| To find out if your child is manifesting the | | | | advance to parallel play.f. turns to inanimate |
| symptoms of autism consider the following | | | | objects: attachment to a security blanket. |
| assessments: | | | | 3. Your child develops stereotypic body |
| 1. Your child shies away from or repels human | | | | movements: |
| contact or affection: | | | | These may consist of rocking, spinning, hand |
| An autistic child does not want to be hugged. | | | | flapping, and other repetitive activities. |
| They usually stiffen when held. They are not | | | | 4. Your child shows obsessive desire for |
| comforted by being held or cuddled. | | | | sameness: |
| When an autistic child is having temper tantrums | | | | An autistic child usually adheres to routines and |
| or is anxious, it is better not to hug the child to | | | | rituals and has great aversion to changes. |
| provide reassurance and comfort, instead, give | | | | 5. Your child shows impulsiveness: |
| the child his favorite toy or transfer the child to a | | | | A child with autism may engage in temper |
| less stimulating environment. | | | | tantrums when interrupted in his or her activity. |
| 2. Your child is usually stimulated from within and | | | | 6. Your child shows inclination to self mutilation: |
| not by the outside world. He or she have difficulty | | | | An autistic child can sometimes engage in head |
| in processing external stimuli: | | | | banging especially during tantrums. |
| The ability to receive stimuli from the | | | | 7. Your child shows heightened withdrawal |
| environment is blocked so the child:a. is unable to | | | | manifested by refusal to eat. |
| differentiate self from the environment thus the | | | | 8. Your child exhibits More severe motor |
| reversal of pronouns, the child talks about himself | | | | clumsiness associated with lower IQ. |
| in third person.b. has delayed development of | | | | 9. Your child develops schizophrenia or seizures. |
| self-help skills, such as feeding, dressing and | | | | 10. Autism is sometimes associated in some |
| toileting.c. has difficulty or inability to learn | | | | degree with mental retardation. Although accurate |
| expressive communication: echolalia, mutism.d. is | | | | IQ measurement may be difficult to obtain due to |
| unable to enjoy meaningful relationship with the | | | | the lack of language in these individuals, 60% of |
| outside world: does not respond to people or | | | | children have an IQ less than 50; 20% between |
| other environmental stimuli, may be unable to | | | | 50 and 70; and 20% have an IQ greater than 70. |
| make eye contact.e. is aware only of himself and | | | | Autism is more common in males than females |
| engages only in self-stimulated acts: plays alone | | | | by three to one. |
| for hours, withdraws from other children but may | | | | |