Autism is a developmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. While autism is often not diagnosed until the age of three, some children begin to show signs of developmental delay before they turn a year old. Early detection of these signs is key to capitalizing on early diagnosis and intervention, which is believed to improve developmental outcomes. Here are some signs of autism in babies:

• 4 to 7 months: Disinterest in certain sounds (e.g., not turning to locate where sounds are coming from) .

• 6 months to 1 year: Reacting in an unexpected way to new faces, rarely smiling in social situations, making little or no eye contact, difficulty in following objects with their eyes, dislike of being touched or cuddled, or not reaching out when about to be picked up, displaying unusual or repetitive body movements.

• 6 to 12 months: Rarely smiles when approached by caregivers, rarely tries to imitate sounds and movements others make, such as smiling and laughing, during simple social exchanges, delayed or infrequent babbling, does not respond to his or her name with increasing consistency, does not seem to enjoy being held or cuddled, appears to be content with being alone, prefers to play with toys rather than people, has difficulty relating to others or not having an interest in other people at all, avoids or resists physical contact, shows little or no eye contact.

• Up to 24 months: Limited or no speech, only walking on their toes, difficulty in following simple verbal instructions, gestures and imitating others’ actions are limited, showing an intense interest in certain objects, at the exclusion of all else, showing an intense interest in unusual or unexpected objects or materials, unwillingness to share objects or activities they are interested in, or to engage the attention of others, engaging in repetitive behaviors.

It is important to note that not all infants and toddlers with delays will develop autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and that children on the autism spectrum usually sit, crawl, and walk on time. If you notice any of these developmental differences, it’s important to talk with your child’s doctor or healthcare professional about them.