Autism Family Resource Guidebook

Is My Child Developing
Is Appropriately?
My Child Developing
Appropriately?
In the tables below, developmental milestones are listed for children with typical development,
In alongside the tables behaviors below, developmental that may be signs milestones of autism are spectrum listed for disorders children (ASD). with Learning typical development,
alongside developmental behaviors milestones that may can be help signs parents of autism know spectrum what to disorders expect from (ASD). their Learning children.
developmental milestones can help parents know what to expect from their children.
While looking at observable behaviors, please keep in mind that development is individual and
While these are looking the approximate at observable age behaviors, ranges to please observe keep the in expected mind that behaviors development for all is children. individual Every and
these child is are different, the approximate even among age siblings. ranges Your to observe child’s environment, the expected behaviors family and for experiences all children. contribute Every
child to their is different, development. even among If you are siblings. concerned, Your child’s please environment, talk to your family child’s and pediatrician experiences as soon contribute as
to possible. their development. The earlier concerns If you are are concerned, addressed, please the better talk to the your long-term child’s pediatrician prognosis is as for soon the as child,
possible. whether the The delay earlier is concerns indeed autism are addressed, or something the better else. the long-term prognosis is for the child,
whether the delay is indeed autism or something else.
It may be upseting or scary to discover
a delay in development.
Deep breath... you can do this.
Red Flags for Autism
UNDER 12 MONTHS Typical Development
UNDER 12 MONTHS Typical Development Spectrum Red Disorder Flags for (ASD)
Red Flags for Autism
12-24 MONTHS Typical Development
12-24 MONTHS Typical Development Spectrum Red Disorder Flags for (ASD)
Social Interaction
• Babbling or or coos and smiles in in
• Tends not to turn to someone
Social Interaction
• Pretend • Pretends play to by play using by using gestures, gestures, • Lack • Lack of of imitation imitation
response
calling their name and seems not
words words and and new new actions actions
• Poor
• Poor
emotional
emotional
modulation
to hear or be interested; seems to
modulation
•
Turns
Turns
head
head
and
and
pays
pays
attention
attention
• Stays active and engaged during
hear environmental sounds better
• Stays active and engaged during
towards
towards
sounds
sounds
and
and
voices
voices
or
or
where
where
activities and monitors what you are
than human voices
activities and monitors what you are
you
you
are
are
looking
looking
and
and
pointing
pointing
paying attention to
paying attention to
• Fails to look where someone is
• Talks with you about a topic he/she
• Shows interest in faces
Shows interest in faces
• Talks with you about a topic they
pointing
is interested in, tells about his/her
feelings are interested and asks in, questions tells about their
• Absent facial expression, such as
• Can
feelings
have short
and asks
reciprocal
questions
decreased smiling or upset/scared face
conversation • Can have short (back reciprocal and forth)
face
conversation (back and forth)
Communication
Cries differently for different needs
Delayed and infrequent sounds of
Communication • Combines sounds, gestures and
• Rarely/never points
Communication
• Cries differently for different needs • Delayed and infrequent sounds
(e.g. hungry vs. tired)
speech
words to tell what he/she is thinking
(e.g. hungry vs. tired)
of speech
Communication
• Combines sounds, gestures and words • Absent • Rarely/never or unusual points use of gestures,
• Makes eye contact and maintains for • Limited eye contact and may not look
• Starts to tell to what imitate they new are simple thinking words expression, or vocal quality to
• • Absent or unusual use of gestures,
moving Makes eye objects contact (even and for maintains a short time) for • where Limited another eye contact is looking and may not
& actions
communicate
moving objects (even for a short time) look where another is looking
• Starts to imitate new simple words & expression, or vocal quality to
• Uses words to name objects, pictures, • Delayed speech
• Responds to “no” and simple directions • Does not wave bye-bye
actions
communicate
•(e.g. Responds “Come to here”) “no” and and simple says one directions or • Does not wave bye-bye
people, animals and starts to combine • Early signs of developmental regression
• Uses words to name objects, pictures, • Delayed speech
two words “Come here”) and says one or
two words to convey different
meanings
two words
people, animals and starts to combine
• Early signs of developmental regression
• Understands two words to simple convey pronouns different meanings
Behavior/Interests
Joins in with sound and rhythm activities
Attends to unusual objects or
(me,
• Understands
you, my)
Behavior/Interests • Join to sound/rhythm by making or • Attending to unusual objects or
simple pronouns
by
repeating
making
sounds
or repeating sounds
patterns
patterns
(me, you, my)
Explores different toys and/objects
Over- or under-reactions to
Behavior/Interests • Join to sound and rhythm plays by • Play routines are limited to a single
• Explores different toys and/objects • Over- or under-reactions to
with fingers and mouth
stimulation
making or repeating sounds
action or are imitations always
with fingers and mouth
stimulation
Behavior/Interests • Joins in with sound and rhythm activities • Play routines are limited to a single
• Explores different toys and/objects completed the same way
Shows physical reaction when excited
Repeats movement or routine
with
by making
fingers
or
and
repeating
mouth (getting
sounds
ready • Does
action
not
or
demonstrate
are imitations
joint
always
• Show physical reaction when excited • attention
over
Repeats
and
a
over
movement or routine
for • Explores picking a different favorite toys while and/objects
completed in the same way
over and over
playing with fingers with others and mouth too) (getting ready • Does not demonstrate joint attention
• Show for picking physical a favorite reaction toy when while excited playing
with others too)
Other
• Has • Shows a regular physical sleep reaction schedule
when excited
Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Eats an increasing variety of foods
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by persistent deficits in social
communication and social interaction, accompanied by restricted, repetitive
Other
• Has a regular sleep schedule
• May be unable to self-soothe or has
6 patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.
• Eats an increasing variety of foods
sleep disturbances
7
6
7