The First Signs of Autism: What Are the Early Signs of Autism in Children

Neda Sharifi
Jul 12
9 min read

Naturally, you’ll notice every new development in your child as they grow, marking each new milestone along the way, especially in those magical early years. Each time they do something new, you’ll notice, perhaps writing it down as you go. However, you may have noticed some differences recently in your child’s development that seem a little unusual.

These could include limited eye contact, or perhaps they don’t play with their toys in the way other children do, or they always play alone.

Seen in isolation, some of them may seem like nothing more than a little eccentricity, but taken together, they may be the early signs of autism.

Explore our guide on the first signs of autism and take those first important steps towards early support. The earlier you get it, the earlier your child can be helped to thrive and develop into happy, fulfilled individuals.

What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition. The key signs of autism are a child's inability to interact with others and limited communication. Other shortfalls include repetitive patterns of behavior and interests, and difficulties sustaining relationships with their peers and family members. It impacts across all socioeconomic backgrounds, races, and ethnicities, and varies in characteristics in each person.

The impact autism can have on children will depend on each child and what they find most challenging. Their unique personalities and traits will determine how these traits manifest on a day-to-day basis.

The level of support a child receives can make a huge difference. Short-term impacts can include some of the things we’ve already mentioned, and also include signs of sensory processing disorder, and rigidity in their behavior and play.

More long-term impacts can include academic challenges, depending on the support they are able to access. Autism does not include an intellectual impairment (unless they also have a learning disability), but autistic students can still struggle without the right support.

Social isolation and difficulties at school can result in anxiety and depression, and lead to reduced independence as adults.

So, spotting the earliest signs of autism and getting the right support early on can have a dramatic impact on a child who can then go on to thrive as an adult, living a fulfilling and independent life.

What Are the Early Signs of Autism in Children?

The early signs of autism in children are important to recognise so you can act quickly and get as much support as possible. The earlier you recognise what you think is autism, the earlier an intervention can be put in place that helps your child thrive rather than fall behind.

Early signs of autism usually fall into one of the following groups:

Social and Communication Skills

Common signs of social and communication skills include both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication, the inability to interact and engage socially, as well as joint attention and reciprocity.

Joint attention specifically refers to the capacity to share enjoyment with others, engaging in interactions, making eye contact, and observing an object that someone else is pointing out.

Other early signs of autism with social and communication skills include little use of gestures, unusual speaking patterns, speaking in a flat tone or a sing-song quality, and the tendency to repeat phrases without context. Additionally, individuals may struggle with recognizing social cues and interpreting facial expressions.

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Restricted, Repetitive, or Ritualized Behaviors

This category includes common repetitive movements, such as gestures, speech, and sounds. Pay attention to intense interests, ritualized behaviors, and sensory fixations. These may appear as hand-flapping or rocking back and forth, using scripted language, repeating words or phrases, or focusing intensely on one specific thing to the exclusion of everything else.

Many of these behaviors can provide comfort to a child, while others may simply be done for enjoyment. Notice any daily rituals that cannot be altered and the emotional meltdowns that occur if they are changed.

Other Behavioral Patterns

Some behavioral patterns in children may appear odd at first and out of the ordinary. They can include sensitivity to sight, sound, and touch. They might be avoiding certain textures or sounds that cause them discomfort.

Children might seek out specific sensations that provide relief from situations that are stressful for them, like a particular type of fabric in a sweater or chewing on certain objects.

Think about whether they seem unusually fascinated by patterns in the flooring or wallpaper, seeking out shadows on the ceiling, or observing the shapes and reflections on surfaces.

Other things to look out for include speaking formally, creating intricate systems with toys, and demonstrating cognitive differences such as early reading skills, a good memory, and a strong interest in obeying rules.

Early Signs of Autism in Different Age Groups

Signs of Autism in a 1-Year-Old

What does autism look like in a 1 year old child? What we know so far is that social interactions, repetitive behaviors, and poor communication may be early signs of autism.

The early signs of autism in a toddler may include poor social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. They may seem lost in their own world and not respond when their name is called. They may also avoid making eye contact and rarely smile in response to others.

Language development may seem limited in line with developmental milestones at this age, with little to no chatter. Children who display early signs of autism may be reluctant to explore new things and lack curiosity.

Additionally, they may not imitate sounds they hear from their parents, make noises with their toys due to sound sensitivity, or engage with other babies or their family members, which can be interpreted as a lack of interaction or simply ignoring people. You may even think your child has hearing issues.

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Signs of Autism in a 2-Year-Old

At the age of 2, signs that your toddler may be autistic can include limited eye contact, a lack of speech, and not responding when their name is called.

They might repeat phrases out of habit, and may prefer to line up their toys instead of playing with them. If you're looking for suitable toys for a child who might be autistic, we have a comprehensive guide available.

You may also notice that your child has a strong reaction to changes in their routine that seem unusual.

This could involve the timing of meals or the specific room where they play. While these may appear to be minor adjustments, they can feel monumental to your child.

Signs of Autism in a 3-Year-Old

At 3 years old, signs that your toddler may be autistic include limited eye contact, difficulty engaging with others, and delayed speech. They may show resistance to playing with other children and may repeatedly say words or perform actions. Additionally, they can spend an extended period fixated on a specific object, whether a toy or something unrelated.

You might also notice sensitivity to changes in their routine, as well as sensitivity to sound, texture, or light. For instance, they may cover their eyes or squint in lights that aren’t particularly bright to you and cover their ears in response to what they perceive as loud sounds.

Signs of Autism in a 4-Year-Old

By age 4, many of the earlier signs will still be present but may become more pronounced. Children at this stage may continue to face challenges in social interactions, avoiding eye contact, and may not respond to smiling or laughter.

Your child may struggle to make friends or show little interest in playing in groups. They might prefer to engage in specific interests alone and become intensely focused on those activities, often at the expense of other interactions.

You may find your child repeats phrases not related to a conversation or question. They may also speak in an unusual tone and have difficulty holding a conversation.

Repetitive behaviors are common at this age, and again, they may have strong reactions to lights or sounds or become very upset at a change in routine. If you’re looking for ways to help your child, you may find our article Hope for Autism: How to Capitalize on the Potential helpful.

Signs of Autism in a 5-Year-Old

By the time your child is 5, you may notice several signs of autism. These can include limited eye contact, a different tone of voice, and repetitive behaviors such as hand-flapping or rocking back and forth.

Your child may also be sensitive to light, sound, and touch. Meal times may have become more problematic due to sensitivities centered around textures and tastes. They may even refuse to eat.

Additionally, they might show a strong interest in one particular area of play, focusing exclusively on that while ignoring other activities. Making and maintaining friendships can be challenging for them, and they may struggle with sharing or taking turns. Disruptions to their routines could lead to emotional meltdowns that take time to calm down from.

What to Do Next

If, after reading this, you believe your child may be autistic and you recognize some of these signs, an autism screening test could be beneficial.

We recommend you try using MCHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers). We offer this here at ThriveGo. While the MCHAT can’t give you an official diagnosis, it can give you some valuable information about whether your child needs a diagnostic test for autism. It may be that you need to consider other conditions instead.

But there is nothing to lose using MCHAT because if it’s not autism, then at least you will have ruled this out early on. It’s a great place to start from and makes the path ahead much more straightforward, helping you to decide what’s next.

The MCHAT is a comprehensive tool used with children under 5 and covers a range of behaviors that are commonly seen in autistic children. It’s a really useful pre-screening tool that will help make things a lot clearer for you.

If you would like to learn more about the MCHAT or schedule a screening, please reach out to us here at ThriveGuide!

Bottom Line: Early Symptoms of Autism in Children

We hope you find our guide on the early signs of autism useful. If you're wondering, "Does my toddler have autism?" you can review the sections in our guide to identify any potential signs you’ve noticed. The early signs of autism can often be spotted before your child reaches the toddler stage, so having those key signs at your disposal is pivotal in getting help early on.

Watch out for repetitive behaviors, as well as any unusual sensitivity to loud sounds and touch. You might notice that your child develops at a slower pace in some areas while excelling in others. Not every child will show all of these signs in the way we’ve described, because each child is unique, but they can serve as important signposts.

Finding the help your child needs is vital, so you can make sure your child receives the kind of support they need. Here at ThriveGuide, we have a variety of resources and activities that are specifically designed with your child's development in mind.

Remember, you don’t have to face this on your own. Register for a free trial today and get the support you need right from the beginning. Finally, you now have ThriveGuide to walk alongside you in these early days of discovery.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the three early signs of autism in children?

The early signs of autism primarily involve social communication difficulties and repetitive behaviors. These signs may include a lack of attention when you try to communicate with your child, either one-on-one or in a group setting, as well as language delays and slower progression in developmental milestones.

2. What are the signs that your baby may be autistic?

Look for signs such as the absence of smiles or engaging facial expressions, as well as a lack of eye contact by the age of 6 months. By 9 months, if there are still relatively few smiles and facial expressions and no sound-centered interactions during play, this may be concerning.

3. My child frequently seems to have tantrums. Should I be worried?

What might appear to be tantrums in your baby or toddler could actually be a response to overstimulation from sights or sounds. If your child has autism, sudden loud noises, bright lights, or certain textures may cause distress, leading to emotional meltdowns that are difficult to soothe. If this occurs frequently, it may be one of the early signs of autism.

4. Do early signs of autism include both social communication issues and restrictive, repetitive behaviors?

Indeed, autistic traits in babies or toddlers typically include difficulties with social communication and repetitive behaviors. For a diagnosis to be made, both categories must be present in your child. If you are unsure whether both traits are evident, please contact us at Thriveguide for an informal chat.

We may recommend the MCHAT screening tool, which can provide valuable insights on whether your child needs a diagnostic assessment for autism.