Individuals with ASD show difficulties with social communication and social interaction, and repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. However, children with ASD differ greatly in the severity and types of behaviors observed. Examples of symptoms necessary for an ASD diagnosis include:

Social & Communication

• Makes little eye contact
• Does not respond to name when called
• Does not respond to a parent’s smile or other facial expressions
• Does not point things out or show objects of interest to others
• Does not share hugs or affection
• Lack of interest in social activities with other children
• Delayed language development (or loses words after developing them)
• Does not use gestures or pointing to communicate despite the lack of language
• Difficulty or delay in the development of pretend and shared play
• Difficulty starting or maintaining conversations with others

Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted interests

• Rocks, spins, sways, twirls fingers or flaps hands
• Strong adherence to routines, order, rituals
• May repeat or echo words, phrases or memorized scripts over and over
• Hypo-or hyper-reactivity to sensory input
• Preoccupied with parts of toys or objects or observes them from odd angles
• Obsessed with a few repetitive activities or holding specific items
• Intense area of interest that is abnormal in intensity or focus