When it comes to helping kids with autism early intervention is key! A early diagnosis can lead to quicker development over time. Decades of rigorous research show that children’s earliest experiences play a critical role in brain development. Early Intervention (EI) is a federal program that started with the 1975 Education of All Handicapped Children Act. This provides services to babies and toddlers, under the age of 36 months, who have been diagnosed with a disability, who are not learning and growing at the same rate as other children their age, or who are at risk of having developmental delays in their learning and growing. The earlier a child receives services, the more time there is to influence positive learning outcomes.

Research shows that the first 3 years of life is a critical developmental period in a child’s life. This time offers a window of opportunity that will not be available again. Minimizes and in some cases prevents delays in development of infants and toddlers with disabilities. There are some clear signs and signals that can indicate a possible disability.

Social differences in children with autism

• May not keep eye contact or makes little or no eye contact
• Shows no or less response to a parent’s smile or other facial expressions
• May not look at objects or events a parent is looking at or pointing to
• May not point to objects or events to get a parent to look at them
• Less likely to bring objects of personal interest to show to a parent
• Many not have appropriate facial expressions
• Has difficulty perceiving what others might be thinking or feeling by looking at their facial expressions
• Less likely to show concern (empathy) for others
• Has difficulty making and keeping friend

Communication differences in children with autism

• Less likely to point at things to indicate needs or share things with others
• Says no single words by 15 months or 2-word phrases by 24 months
• Repeats exactly what others say without understanding the meaning (often called parroting or echoing)
• May not respond to name being called but does respond to other sounds (like a car horn or a cat’s meow)
• May refers to self as “you” and others as “I” and may mix up pronouns
• May show no or less interest in communicating
• Less likely to start or continue a conversation
• Less likely to use toys or other objects to represent people or real life in pretend play
• May have a good rote memory, especially for numbers, letters, songs, TV jingles, or a specific topic
• May lose language or other social milestones, usually between the ages of 15 and 24 months (often called regression) 

Behavioral differences (repetitive & obsessive behaviors) in children with autism

• Rocks, spins, sways, twirls fingers, walks on toes for a long time, or flaps hands (called “stereotypic behavior” or stereotypies)
• Likes routines, order, and rituals; has difficulty with change or transition from one activity to another
• May be obsessed with a few or unusual activities, doing them repeatedly during the day
• Plays with parts of toys instead of the whole toy (e.g., spinning the wheels of a toy truck)
• May not cry if in pain or seem to have any fear
• May be very sensitive or not sensitive at all to smells, sounds, lights, textures, and touch
• May have unusual use of vision or gaze—looks at objects from unusual angles