Autism Signs

Recognizing the early signs of autism and seeking intervention can make a world of difference to a child with this disorder. A recommended checklist can help you determine if a professional should evaluate your child.

“M-chat is a modified checklist for autism in toddlers. And it’s the screening tool that’s most widely recommended for children between 18 months and almost four years,” says Sherri Campbell, a nurse practitioner with Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

Studies have shown that one-third to one-half of parents of children with autism noticed a problem before their child’s first birthday, and nearly 80%–90% saw problems by the age of two.

“We look for the more subtle things. A lack of eye contact, a lack of pointing to pictures in books, they don't respond when you call their name, they have restrictive or repetitive behaviors,” says Campbell.

Children with autism develop at different rates in different areas. They may have delays in language, social, and learning skills, while their ability to walk and move around are about the same as other children their age. They might be very good at putting puzzles together or solving computer problems, but they might have trouble with social activities like talking or making friends.

“The other thing that’s hallmark is they won’t feed a baby doll, I know that sounds kind of crazy but part of our testing kit is that pretend play or modeling, feeding the doll and a lot of the kids with autism will not do that,” says Campbell.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive autism screening at 18 and 24 months of age, and the M-chat is one of the recommended tools.

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