing obsessive interests and being resistant to other activities; struggling with minor changes in routines; reacting unusually or intensely to certain sounds, smells or tastes; and engaging in repetitive physical movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping.

If you believe your child may have autism, trust your instincts and schedule an evaluation. A formal diagnosis can be invaluable in accessing services covered by insurance providers and the Arizona Department of Developmental Disabilities.

To initiate this process, schedule a visit with your child's pediatrician or contact Axis for Autism, an Arizona health care organization specializing in autism evaluation with offices in Gilbert and across the Valley.

They offer a complimentary 15-minute screening to determine whether a comprehensive evaluation is necessary and guide you through the subsequent steps.

Morgan Hall, PhD, is a clinical neuropsychologist and clinical director of Axis for Autism.