Symptoms

Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can cause a wide range of symptoms, and there are many different ways those symptoms can be grouped.

It is important for parents to know the symptoms and signs of Autism that could be affecting their child or if you’re concerned about your child’s development. You can discuss your concerns with your doctor in depth for an assessment.

Symptoms and Signs of ASD in Pre-school Children

• Delayed speech development (for example, not speaking at least 10 different words by the age of two), or not speaking at all.
• Speech that sounds very monotonous or flat.
• Frequent repetition of set words and phrases.
• Use of single words, despite being able to speak in sentences.

• Not responding to their name being called, despite having normal hearing.
• Rejecting cuddles initiated by a parent or carer (although they may initiate cuddles themselves).
• Reacting unusually negatively when asked to do something by someone else.

• Not being aware of other people’s personal space, or being unusually intolerant of people entering their own personal space.
• Not enjoying situations that most children their age like, such as birthday parties.
• Preferring to play alone, rather than asking others to play with them.
• Little interest in interacting with other people, including children of a similar age.
• Rarely using facial expressions or gestures (such as pointing) when communicating.
• Avoiding eye contact.

• Preferring to have a familiar routine, and getting extremely upset if there are changes to their normal routine.
• Having repetitive movements such as flapping their hands, rocking back and forth or flicking their fingers.
• Playing with toys in a repetitive and unimaginative way, such as lining blocks up in order of size or colour, rather than using them to build something.
• Having a strong like or dislike of certain foods, based on the texture or colour of the food as much as the taste.

Symptoms and Signs of ASD in School-age Children

• Preferring to avoid using spoken language.
• Speech that sounds very monotonous or flat.
• Speaking in pre-learned phrases, rather than putting together individual words to form new sentences.
• Seeming to talk ‘at’ people, rather than sharing a two-way conversation.

• Taking people’s speech literally and being unable to understand sarcasm, metaphors or figures of speech.
• Reacting unusually negatively when asked to do something by someone else.

• Not being aware of other people’s personal space, or being unusually intolerant of people entering their own personal space.
• Not understanding how people normally interact socially, such as greeting people or wishing them farewell.
• Little interest in interacting with other people, including children of a similar age, or having few close friends despite attempts to form friendships.
• Being unable to adapt the tone and content of their speech to different social situations, for example speaking very formally at a party and then speaking to total strangers in a familiar way.
• Not enjoying situations and activities that most children their age like.
• Rarely using facial expressions or gestures when communicating.
• Avoiding eye contact.

• Preferring to have a familiar routine, and getting extremely upset if there are changes to their normal routine.
• Having repetitive movements such as flapping their fingers, rocking back and forth or flicking their fingers.
• Playing in a repetitive and unimaginative way, often preferring to play with objects rather than people.
• Developing a highly specific interest in a particular subject or activity.
• Having a strong like or dislike of certain foods, based on the texture or colour of the food as much as the taste.