Symptoms:

• Avoids or does not keep eye contact
• Does not respond to name by 9 months of age
• Does not show facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised by 9 months of age
• Does not play simple interactive games like pat-a-cake by 12 months of age
• Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age (for example, does not wave goodbye)
• Does not share interests with others by 15 months of age (for example, shows you an object that they like)
• Does not point to show you something interesting by 18 months of age
• Does not notice when others are hurt or upset by 24 months of age
• Does not notice other children and join them in play by 36 months of age
• Does not pretend to be something else, like a teacher or superhero, during play by 48 months of age
• Does not sing, dance, or act for you by 60 months of age
• Lines up toys or other objects and gets upset when order is changed
• Repeats words or phrases over and over (called echolalia)
• Plays with toys the same way every time
• Is focused on parts of objects (for example, wheels)
• Gets upset by minor changes
• Has obsessive interests
• Must follow certain routines
• Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
• Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel