Early traits of autism

Does not smile at others (from 12 months)

You try to interact with your child and smile at him or her. But your child does not respond. Your child is less focused on others around. Your child is also less inclined to smile back when others smile at him or her. Your child does not often take the initiative himself/herself to share fun with others by smiling at them.

Does not react when spoken to (from 12 months)

When your child is addressed by his/her name, he/she appears deaf. Your child reacts less well or not at all, and does not, or barely, look up.

Does not babble (from 12 months)

Your child makes no or few sounds that resemble words, and babbles little or not at all during play.

Does not make gestures (pointing and waving) (from 12 months)

Your child does not make gestures, and/or points yet. Examples of gestures are: nodding yes, shaking no, waving, a gesture for 'up' or 'away'.

Has no interest in other people (from 12 months)

Your child is mainly focused on himself/herself, and pays little attention to people around. For example, he/she is barely curious about an adult's input in play, or pays little attention to what other children are doing.

Does not make use of words in a functional manner (from 18 months)

Your child does not use words (or sounds similar to words) to indicate that he/she wants something, or to direct attention to something.

Does not use two-word sentences (excluding echolalia) (from 24 months)

Your child does not use spontaneous two-word sentences to communicate. Such as: 'drive car' or 'have cake'. Repeating what another person says without the intention to communicate (echolalia) is not meant here. Naturally, this symptom can for instance also point to – besides a risk of autism – language development issues without autism.

Any loss of language or social skills (Any age)

Your child can no longer do things, or do them less well, that he or she could before. For instance when it comes to language or social skills. Examples of this are:

• your child stops talking.
• your child no longer waves.
• your child makes little or no eye contact.

Even though your child did do this before.

It is worrisome if your child can no longer do things, or can only do them less well. At any age. Unless it is clearly related to circumstances, and is temporary.

1. Social interaction

• has difficulty making eye contact;
• finds it difficult to establish and maintain friendships with peers;
• is not attentive to the feelings of others.

2. Communication

• finds it difficult to maintain back-and-forth conversations (also about topics other than purely his/her own interests);
• has difficulty using and understanding humour;
• has no understanding of proverbs and sayings;
• does not often support communication by gesturing;
• has peculiarities with regard to language: often takes things literally (e.g.: "get your coat" and the child grabs the coat without putting it on); old-fashioned language (book language); echolalia (parroting)/set phrases; talks about himself/herself in the third person ("he/she").

3. Stereotypies

• has limited areas of interest (e.g. only interested in dinosaurs or computers);
• cannot play imaginatively;
• does not lose himself/herself in pretend play;
• sticks to rituals (always does things in the same order);
• adheres strongly to rules;
• has difficulty coping with changes.

4. Stimulus processing

A remarkable stimulus processing applies: he/she is notably hyper- or hypo- sensitive to certain stimuli. For example, smells at everything, persists in groping/feeling, is very interested in flashes of light, always covers his/her ears at loud noises.

Does not, on the whole, make an age-appropriate impression