Who We Serve: Signs of Autism

There is no single traditional medical test run that will show an absolute diagnosis of Autism. Autism is a spectrum of observed disorders by a professional. In order to diagnose a person with Autism the diagnosis has to be based on the observation of the individual's behavior, developmental levels and communication skills. Even after these observations are made it can still be difficult to diagnose Autism because symptoms could be caused by other disorders.

Early intervention is key to developing a plan of positive outcomes for a person with Autism.

The following are possible signs that may point to Autism or some other type of developmental delay. If you observe any of these signs please seek out a professional evaluation.

• By the end of 7 month or older child does not exchange facial expressions, such as a smile.
• By the end of 7 months or older the child has poor or no eye contact.
• By the end of 7 months or older child doesn't respond to their name being called.
• By the end of 12 months or older child does not imitate others.
• By the end of 12 months or older child does not engage in "joint attention" or looking at the same object or event as their parent does.
• By the end of 24 months or older child plays only in isolation and does not interact with other children.
• By the end of 24 months or older child cannot follow simple instructions or commands.
• By the end of 36 months or older child does not use any multiple word phrases or sentences.
• By the end of 36 months or older child does not play make-believe with dolls, animals or people such as pretending to feed a teddy bear.