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Signs and Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) 

Possible “Red Flags” 

A person with ASD might:

  • Not respond to their name by 12 months of age

  • Not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over) by 14 months

  • Not play “pretend” games (pretend to “feed” a doll) by 18 months

  • Avoid eye contact and want to be alone

  • Have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings

  • Have delayed speech and language skills

  • Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)

  • Give unrelated answers to questions

  • Get upset by minor changes

  • Have obsessive interests

  • Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles

  • Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

Retreated from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html

Examples of social issues related to ASD:

  • Does not respond to name by 12 months of age

  • Avoids eye-contact

  • Prefers to play alone

  • Does not share interests with others

  • Only interacts to achieve a desired goal

  • Has flat or inappropriate facial expressions

  • Does not understand personal space boundaries

  • Avoids or resists physical contact

  • Is not comforted by others during distress

  • Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about own feelings

Retreated from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html

Johnson, C.P. Early Clinical Characteristics of Children with Autism. In: Gupta, V.B. ed: Autistic Spectrum Disorders in Children. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., 2004:85-123.

CDC Milestone Tracker Download the App from your devices

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Autism Navigator by Florida State University Autism Institute

About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
According to estimates from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2020

Surveillance Summaries / March 24, 2023 / 72(2);1–14

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/ss/ss7202a1.htm?s_cid=ss7202a1_w

Retreated from CDC’s Developmental Milestones https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

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