To many parents and guardians, their child’s safety, health and comfort are among their most important priorities. As such, parents and guardians may often find themselves wondering if there are any signs to watch out for that may indicate their child might need support or help in the future. Children with ASD can face many challenges, and getting an early diagnosis can sometimes be helpful. In fact, research tends to show that early diagnoses and interventions can lead to improved outcomes for children with ASD.
For children with ASD, an early diagnosis can enable them to seek interventions that can improve their quality of life. Parents and guardians may seek out interventions such as ABA, or Applied Behavioral Analysis, which aims to promote helpful behavior and discourage unhelpful behaviors.
But how can parents and guardians determine if it’s time to start thinking about an assessment? Are there warning signs that your child may benefit from an assessment for autism? How early can signs of autism appear? Is my child too young to be considering this? If you’re asking these types of questions, there’s good news. Mental health experts have identified some signs that may indicate the possibility of ASD in even very young children. What’s more, early intervention can be associated with improved outcomes for parents or guardians and their children.
At What Age do Signs Appear?
Importantly, it can be crucial to consider what age your child is. After all, certain behaviors may be typical for one age group, but may be atypical for another. So, at what age do signs of autism appear? Should you look for signs in your infant children? Toddlers? Let’s explore.
The short answer is that signs can appear very early. In fact, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development explains that signs of autism can actually appear as early as in the first twelve months. While signs can show up this early, they won’t always. In fact, the NIH, or National Institute of Health, in their News and Health Newsletter from April 2020, explains that symptoms of ASD will typically manifest around age 2. So, while signs can appear as early as within 12 months, they frequently appear around 2 years of age. As such, parents can begin looking out for signs quite early. So, what are these signs?
Top Warning Signs a Child May Benefit From An Assessment For Autism
In order to better understand this matter, let’s take a look at some of the top early warning signs that your child may benefit from an assessment for autism. Typically, early signs of autism can be sorted into two broad subcategories: restrictive and repetitive behaviors, and issues with social interaction and communication.
Remember—this is not a diagnostic tool. These signs may be present in children who do not have ASD, and just because you recognize some of these signs does not mean your child has ASD. Rather, it’s always important to consult with a mental health professional and seek diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional who is qualified to assess ASD in children.
Troubles with Social Interaction and Communication
One prevalent type of early warning sign in children with ASD is issues arising around communication and social interaction. While some children simply may be shy, there are some signs to look out for that may indicate that your child could potentially benefit from an autism assessment. Some of them can vary by age—as we discussed, some behaviors may be typical of one age group, but not another. As such, it can be important to take into consideration not only behavior, but at what age behavior appears.
Here are some potential warning signs related to social interaction and communication:
- Not responding to their name by the age of 9 months: Not all children develop at the same pace, but if by 9 months of age, a child is unresponsive to their own name, the CDC explains that it may be a sign of ASD. This could be an indicator that they could potentially benefit from an assessment for autism.
- Not using, or only using a few gestures by one year old: While, again, children can develop at their own pace, being unable to or unwilling to make gestures—such as waving hello or goodbye—may be an early sign of autism, according to the CDC.
- Issues with joint attention: Joint attention is when two people are purposely and often purposefully attentive to the same thing. For example, if you were taking a walk or drive and saw a pretty flower, you might tap the shoulder of someone you’re with, point to the flower and remark that it looks nice. However, according to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, an early warning sign for autism in children is struggling with this very practice, and struggling to follow a pointed finger or gaze and focus their attention to something someone is attempting to draw it to.
Restrictive and Repetitive Behaviors
Another important type of early warning sign and symptom of ASD is restrictive and repetitive behaviors. These are behaviors that, in some cases, may be atypical for a child’s age group and may in some cases indicate that a child could potentially benefit from an assessment for autism.
Here are some possible restrictive or repetitive behaviors:
- Becoming obsessive or having obsessive interests: The CDC explains that having obsessive interests can be an early sign of ASD. While many children will become fascinated with certain things—such as, for example, fire trucks, or dinosaurs, or princesses—Stanford Medicine explains that children with ASD can devote an unusual amount of time and energy to their obsessions—often becoming noticeably well-informed in the process.
- Becoming upset by even minor changes: Children with ASD can sometimes experience aversion to change, and can become very upset at changes in their environment, schedule, or routines. This can extend to even how they play with their toys.
- Being overly sensitive or unusually insensitive to sensory input: Many of us, adults included, do not like when it is too bright, too dark, too loud, too hot, too cold, or too smelly. It’s normal to be averse to too much or unpleasant sensory stimuli. However, the National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH, explains that being either less or more sensitive to sensory stimuli than others can be a sign of ASD.
The Bottom Line
While it can be hard to tell whether or not a child may have ASD without an assessment or diagnoses from a licensed and qualified mental health professional, parents and guardians who are concerned about the possibility of their child having ASD can look out for certain key indicators that might suggest that the child could benefit from an assessment for autism. Still, it’s important to remember that these are simply clues. It’s entirely possible for a child without ASD to show many of the signs that we’ve discussed. If you are concerned that your child may have ASD, it’s always best to seek professional help.
To learn more about autism and ABA therapy, be sure to check out more of our blog! And, if you have a child who has special needs, has ASD or may have ASD, don’t hesitate to reach out. Mental health can be a complex journey, and you don’t need to navigate it alone. If you’re interested in enrolling your child in therapy, you can learn more here. To find resources for parents, such as help finding autism assessments, be sure to check out our parent resources!