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Introduction to Autism


What Are the Symptoms of Autism?

Autism typically appears during the first three years of life. Some children show signs from birth. Others seem to develop normally at first, only to slip suddenly into symptoms when they are 18 to 36 months old.

Children with autism can display a wide range of symptoms, which can vary in severity from mild to disabling. Autism symptoms typically appear before a child is 3 years old and last throughout a lifetime. General symptoms that may be present to some degree in a child with autism include:

  • Difficulty with verbal communication, including problems using and understanding language
  • Inability to participate in a conversation, even when the child has the ability to speak
  • Difficulty with nonverbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions
  • Difficulty with social interaction, including relating to people and to his or her surroundings
  • Little or no eye contact
  • Unresponsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range
  • Inability to make friends; prefers to play alone
  • Unusual ways of playing with toys and other objects, such as only lining them up a certain way
  • Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine or familiar surroundings, or an unreasonable insistence on following routines in detail
  • Repetitive body movements, or patterns of behavior, such as hand flapping, spinning and head banging
  • Preoccupation with unusual objects or parts of objects

People with a form of autism called "savantism" have exceptional skills in specific areas such as music, art and numbers. People with savantism are able to perform these skills without lessons or practice.




As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

SOURCES: Montes, G. Pediatrics, May 2007; vol. 119: p. 1040–1046. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: "Autism Fact Sheet." National Mental Health Information Center: "Children and Adolescents with Autism." National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: "Autism Overview: What We Know," "Autism Research at the NICHD." National Institutes of Health: "Gene linked to autism in families with more than one affected child." CDC: "Vaccines and Autism: Important Conclusions from the Institute of Medicine," "National Immunization Program: MMR vaccine and autism." WebMD Medical Reference: "Understanding Autism: The Basics," "Autism Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and More," "Children with Autism: Coping Skills for Parents," "Dietary and Other Interventions." WebMD Medical News: "Moms of Autistic Kids Cope Well," "Caution Urged for Autism Treatments," "Girls' Autism-Like Symptoms Linked to Vaccines," "Vaccine Benefits, Vaccine Risks." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Autism: Treatment Overview," "Autism: Topic Overview," "Autism: Exams and Tests."