{"id":2048,"date":"2018-07-14T07:30:48","date_gmt":"2018-07-14T07:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=2048"},"modified":"2021-03-18T20:14:19","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T20:14:19","slug":"20-most-common-autism-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/20-most-common-autism-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Most Common Autism Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Having a child diagnosed with autism is something that no parent is prepared for. This is a disorder that\u2019s diagnosed on a spectrum but is characterized by several symptoms. The most common of these are issues in social and communicative behaviors, along with uncommon cyclical habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While each autistic individual would have a different pattern of behavior and require different ways to handle them, early recognition of autism definitely helps. It\u2019s especially helpful if the diagnosis is made by the time the child is 18 months old. This way, the child and all those connected with him\/her would be better equipped to undergo methods for learning, rowing, and surviving autism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone should hence be familiar with the early warning signs of autism. This could even lessen the effects of this disorder, and so should be common knowledge especially in developed countries. Read on for no less than 20 early signs below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Distance and Disconnection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You should be suspecting autism if your toddler or infant is displaying an air of distance and disconnect even with close family members. They may not be able to respond to different facial cues. For instance, a non-autistic child would probably shrink away from a frown even if they\u2019re under a year old. Autistic <\/a>kids, on the other hand, probably wouldn\u2019t react any differently to a frown or a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this doesn\u2019t mean that autistic children don\u2019t have or feel any emotions. If anything, they have an overabundance of feelings, as we\u2019ll discuss later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s simply a matter of not understanding basic social cues as easily as their on-autistic peers. Young autistic children tend not to express joy, anger, or sadness themselves all that easily. If you notice any child displaying such symptoms even at the age of nine months, a proper analysis is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Inability to Empathize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With non-autistic kids, one can expect them to empathize with another\u2019s distress<\/a>. Even a young baby should ideally be disturbed if his mother gets hurt or if another baby starts crying. Empathy may be an advanced form of emotion, but it is not impossible to find it present in babies and young toddlers. There are certain cues we can watch out for in order to determine whether a baby is responding to some trouble or not able to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autistic children would usually expect everyone else to perceive and appreciate situations just like they do. This could make them unable to see that another could be experiencing pain or hurt that they don\u2019t experience themselves at the moment. They would hence also not be able to foresee or predict anyone else\u2019s actions. This is a delay in development which is due to their placement on their autism spectrum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Not Responsive to Human Interaction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By nature, non-autistic children are known for their social behavior. We may have to stop a child from being too friendly with strangers, but this could be the other extreme with autistic babies. In fact, autistic babies may not be seen taking an interest in regular development <\/a>games and habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This could include socializing with other people, imitating them, mimicking their facial expressions, or even holding on to their hands or fingers. You would most likely to notice this unusual behavior when a child is around one year of age. Proper socializing behavior is usually manifested by 18 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anything unusual is going to be more pronounced when they become part of a group with other children of the same age. By the time they\u2019re three, they might not even take an interest in regular toys; a year later, they may seem to be pointedly ignoring everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Uncontrollable Emotions and Outbursts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The concept of an autistic child having a serious outburst or tantrum may be perceived as a common symptom, but this is actually one of the rarer manifestations. Autistic children may display very irregular reactions even to normal situations, such as being outside. They might even throw a tantrum and be physically aggressive towards their siblings, parents, peers, or themselves. This includes banging their heads against a wall or biting without thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may notice such symptoms when an autistic child is exposed to situations that may be even slightly stressful. This could include meeting new people, being away from their parents for the first time, or hearing other children making noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any emotional <\/a>outbursts in such settings should be carefully noted and monitored to rule out autism. If the issue comes to consulting a doctor, they would be helped along by any specific instances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Delay in Developing Language Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By the time a child is 3 months old, they should try to start speaking a few words of whatever languages they\u2019re surrounded by. These may not be fully formed words, but they should be trying to mimic certain sounds and at least start babbling as in a conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While kids with autism may start speaking at some point, this babbling or mimicking could start at a much later point. In fact, they may not even be able to develop major and basic language skills until a speech therapist <\/a>comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The general rule is that children need to speak some words at least by the age of one. If a child doesn\u2019t have at least six words in their vocabulary by the time they\u2019re 18 months, they should be analyzed by an expert. These milestones are important and should not be ignored if missed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. More Interest in Non-Verbal Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since infants who might possibly be on the autism spectrum may not be able to communicate in verbal form too easily, they would resort to other methods. They might even prefer this option to verbal cues since this is more under their control. These non-verbal communication methods could be drawing, gesturing, or even utilizing musical instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they fall back from conventional means of communication at any time, they might also revert to these alternative methods as a backup. These non-verbal methods may even serve to substitute back-and-forth conversations, requests, and complaints. Such symptoms <\/a>need to be noticed and dealt with whenever a child is interacting with other children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In several cases, autistic children might even display a heightened ability to derive meaning from gestural engagement. This is something that gives them the ability to communicate their needs instead of getting frustrated at being unheard of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Problems with Figurative Expressions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we use figurative expressions<\/a>, our facial cues usually give away the fact that we don\u2019t mean them literally. Some inflections in our voices would do the same. For an autistic kid, however, these cues are unreadable and indecipherable. They may hence take figurative expressions very seriously without realizing their hidden meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might be a barrier to proper communication. The same goes for any emotional cues delivered through voices. While figurative expressions are something that we\u2019d expect an older child to recognize, younger children should still know the difference between a happy and angry voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those on the autism spectrum, though, anything other than the literal meaning would not come naturally. As they grow older, you would also notice them not understanding sarcasm, body language, etc. Any of the cues that regular development milestones should have taught them may need specific expert training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. In An Imaginary World<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Autistic children may also not know how to differentiate fantasy from reality. This is related to their inability to work out secondary meanings and underlying content. Being kids, they do have highly active imaginations and may prefer to stay in their own imaginative worlds for the most part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a hyper imaginative child may not necessarily be autistic, they might be at risk if there seems to be no distinction between fact and fiction at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to very young children, the imaginative aspect may not really be apparent. However, if their imagination is creating some serious dents in their routine or play as they grow older, it may be time to get a proper diagnosis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of non-autistic children may show the same symptoms, but they might not show them for an extended period of time or when they\u2019re busy playing with other children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Cyclical Behaviors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Repetitive behaviors are commonly associated with those high on the autism spectrum. Those with autism are always seeking to make sense of the world around them, and cyclical habits are just one way in which they can literally accomplish this again and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These actions could include arranging and rearranging the same set of objects; rocking back and forth for a long period of time; fluttering their hands; even repeating the exact same word or words in an obsessive-compulsive <\/a>manner. While many children may exhibit a lot of these symptoms, it\u2019s when the behavior gets compulsively repetitive that you need to take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the very least, an 18-month old repeating the same thing for hours at a time is definitely worth checking upon. Even children younger than this should get distracted after a few dozen repetitions, but those with autism would continue in a very determined manner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Problematic Motor Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Motor skills<\/a> are the basic ones that all children learn very early on. These include holding a pencil, crayon, or spoon, and using such tools in the correct manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since autistic children don\u2019t perceive the world in the same way as others and can\u2019t express themselves fully, they may not draw intelligible shapes for a long time. When other children are drawing recognizable elements such as a tree, a house, or a flower, an autistic child may not progress further from blobs or scribbling until they\u2019re much older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if an autistic child manages to learn motor skills, they may lose or forget them along the way. They would then slip back into their repetitive behavior until they\u2019re re-taught a specific skill. If you notice a child presenting such behaviors, be aware that this is definitely a signal of the autism spectrum condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Pica or Eating Non-Food Items<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

All children, especially at the baby and toddler stage, tend to put a number of non-edible things in their mouths. However, the one on a regular development cycle would soon grow out of such phases, consuming regular food and understanding why they\u2019re not supposed to eat glue, grass, clay, dirt, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, an autistic child may be noted as eating such non-food items even at an advanced age. This poses some serious health risks. This tendency is known as pica and can occur in autistic children and adults alike. Pica may also be prominent in non-autistic people with certain mineral deficiencies, so you have to be careful with this symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, those with low levels of iron <\/a>are inexplicably drawn towards eating ice. Pregnant women may also have unnatural cravings for dirt and\/or ice, though such cases are not directly linked to their carrying autistic children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Hypersensitivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

External stimuli <\/a>may have a very heightened effect on autistic children, which could be a way of diagnosing them at a very early age. They may display high levels of stress or agitation when presented with certain kinds of noises, smells, sights, textures, or even tastes. They may hence prefer only playing with certain kinds of toys or musical instruments and hate the sight or sound of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asperser\u2019s Syndrome is a strain of autism that\u2019s usually marked by such responses. Such individuals may insist upon wearing only a certain kind of color or colors, and may even avoid foods that aren\u2019t the right shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They might also like to touch and play with their body parts, including the genitals. When they\u2019re deprived of the stimuli they enjoy, they tend to get disturbed and distressed. The result could be a temper tantrum, violent behavior, or isolation and extreme quietness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Obsessing Over Routines and Activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Children usually don\u2019t engage in specific routines or activities until they\u2019re a little older. Hence this symptom may not be easy to spot until they\u2019re a little older. This sort of behavior <\/a>is part of the cyclical ones that characterize most autistic individuals. The first symptoms, however, would be those of inflexibility. These would include behaviors that are unusual or something that they simply enjoy and insist on doing every single day for hours at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, they might insist upon going along the same routes every single day and be adverse to any changes in their schedules or surroundings. They may give a lot of importance to one certain toy, or more likely just one aspect of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their interest may also solely revolve around specific subjects, of which the most common are those involving symbols, numbers, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Issues With Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The regular development of language is a good measure of whether a child may be displaying autistic symptoms. Autistic children would usually start speaking much later than their non-autistic counterparts; some may never learn to speak at all. Some may show no interest in any kind of communication. Since these are uphill battles, it\u2019s best if a child is diagnosed early and exposed to the correct learning methods in order to lead a regular lifestyle<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autistic children would hence not be interested in starting or maintaining conversations. They might not even notice when their name is called, which should be a warning sign in very young toddlers. When they start speaking a few words or sentences, their communication would be a bit confusing, with pronouns and meanings getting mixed up. They might also engage in simply parroting or echoing what they hear without putting meaning to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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15. Absence of Usual Behaviors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many research institutes like Autism Canada have affirmed by early signs of autism can manifest themselves from the ages of one to two years. It\u2019s quite difficult to get a diagnosis done that early, although it\u2019s highly recommended. Keeping an eye on unusual behaviors, though, is likely to up the chances of diagnosis and early corrective treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should definitely be on the alert if a young baby seems unresponsive to the usual stimuli, such as a rattle. This may be a sign of deafness, but not always.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autistic babies would also display trouble when required to follow a finger or an object with their gaze. This is something that would usually come naturally to babies, even one who can\u2019t even crawl yet.
Since autistic infants <\/a>would not be able to respond to such stimuli, they won\u2019t be able to communicate very well either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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16. Adverse to Touching, Cuddling, and Holding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A crying baby would usually respond positively to being held by its mother, father, grandparent, sibling, or any other person that it\u2019s used to. This is a sign of typical development, which autistic children seem not to exhibit, sometimes to a highly troubling point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It could be very difficult for parents to notice that even their holding, cuddling, and rocking actions do little to soothe their baby. If they think this phenomenon is getting too common for comfort, they should definitely get some expert help right away. The sooner a diagnosis is done, the better chance an autistic child would have of getting the right treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, being autistic does not mean that the child would not learn anything, or not grow and thrive. They can and will do all of these things in their own due time with the proper help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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17. Regression<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve mentioned regression quite a few times in the discussion above, but it warrants its own separate exploration<\/a>. Regression occurs when an autistic child should show signs of having forgotten the skills or the words they\u2019re learned only recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With autism spectrum disorder, children may pick up some communication skills one week and then seem to completely forget them the next. This symptom is usually manifested between the ages of 12 months and 34 months (2 years).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This loss of skills may be from the child ceasing to speak entirely or stop playing the social games that they enjoyed at one point. They may have learned a common word like \u2018mommy\u2019 and then not call their mother by that name at all within a few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaving off waving goodbye, playing peek-a-boo, and other diminished enjoyments are warning signs as well. They might even resist re-learning or enjoying such concepts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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18. No Pretending<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While an autistic child may have a very active sense of imagination<\/a>, they would not display it in a regular manner. Many kids, for instance, would know enough of the world to play pretend games by the time they\u2019re 18 months of age. This could include them fighting with sticks or toy swords, making engine sounds when playing with cars, or pretending to feed a doll baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An autistic child, on the other hand, would not be exhibiting such behavior, at least not in the way we would usually expect. If they do play with a toy, for instance, they would focus on spinning its wheels. Their imagination could be solely in their own minds instead of being expressed with toys; for example, they may just lie there thinking while watching a ceiling fan turn. While such behaviors don\u2019t necessarily warrant autism, it\u2019s best to get them checked out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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19. Extreme \u2018Independence\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even when they\u2019re little babies, those with autism spectrum disorder would display an unusual quietness and apparent sense of independence. The parents and\/or guardians who are not aware of autism symptoms may feel relieved and relaxed instead of getting worried. They might perceive the child as a good and easy baby that doesn\u2019t worry or cry at every little thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is a very worrying factor when an infant doesn\u2019t cry for its mother or hold out its hands to be picked up. Autistic children may be presumed to be deaf <\/a>since they don\u2019t respond to their name or certain sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, they might avoid meeting the eyes of other people and prefer to be isolated most of the time. If such behavior is common, it\u2019s a red flag of autism and should be dealt with right away. A little knowledge can help both parents and children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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20. Speech Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve already covered how autistic children could showcase delays in language development. If and when they speak, they would again show certain symptoms that should warn anyone who\u2019s been oblivious of their autism until now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When an autistic child speaks, he or she may exhibit a strange and unusual tone that isn\u2019t used in everyday conversations. For instance, they could have a certain pitch or rhythm that makes it sound like every sentence is a question. Shouting or whispering instead of normal tones is also common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may also speak by repeating a phrase just because they feel like it. They may or may not be trying to communicate through this repetition. This tendency is called echolalia<\/a>. When asked a question, they’re likely to simply repeat it back instead of giving an answer. If they do give some sort of answer, it may be completely unrelated to the question itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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