Signs and symptoms in children in the first 3 years of life:
Autism appears during the first 3 years of life of the child and detecting it in time is crucial to help him in his development and provide him with the necessary attention. It is often said that there are three types of profiles:
- The child who is born with all the characteristics of autism.
- Children who have a typical development who one day suddenly stops evolving and returns to the whole picture of autism.
- Children who, after having typical development on that day, suddenly unlearn everything they had naturally evolved until that day. They unlearn, they forget words, they stop interacting with what they previously reacted to, losing the skills they had acquired.
There are several signs that can be decisive in determining whether your child has autism:
- Clapping, flapping, swinging or spinning: It is common for babies to clap and shake their hands in response to emotion... but if, after the age of 3, they continue to do so and, without apparent cause, develop a strong preference for attending to spinning objects or swinging them, it may be due to the need for self-stimulation, something present in autism.
- Head banging or aggressive behavior: Another habit caused by self-stimulation. It's a dangerous habit, and efforts should be made to prevent and redirect this behavior to avoid harming oneself.
- Avoiding, losing or not making eye contact: Another characteristic of autism is difficulty making eye contact. If your child doesn't look you in the eye, it could be a warning sign.
- Language and communication impairments: If a child is over 3 years old and uses few or no words, does not respond to spoken language or verbal calls, it may be a sign that they may have autism.
- They get irritated frequently: Irritability toward change, transitions, and rigidity can be common among children with autism. Any change in their lives can cause anxiety and discomfort, leading to uncomfortable behaviors.
Signs and symptoms in older children
As children grow older, the red flags for autism become more diverse. There are many warning signs and symptoms, but they generally revolve around impaired social skills, speech and language difficulties, non-verbal communication difficulties, and inflexible behavior.
Signs of social difficulties:
- Seems uninterested or unaware of other people or what is happening around them.
- He doesn't know how to connect with others, play, or make friends.
- Prefers not to be touched, held, or hugged
- Does not play symbolic games or participate in group games, does not imitate others or use toys creatively
- Has trouble understanding or talking about feelings.
- He doesn't seem to listen when others talk to him.
- Does not share interests or achievements with others (drawings, toys)
Basic social interaction can be difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder. Many children on the autism spectrum seem to prefer to live in their own world, distant and separate from others.
Signs of speech and language difficulties:
- Does not present language or speaks in an atypical tone of voice, or with an odd rhythm or pitch (e.g., ends each sentence as if asking a question)
- Repeats the same words or phrases over and over again, often without communicative intent
- Responds to a question by repeating it (echolalia), rather than answering it
- Uses language incorrectly (grammatical errors, incorrect words) or refers to himself in the third person
- Has difficulty communicating needs or desires.
- Does not understand simple instructions, statements, or questions.
- Takes what is said too literally (loses nuances of humor, irony and sarcasm)
Children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulties with speech and language. They often have no language at all or begin speaking late and with difficulty.
Signs of nonverbal communication difficulties:
- Uses facial expressions that do not match what he or she is saying.
- Does not capture other people's facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures.
- He makes very few gestures (such as pointing). He may appear cold or "robotic."
- Reacts unusually to sights, smells, textures, and sounds. May be especially sensitive to loud noises. May also be unresponsive to people entering or leaving, as well as to efforts by others to attract the child's attention.
- Atypical posture, clumsiness, or eccentric ways of moving (e.g., walking exclusively on tiptoes)
- Avoid eye contact.
Children with autism spectrum disorder have trouble detecting subtle nonverbal cues and using body language. This makes the "give and take" of social interaction very difficult.