Red Flags of Autism
Impairement in Social Interaction
- Lack of appropriate eye gaze.
- Lack of warm, joyful expressions.
- Lack of sharing interest or enjoyment.
- Lack of response to name.
Impairment in Communication
- Has difficulties making eye contact or using it to regulate social interactions.
- Tends to look and listen less to people in their environment or fails to respond to other people.
- Rarely seeks to share their enjoyment of toys or activities by pointing or showing things to others.
- Demonstrates difficulty or inconsistency in responding to their name or other verbal attempts to gain their attention.
- May not exhibit or be slow to develop nonverbal communication such as gestures like pointing, waving, clapping, etc.
- Demonstrates delays in language or inconsistent use of language skills.
- Repeats words or phrases that they hear, or exhibits what is known as echolalia.
Repetitive Behaviors & Restrictive Interests:
- Demonstrates repetitive movements with objects.
- Demonstrates repetitive posturing of body, arms, hands, or fingers.
- May demonstrate an intense focus on certain objects or activities.
- Demonstrates motor mannerisms, such as flapping hands or repeatedly bouncing up and down.
- Engages in sensory-seeking behaviors.
- Has sensitivity to noise or other sensory sensations (touch, auditory, visual, taste).
- May engage in repetitive play such as spinning the wheels on a toy car instead of using it how it was intended to be used.
More information
