Autism: Your Questions Answered

Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by a certain set of behaviors that can range from mild to severe. Very early indicators include, does not babble, point, or make meaningful gestures by 1 year of age, does not speak one word by 16 months, does not combine two words by 2 years, does not respond to name, loses language or social skills, poor eye contact, excessive lining up of toys or objects, and no smiling or social responsiveness. Later indicators include impaired ability to make friends with peers, impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others, absence or impairment of imaginative and social play, repetitive or unusual use of language, odd repetitive motions, attachment or preoccupation with certain objects or subjects, difficulty regulating emotions and inflexible adherence to routine.