| Social
Development Category (Need at least 2)
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Problems with nonverbal behavior |
EXAMPLE:
This includes lack of eye contact, facial expressions, body
posture and gestures. My son turned his head and avoided our
eyes when we spoke to him. He also did not understand facial
expressions and would laugh when he saw me crying.
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Failure
to make friends with other children
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EXAMPLE:
The child always wants to play alone, acts aloof or
doesn't want to socialize with other children.
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Does
not share objects with others for enjoyment
|
EXAMPLE:
My son loved toy cars but would not point to them in
a store or bring them to me when he found one.
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Lack of social and emotional give and take |
EXAMPLE:
The child doesn't smile when you smile at him or doesn't seem
happy when he sees his parents enter into the room.
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| Communication
Category (Need at least 2)
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A delay in talking
|
EXAMPLE:
It may appear as if the child is not listening or is
deaf. By 18 months old my son was not using single or
double words to communicate his wants or needs. He also
would not answer simple questions with yes or no (or
for that matter, shake or nod his head for yes or no).
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Does not initiate or sustain conversation with others
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EXAMPLE:
The child can speak but often only when spoken to and
often uses one-word responses.
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Echoes phrases, words, songs or other language
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EXAMPLE:
Known as echolalia, this is when the child echoes words
without actually understanding them. We would ask my
son questions such as, "How old are you?"
He would reply, "are you."
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Lack of pretend or imaginative play
|
EXAMPLE:
The child does not pretend when playing with his toys
-- such as making a toy airplane fly in the air.
|
Activities
and Interest Category (Need at least 2)
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Preoccupation with patterns or routines
|
EXAMPLE:
The child is so fixated on an object, interest or a
routine, that deviating or stopping that routine will
result in a severe tantrum or meltdown.
|
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Child develops his own routines that must be followed |
EXAMPLE:
My son had several routines like lining up cars and closing
the cabinet drawers in the kitchen. Typically these routines
must be followed or the child will have a severe tantrum or
meltdown.
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Repetitive behaviors
|
EXAMPLE:
The child has repetitive mannerisms such as hand or
finger flapping, rocking back and forth, twisting, spinning,
chewing on clothing, or complex whole body movements.
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Preoccupation with parts of objects
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EXAMPLE:
The child fixates on one part of an object like the
wheels to a toy car.
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