how can you tell if a child is autistic?

Question

my best friend babysits this little boy. one day my boyfriend and i went over there, when we left my boyfriend kept telling me that this little boy is autistic. what are signs that someone can look for? this little boy just turned 4 and to me seems very intelligent. He could read by the the time he was 3 along with spelling, he likes to sing and read books but yells when someone does it along with him. i dont know if those are signs but yeah let me know

Answer 1

From what you have stated it sounds if he's autistic he would be more with high functioning autism such as Asperger's. The answer here is lengthy, but should be useful to you. I have left you info for both Asperger's and Autism Spectrum Disorder -ASD from the Autism Society of America.

What distinguishes Asperger's Disorder from autism is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with Asperger's Disorder may be only mildly affected and frequently have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger's Disorder may just seem like a normal child behaving differently.

Children with autism are frequently seen as aloof and uninterested in others. This is not the case with Asperger's Disorder. Individuals with Asperger's Disorder usually want to fit in and have interaction with others; they simply don't know how to do it. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or may show a lack of empathy. They may have limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures.


Interests in a particular subject may border on the obsessive. Children with Asperger's Disorder frequently like to collect categories of things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient in knowing categories of information, such as baseball statistics or Latin names of flowers. While they may have good rote memory skills, they have difficulty with abstract concepts.

One of the major differences between Asperger's Disorder and autism is that, by definition, there is no speech delay in Asperger's. In fact, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have good language skills; they simply use language in different ways. Speech patterns may be unusual, lack inflection or have a rhythmic nature or it may be formal, but too loud or high pitched. Children with Asperger's Disorder may not understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they may not understand the give and take nature of a conversation.

Another distinction between Asperger's Disorder and autism concerns cognitive ability. While some individuals with Autism experience mental retardation, by definition a person with Asperger's Disorder cannot possess a "clinically significant" cognitive delay and most possess an average to above average intelligence.

While motor difficulties are not a specific criteria for Asperger's, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy or awkward.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, and although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities.

Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. They may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Their communication is often described as talking at others instead of to them. (For example, monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).

People with autism also process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits:

Insistence on sameness; resistance to change

Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words

Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language

Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason showing distress for reasons not apparent to others

Preference to being alone; aloof manner

Tantrums

Difficulty in mixing with others

Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled

Little or no eye contact

Unresponsive to normal teaching methods

Sustained odd play

Spinning objects

Obsessive attachment to objects

Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain

No real fears of danger

Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity

Uneven gross/fine motor skills

Non responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range.

For most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand what we are experiencing. For example, our sense of touch, smell and taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe peach: the feel of the peach's skin, its sweet smell, and the juices running down your face. For children with autism, sensory integration problems are common, which may throw their senses off they may be over or under active. The fuzz on the peach may actually be experienced as painful and the smell may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that some of the typical autism behaviors, like the ones listed above, are actually a result of sensory integration difficulties.

Diagnosis of PDD, including autism, or any other developmental disability, is based upon the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association, Washington D.C., 1994, and is the main diagnostic reference of Mental Health professionals in the United States of America.

The essential features of Asperger's Disorder are severe and sustained impairment in social interaction and the development of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interest, and activity. The disturbance must clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning. In contrast to Autistic Disorder, there are no clinically significant delays in language. In addition there are no clinically significant delays in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior, and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

Criteria for Aspereger's based upon DSM-IV-TR:

A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction

Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)

Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, non-functional routines or rituals

Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

F. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.



Criteria for Autism based upon DSM-IV-TR :

The central features of Autistic Disorder are the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interest. The manifestations of this disorder vary greatly depending on the developmental level and chronological age of the individual.

A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction

Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)

Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

2. Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:

Delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gestures or mime)

In individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

Stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language

Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

3. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals

Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

Persistent preoccupation with parts of object

B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:

Social interaction

Language as used in social communication

Symbolic or imaginative play

C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's
Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

Answer 2

You're obviously a very involved and loving grandma and I think it's great that you're so concerned about his well-being. To be honest, though, I don't know how much I would worry autism, based on your description. Here are some of the classic warning signs of autism: * Lack of or delay in spoken language * Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects) * Little or no eye contact * Lack of interest in peer relationships * Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play * Persistent fixation on parts of objects (Source: Autism Society website) Most children with autism are usually identified between the ages of 2-6. However, autism is a spectrum disorder--meaning there is a broad variety in severity. Your grandson may have high-functioning autism, Aspergers, or a learning disability. Or he may just be a normal kid. Can he carry a conversation? Lots of kids (and adults) have interests that may seem obsessive--does he pretend to be a wrestler and could he tell you a story about a fictional wrestler? Or does he just recite facts and figures about wrestling without seeming to have a broader understanding of the sport? Does he have at least one real friend? I would hope that by the age of 10, and if he's in a decent school, that his teachers would have noticed a problem by now. You might be surprised at how long it takes kids to learn something that seems easy to you--as long as it just happens once in a while and his grades are good, then it might not be a problem However, because you're concerned and because you love your grandson, you MUST talk to your son--preferably when his wife isn't around. Give him concrete examples of what you've noticed. Also, you might suggest Tae Kwon Do or karate lessons to help build your grandson's confidence and self-defense skills.

Answer 3

Although many autistic children are gifted intellectually, intellegence is not indicative of autism. I'd worry if the child was unable to make eye contact or seems "emotionless" and unable to connect with people he knows. Most autistic children are diagnosed by age two so at age four, unless the parents and pediatrician are idiots, he would have been diagnosed by now.
As a footnote, my son who is also four, is extremely bright and can even recite the names of all 43 Presidents in a row from memory. I had asked for "gifted child" advice on this site a while back and couldn't believe home many morons responded with thoughts of autism! Some people who use this site are just drama junkies! I'm sure the little boy is fine.

Answer 4

That sounds more like a savant. Autistic kids think in terms of pictures, not words, so they don't tend to be very verbal. It would be strange to have an autistic kid that functional--more functional than 95% of kids in the US.

TX Mom
not an expert

Answer 5

OH MY Some of you are answering these questions with so little information about autism or even children with autism. (We in the autism community prefer children with autism over autistic) Not all children with autism watch doors with amusement, or flap their hands. Also not all (and actually very few) "freak out" if someone talks to them. I just put my 10 year old with autism to bed. We read another chapter in our book, said our prayers, hugged, kissed and I turned off the light. My 4 year old has many friends with autism They come over, play hold hands, watch movies, eat ice cream, all very typically. Please study autism learn more before you answer these questions.
While some children do "flap their hands or arms" it is called stiming or self stimulating, not all children with autism "flap" For example some spin, some hum, my little guy talks. (that is how he stims)
While I appreciate your interest, it sets our kids back when people give out so little information.

Answer 6

Sometimes those are signs, "early" speech and excellent memory, but other signs to look for are:

repetitive motions
echoing speech
temper tantrums
frustration

There's a great Wikipedia article on autism to read as a general idea.

Answer 7

Nothing you have said about this child indicates autism. What are your boyfriend's qualifications for making such a diagnosis? Yelling when someone sings or reads along with him doesn't really indicate autism, it indicates that he's a 4 - year - old.

Answer 8

There are signs that you can look for but its better if the child is tested in the proper medical facility because they have specific tests that can diagnose the child and recommend things so the child can get the proper help he needs

Answer 9

A psychiatric disorder of childhood characterized by marked deficits in communication and social interaction, preoccupation with fantasy, language impairment, and abnormal behavior, such as repetitive acts and excessive attachment to certain objects. It is usually associated with intellectual impairment. If someone freaks out if you talk to them or even say hi.

Answer 10

Those aren't excactly signs. Children without autism do those same things all the time.

Answer 11

i know common signs are looking at doors when they open and close, they are amused. there are also wiggling of hands. they seem to be a part of their own world. although there can be signs and symptoms, it's always better to get it diagnosed not only with one doctor but with another in case you are curious