Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Three Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder Many children on the autism spectrum may show developmental differences during their infant and toddler years, especially in social and language skills. There may be some delays in spoken language or differences in how they interact with peers. However, children on the autism spectrum usually sit, crawl, and walk on time. So, the subtler differences in the development of gestures (pointing), pretend play and social language often go unnoticed by families and doctors. Here is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) about three of the early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children. - Delay in or lack of joint attention One of the most important developmental differences between children on the autism spectrum and children without ASD is a delay in or lack of joint attention . In fact, delays in joint attention skills are found in most children with ASD. - What is joint attention? Joint attention i