Signs of autism in toddler?

First of all, in order to be diagnosed with autism, a person needs to exhibit characteristics from three areas, which are social, behavioural, and communicative. Speech delay has been taken of the new diagnostic criteria (because Asperger's is no longer a separate diagnosis, and people with Asperger's show to language *delay*, so speech delay had to be removed), but it is true that children with autism will exhibit abnormalities in speech at the very least (eg. repetitive language, echolalia, scripting, etc.).

Second of all, the earliest autism is usually diagnosed is around 2 years. The reason is that many things that are "autistic behaviours" are also "baby behaviours". Hand-flapping is one of those things. A lot of babies flap their hands. A lot of babies knock things over (because they're exploring their environment; "what happens when I push this like this? Oh, it makes a satisfying crashing noise...I think I'll do that again"), a lot of babies don't talk...etc. At 15 months, she's not really out of that baby range yet.

I do believe that some babies clearly show signs of being autistic from a young age, but it's primarily social, because the behavioural and communicative aspects are still in the "baby stage" when it's the same as "autistic". Social things would be drastic, like from my experience, total lack of eye contact, does not smile when he sees you or a person he knows, or when you smile at him, has no interest in people, transfixed staring at patterns, etc. Sensory problems could also be signs of autism, but be careful because it could also be a sign of something else.

I recommend you contact your pediatrician with this question...I have 2 kids, one 15 now and the other 13 and neither had your daughter's traits but all kids are different....having said that I have read that if they diagnose autism earlier rather than later it can help the child develop better.

She sounds like a normal toddler to me, Ask your health visitor if you think there is any problems, Good Luck

You'd have to take the baby to a doctor for a referal.

You can't diagnose autism at this age.

WHY do you want your kid to have an incurable disease?

WHY do you people insist on reproducing when you have no frikkin clue what to do with a kid when you get one?

She like to flip stuff.

She's learning about gravity.

I'm terribly sorry to tell you, but your kid is NORMAL.

YOU are a horrid excuse for a mother.

it all depends how they act from ages 1 to 3... she is hyper and then out of no where stops talking and acts like she cant hear... that is one example and the opposite to...