ASD (Autism spectrum disorder) and their Symptoms:
Autism is a developmental disorder with symptoms that appear within the first three years of life. Autism spectrum disorder is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. The word “spectrum” indicates that each individual with autism experiences their own unique strengths, symptoms, and challenges.
Individuals with autism may present a range of symptoms, such as:
Reduced eye contact
Differences in body language
Lack of facial expressions
Not engaging in imaginative play
Repeating gestures or sounds
Closely focused interests
Indifference to temperature extremes
Here’s a general timeline of what this might look like:
From birth: trouble maintaining eye contact
By 9 months: not responding to their name
By 9 months: not displaying facial expressions reflective of their emotions (like surprise or anger)
By 12 months: not engaging in basic interactive games, like peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake
By 12 months: not using (or only using a few) hand gestures, like hand-waving
By 15 months: not sharing their interests with others (by showing someone a favorite toy, for example)
By 18 months: not pointing or looking where others point
By 24 months: not noticing when others appear sad or hurt
By 30 months: not engaging in “pretend play,” like caring for a baby doll or playing with figurines
By 60 months of age: not playing turn-taking games, like duck-duck goose