Medical tests to diagnose autism are not available to ascertain if a child is affected by autism spectrum disorder. Hence, experts rely more on observation and a battery of assessments. Broadly, autism symptoms include:

1. Obstacles in communication – The child does not respond to his name by the age of 1. This should raise a red flag. Fewer words indicate reduction in normal speech rate. In some cases, no speech at all is observed. The child may not pay attention to others and may appear lost in his own world.
2. Social interaction – A child affected by autism spectrum disorder may not play with toys like regular children. For instance, instead of making toy cars race among each other, he may simply line them up or spin the wheels. There also is a noticeable lack of reciprocity in interaction. The child may refuse to indulge in pretend play.
3. Repetitive Behavior – Autism in children may lead to repeated behavior, hand flapping or an emotional attachment to inanimate objects. A child on the spectrum also will demand the same routine be followed all the time and will get visibly uncomfortable if the routine is changed or broken.

If the child displays the symptoms above, or if you are in doubt about the child’s development, contact us. We can help the child develop and also improve the guided participation between a parent or guide, and the child.

Some more characteristics of autism are shown below.