Dawson outlined behavioral milestone lists beginning at four months, to help parents diagnose and better discuss concerns with their physicians before a child’s first birthday. (See: Autism Behavioral Checklist.)
“Until fairly recently, we hadn’t really defined the very early symptoms of autism. But in the last several years, research has identified the behaviors you can see in a child as young as twelve months,” Dawson says.
The main indicators of autism by twelve months include:
- Failure to make eye contact
- Failure to point
- Failure to show things to others, such as bringing a toy to parents
- Failure to orient when name is called
- Failure to babble, such as “da da,” or “ma ma”
If you notice some of these symptoms in your child and your child’s pediatrician disregards your concerns, Dawson says it’s time for a second opinion. There is nothing to lose if your child is deemed not to have autism, and everything to gain if you get her into a treatment program early.
