Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPossible Red FlagsCommunicationPlaySensory DifferencesOther Medical ConditionsLess Common SignsSeeking an Evaluation
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Possible Red Flags
Communication
Play
Sensory Differences
Other Medical Conditions
Less Common Signs
Seeking an Evaluation
While no single autism trait defines autism spectrum disorder (ASD), if your child has several of the followingautism traits—and they can’t be linked to any other disorder—it might be a good idea to consider anautism screening or evaluation.
This article will discuss how autism traits are expressed and what you should look for if you suspect your child may have autism. It also offers some tips on seeking an evaluation.
When you have an autistic child, there’s a good chance you will notice some possible red flags. Your child may have:
Difficulties With Communicating
Autistic children often have difficulties withspeechand language. If they are obvious difficulties, such as a 5-year-old having no spoken language development, they are easy to spot. But autistic children don’t fit neatly into categories. For example, an autistic 5-year-old may use plenty of words and even use more words than other children their age.
When doctors determine if a child has autism, they look at a child’s communication skills. They carefully considerprosodyandpragmatic language.Prosody is the tone, volume, and speed of speech.
Pragmatic language is the way a person participates in conversation. This includes taking turns while speaking, staying on topic, or showing interest in what someone else says.
Autistic children often have challenges with language, but it’s not just whether or not they know words. The tenor of speech and the way it flows during communication is important.
Here are some traits that suggest a child has communication skill challenges:
Difficulties in Playing With Other Children
Autistic children interact in unusual ways with objects, toys, and potential playmates.They are most likely toprefer playing alonerather than with other children. They may even demand thatplaymatesinteract with them in certain predictable ways.
Play is a fun, flexible activity that people do because they want to do it. Autistic children often engage in inflexible, repetitive play. When they play, it usually does not involve playing pretend.
Autistic children often view the world as something concrete and literal. They may struggle with abstract concepts and using their imagination. Here are just a few examples of the way autistic kids like to play:
Autistic people have a difficult time processing information they receive from their senses (sight, smell, touch, movement, hearing, and vision). This is called asensory processing disorder.
A sensory processing disorder causes a mismatched reaction to what they experience through their senses. For example, autistic kids may be highly sensitive to taste and sounds.
Bright lights may be overwhelming and certain kinds of touch may feel extremely uncomfortable to an autistic child.
Co-Existing Medical Conditions
Autistic kids are more likely to have certain specific medical conditions.These co-existing medical conditions include the following:
Co-existing medical and mental health issues are often missed in children because people assume the issues are related to autism. These include epilepsy, injuries, gastrointestinal problems, mood disorders, allergies, and numerous other medical conditions.
Some autistic people may show less common traits, but these traits provide a hint that there may be a developmental issue.
These issues may include:
Some researchers have suggested slightly more than one-third of autistic people meet the definition of savant.
If you’ve read through this checklist and find that your child seems to show some of these traits, now is the right time to seek anautism evaluation.
Contact your pediatrician and ask for a referral to a clinic, developmental pediatrician, or another specialist. If your pediatrician can’t help, consider contacting your school district for suggestions.
You can also seek an evaluation before your pediatrician suggests it. Parents are often the first to notice their child’s differences and delays. That’s because pediatricians only see children once a year or when the children are sick. They may not have a chance to see what you notice every day.
Consider an autism evaluation if your child displays related traits. While you may discover that your child is not autistic, chances are you’ve discovered some issues that should be addressed while your child is young.
Summary
Autism traits vary in both children and adults. But if your child displays communication difficulties, difficulties in playing with other children, sensory differences, or certain other medical conditions, you should get your child evaluated.
Contact your child’s pediatrician to discuss your concerns. If your child is diagnosed with ASD, your pediatrician can connect you with the resources you need to help your child lead a happy, healthy life.
How Autism With Low Support Needs Is Diagnosed in Adults
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Autism spectrum disorder: Communication problems in children.Bentenuto A, De Falco S, Venuti P.Mother-child play: A comparison of autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and typical development.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1829. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01829Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Autism spectrum disorder signs and symptoms.Crasta JE, Salzinger E, Lin MH, Gavin WJ, Davies PL.Sensory processing and attention profiles among children with sensory processing disorders and autism spectrum disorders.Front Integr Neurosci.2020;14:22. doi:10.3389/fnint.2020.00022Tye C, Runicles AK, Whitehouse AJO, Alvares GA.Characterizing the interplay between autism spectrum disorder and comorbid medical conditions: An integrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:751. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00751Bouvet L, Donnadieu S, Valdois S, Caron C, Dawson M, Mottron L.Veridical mapping in savant abilities, absolute pitch, and synesthesia: An autism case study.Front Psychol. 2014;5:106. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00106Hughes JEA, Ward J, Gruffydd E, et al.Savant syndrome has a distinct psychological profile in autism.Mol Autism. 2018;9:53. doi:10.1186/s13229-018-0237-1Additional ReadingMeier SM, Petersen L, Schendel DE, Mattheisen M, Mortensen PB, Mors O.Obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum eisorders: Longitudinal and offspring risk. Hashimoto K, ed.PLoS ONE. 2015;10(11):e0141703. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141703Neil L, Olsson NC, Pellicano E.The relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, sensory sensitivities, and anxiety in autistic and typically developing children.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016;46:1962-1973. doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2721-9Towle PO, Patrick PA.Autism spectrum disorder screening instruments for very young children: A systematic review.Autism Research and Treatment. 2016;2016:4624829. doi:10.1155/2016/4624829
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Autism spectrum disorder: Communication problems in children.Bentenuto A, De Falco S, Venuti P.Mother-child play: A comparison of autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and typical development.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1829. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01829Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Autism spectrum disorder signs and symptoms.Crasta JE, Salzinger E, Lin MH, Gavin WJ, Davies PL.Sensory processing and attention profiles among children with sensory processing disorders and autism spectrum disorders.Front Integr Neurosci.2020;14:22. doi:10.3389/fnint.2020.00022Tye C, Runicles AK, Whitehouse AJO, Alvares GA.Characterizing the interplay between autism spectrum disorder and comorbid medical conditions: An integrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:751. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00751Bouvet L, Donnadieu S, Valdois S, Caron C, Dawson M, Mottron L.Veridical mapping in savant abilities, absolute pitch, and synesthesia: An autism case study.Front Psychol. 2014;5:106. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00106Hughes JEA, Ward J, Gruffydd E, et al.Savant syndrome has a distinct psychological profile in autism.Mol Autism. 2018;9:53. doi:10.1186/s13229-018-0237-1Additional ReadingMeier SM, Petersen L, Schendel DE, Mattheisen M, Mortensen PB, Mors O.Obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum eisorders: Longitudinal and offspring risk. Hashimoto K, ed.PLoS ONE. 2015;10(11):e0141703. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141703Neil L, Olsson NC, Pellicano E.The relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, sensory sensitivities, and anxiety in autistic and typically developing children.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016;46:1962-1973. doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2721-9Towle PO, Patrick PA.Autism spectrum disorder screening instruments for very young children: A systematic review.Autism Research and Treatment. 2016;2016:4624829. doi:10.1155/2016/4624829
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Autism spectrum disorder: Communication problems in children.Bentenuto A, De Falco S, Venuti P.Mother-child play: A comparison of autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and typical development.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1829. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01829Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Autism spectrum disorder signs and symptoms.Crasta JE, Salzinger E, Lin MH, Gavin WJ, Davies PL.Sensory processing and attention profiles among children with sensory processing disorders and autism spectrum disorders.Front Integr Neurosci.2020;14:22. doi:10.3389/fnint.2020.00022Tye C, Runicles AK, Whitehouse AJO, Alvares GA.Characterizing the interplay between autism spectrum disorder and comorbid medical conditions: An integrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:751. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00751Bouvet L, Donnadieu S, Valdois S, Caron C, Dawson M, Mottron L.Veridical mapping in savant abilities, absolute pitch, and synesthesia: An autism case study.Front Psychol. 2014;5:106. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00106Hughes JEA, Ward J, Gruffydd E, et al.Savant syndrome has a distinct psychological profile in autism.Mol Autism. 2018;9:53. doi:10.1186/s13229-018-0237-1
U.S Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Autism spectrum disorder: Communication problems in children.
Bentenuto A, De Falco S, Venuti P.Mother-child play: A comparison of autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and typical development.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1829. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01829
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Autism spectrum disorder signs and symptoms.
Crasta JE, Salzinger E, Lin MH, Gavin WJ, Davies PL.Sensory processing and attention profiles among children with sensory processing disorders and autism spectrum disorders.Front Integr Neurosci.2020;14:22. doi:10.3389/fnint.2020.00022
Tye C, Runicles AK, Whitehouse AJO, Alvares GA.Characterizing the interplay between autism spectrum disorder and comorbid medical conditions: An integrative review.Front Psychiatry. 2019;9:751. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00751
Bouvet L, Donnadieu S, Valdois S, Caron C, Dawson M, Mottron L.Veridical mapping in savant abilities, absolute pitch, and synesthesia: An autism case study.Front Psychol. 2014;5:106. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00106
Hughes JEA, Ward J, Gruffydd E, et al.Savant syndrome has a distinct psychological profile in autism.Mol Autism. 2018;9:53. doi:10.1186/s13229-018-0237-1
Meier SM, Petersen L, Schendel DE, Mattheisen M, Mortensen PB, Mors O.Obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum eisorders: Longitudinal and offspring risk. Hashimoto K, ed.PLoS ONE. 2015;10(11):e0141703. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141703Neil L, Olsson NC, Pellicano E.The relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, sensory sensitivities, and anxiety in autistic and typically developing children.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016;46:1962-1973. doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2721-9Towle PO, Patrick PA.Autism spectrum disorder screening instruments for very young children: A systematic review.Autism Research and Treatment. 2016;2016:4624829. doi:10.1155/2016/4624829
Meier SM, Petersen L, Schendel DE, Mattheisen M, Mortensen PB, Mors O.Obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum eisorders: Longitudinal and offspring risk. Hashimoto K, ed.PLoS ONE. 2015;10(11):e0141703. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141703
Neil L, Olsson NC, Pellicano E.The relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, sensory sensitivities, and anxiety in autistic and typically developing children.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016;46:1962-1973. doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2721-9
Towle PO, Patrick PA.Autism spectrum disorder screening instruments for very young children: A systematic review.Autism Research and Treatment. 2016;2016:4624829. doi:10.1155/2016/4624829
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