Autism is a neurologically-based developmental disability that lasts throughout a person’s lifetime. It is a spectrum disorder that is characterized by social and communication challenges,sensory processing issues, restricted behaviors and Interests, and associated medical issues. People with ASD can exhibit various signs and behaviors such as difficulty maintaing eye contact, challenges with language and social skills, , intense focus on specific routines or rituals, restrictive, intenseinterests, and lack of danger awareness. Severity and symptoms vary widely among people with ASD and may go unrecognized, especially in children with lower support needs or when symptoms aremasked by other conditions.

Autism is NOT a mental illness, bad behavior, caused by vaccines, or always associated with cognitive impairment.

If you see any of these signs in your child, be sure to inform your child’s pediatrician:

• no babbling or pointing by age 1
• no single words by 16 months or two-word phrases by age 2
• no response to name
• loss of language or social skills
• poor eye contact
• excessive lining up of toys or objects
• different social responsiveness than other children

These behaviors have been observed in older children:

• impaired ability to make friends with peers in expected ways
• impaired ability to initiate or sustain conversation with others
• stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language
• restricted patterns of interest that are abnormal in intensity or focus
• inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals
• Lack of fear or danger awareness
• Sudden (to you) changes in mood or demeanor
• Dislike of being touched/touching too much
• Not responsive to verbal and nonverbal cues
• Difficulty expressing needs or responding to questions

A developmental evaluation is required to diagnose a child with ASD. Click here to learn where you can get a developmental evaluation for your child.