Frequently Asked Questions - Getting a Diagnosis
The following are age appropriate milestones from birth – age 5. Although no two children grow at the same rate, experts agree there are typical signs of development:
By 3 Months:
• Lift head & chest while laying on stomach;
• Follow a moving object or person with eyes;
• Turn toward the sound of a human voice;
• Smile when smiled at;
• Grasp a rattle;
• Cry in different ways to tell different needs.
By 6 Months:
• Hold head up and look around;
• Reach for & grasp objects;
• Push up with hands & knees;
• Coo, giggle & make lots of sounds;
• Sit with support;
• Roll over;
• Know familiar faces.
By 9 Months:
• Sit up without much help;
• Begin to pull up and stand;
• Crawl or scoot forward;
• Put toys in container and dump out;
• Make sounds like real words (e.g. mama, dada, nana);
• Play simple games like “all gone” or “so big”.
By 12 Months:
• Stand alone for a moment;
• Crawl on hands & knees;
• Walk with one hand held;
• Respond to music with body motion;
• Say first word;
• Understand simple commands;
• Feed self with finger foods.
By 18 Months:
• Likes to pull, push, & takes things apart;
• Walk without help;
• Turn pages in a book;
• Say 8-10 words you can understand;
• Ask specifically for mother or father;
• Cling to caretaker in new situations.
By 2 Years:
• Walk, run and climb without help;
• Sometimes get angry & have temper tantrums when tired, angry or upset;
• Sing songs or say rhymes;
• Use 2-3 word sentences;
• Treat a doll or stuffed animal as though it were alive;
• Verbalize desires and feelings.
By 3 Years:
• Use the toilet with some help;
• Kick a ball forward and pedal a tricycle;
• Look through a book alone;
• Remember what happened yesterday;
• Count 2 to 3 objects;
• Match circles and squares;
• Know first & last name.
By 4 Years:
• Hold a pencil & try to write name;
• Buckle, button, & lace with help;
• Identify situations that would lead to happiness, sadness, or anger;
• Sort by shape or color;
• Want explanations of “why” & “how”;
• Catch a bouncing ball;
• Use the toilet alone.
By 5 Years:
• Draw simple figures of things;
• Dress & undress him/her self (although you may need to supervise);
• Know the sequence of reading a book, from left to right and top to bottom;
• Invent make-believe games with simple rules;
• Copy name in large irregular letters;
• Protect younger children.
If you are concerned about your child’s development consider arranging a screening.
Signs of Autism:
• Difficulty in expressing needs; gestures or points instead of speaking;
• Not responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf;
• Little or no eye contact;
• Prefers to be alone; difficulty mixing with others;
• Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled;
• Repeats words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language;
• Persistent “odd” or repetitive play including lining up toys or spinning objects;
• Obsessive attachment to objects;
• Resists changes in routine; an insistence on sameness;
• Laughs/cries/shows distress/tantrums for no clear reason;
• Unresponsive to normal teaching methods;
• Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain;
• No real fear of danger;
• Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity;
• Uneven gross/fine motor skills (may not kick a ball but can stack blocks).
Time-Related Red Flags:
• Does not babble or coo by 12 months;
• Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months;
• Does not say single words by 16 months;
• Does not say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months;
• Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age.
Please note: individuals with autism may exhibit many but not all of the above symptoms. Also, this list is not a substitute for a full-scale diagnostic assessment.
If you are concerned about your child’s development consider arranging a screening.
