Dr. Russi explains the symptoms and warning signs of autism spectrum disorder in the first year of life, between two and three years of age and at the school level, that is, between three and five years of age.
Warning signs of autism spectrum disorders: first year of life
- Significant irritability or passivity
- Poor eye contact
- Little or low imitative ability
- Poor or virtually non-existent reciprocal smile
- Does not follow caregiver’s hand with gaze
- Does not respond by name
- Absence of gestures
- Lack or absence of babbling
There may also be a significant loss of social skills: eye gaze, vocalizations, loss of acquired words and/or social skills (at about 18 months).
Warning signs of autism spectrum disorders: between 2 and 3 years of age
- Does not respond to his or her name
- Poor or absent eye contact
- Preference for solitude
- Little or no onset of spontaneous interactions with peers
- Preference or inclination for solitude
- Poor or absent verbal and/or gestural language
- Delayed language onset
- Lack of communicative intent
- Marked preference for an object or a game
- Exaggerated reactions to sensory stimuli
- Resistance to change: repetitive, non-symbolic play
- Unexplained tantrums and temper tantrums
- Stereotypies
- Repetitive movements
Warning signs of autism spectrum disorders at school level (between 3 and 5 years)
There are real difficulties in:
- Following the classroom routine (wearing a robe, sitting in a circle with peers…)
- Sphincter control
- Difficulty in assuming basic habits of autonomy.
- Isolation
- Difficulties in relating to other children
- Prefers to play alone and has a tendency to isolate
- Little reciprocity with other children
- Poor communicative language skills
- Lack of playfulness
- Repetitive play with a preference for mechanical type games.
- Difficulties in understanding the functioning of group dynamics
- Difficulty understanding symbols
- Difficulty in making changes or transitions
- Difficulty in maintaining serenity and controlling moods
- Hobbies, preferences for certain objects or parts of objects
For more information, consult with a specialist in child neurology.