13 Common Revealing Signs of Autism in Toddler

My Personal Experience as a Mom with Autism

As a mother of an autistic child — and someone with autism myself — I’ve noticed many early signs of autism in my child before they even reached 18 months. I then decided to keep a closer eye on my child and began documenting their development journey.

My experience might resonate with other parents who are beginning to notice unusual behavior in their little ones.

If you’re a parent of a young child and wondering if your child is showing signs of autism, this blog post might help. Keep in mind, though, that every child is different, and this is just my personal account of what I observed in my child during their early developmental months.

What started us off was the time when we tried to get a passport photo taken of my autistic child and they could not stop ticking. Every single photo would come out blurry, because of my child’s constant rocking from side to side.

Alas, 2 hours later, (Yes sir, I said 2 hours later) and having tried all the tricks in the book to get them to make eye contact while standing behind the camera; (jumping jacks, fart sounds, singing etc) we finally got a photo that was acceptable for the passport application.

This post focuses on the signs of autism in children under 18 months. It includes all the behaviors my autistic child displayed during this age range and certain behaviors that led us to keep an eye out for further development.

Signs of Autism in Children Up to 18 Months:

My list is not an official diagnosis and there are plenty of typical children who exhibit some of these behaviours also. AND plenty of children with autism who do not exhibit any of the behaviours.

There are a lot of signs of autism which autistic children show from their early ages. Some kids are much more obvious in their behaviours than other kids. Girls in particular are very good at masking their autism driven behaviours and mimicking average children.

I do want to make the point that it is much harder to diagnose girls than boys. (See – What Happens When Someone Has Autism – Page 14)

You might also want to check out my other posts on signs of autism for older children:

• 19 Common Revealing Signs of Autism in Toddler
• Signs of Autism in Children Aged 30–48 Months

Does Showing Signs of Autism Mean My Child is Autistic?

Not necessarily. Autism is a spectrum disorder, and while many children who are diagnosed with autism show some signs early on, not all do. Similarly, some children might show some behaviors that resemble signs of autism but grow out of them over time.

Now, let’s get into the specific signs of autism I noticed in my child before they turned 18 months old. These signs were not just things that stood out to me; they were also behaviors that caused concern for our pediatrician and led us to seek further evaluations.

1. Limited Eye Contact

One of the first signs of autism that we noticed was a lack of eye contact. When we spoke to our child, they seemed to look anywhere but at us. Even as a baby, making eye contact seemed to make them uncomfortable. I learned that many autistic children avoid eye contact as a way to manage sensory overload.

If your child avoids looking into your eyes or seems disinterested in faces, this might be one of the early signs of autism.

I would like to add though, that I also am autistic and eye contact has never been an issue for me. Even when I was much younger.

(For further reading see – Autism: A Practical Guide for Parents)

2. Delayed Speech or Lack of Babbling

By 18 months, many children are starting to say simple words like “Mama” or “Dada.” However, my child was still mostly silent at this age, with only a few basic words. Speech delay is one of the most common signs of autism. If your child isn’t babbling or trying to mimic words by this age, it’s something to watch closely and mention to their pediatrician as well.

My child’s way of expressing themselves was often through actions or gestures rather than speech. For instance, they would stand near what they wanted, and if we didn’t understand quickly enough, they would start to scream or get frustrated. This nonverbal behavior was one of the first red flags for us.

When I was a child, I would not speak unless absolutely necessary and I had to rehearse all of my words in my head before I spoke. Even with this rehearsal, I would still decide not to speak most of the time!

Delayed speech becomes even more delayed with bilingual families and almost 100% of autistic children are late speakers. (See – The Autistic Spectrum)

3. Lack of Interest in Playing with Other Children

In a group of children, my child would usually stand on the sidelines, either doing their own thing or watching other children run around and play. While other kids were kicking balls or playing together, my child showed little to no interest in joining in. This lack of social interest is one of the very clear signs of autism in young children (See – Applied Psychology – Page 78)

Also, my child had trouble mimicking what the other children around them did. My child in particular was unable to mimic kicking a football, at least until much older. Even though they had seen other children kicking footballs around and passing it to other children. A need for making friends or socialising or even fitting in, did not interest my autistic child at all.

Another form of lack of social interest that can be one of the signs of autism, that my child would show is by completely turning their face in another direction when spoken to. When approached by anyone, my little darling would hide their face in the corner of the pram or in my clothes. Mimicking is one of the main ways children learn, and a lack of imitation can be one of the signs of autism.

4. Delayed Motor Skills

In my opinion another of the common signs of autism, is delayed motor development. Autistic children often take longer to learn tasks that involve coordination, such as stacking blocks, using a spoon, or climbing on playground equipment. This was definitely true for my child and myself.

In our case, my child struggled with tasks like using a spoon or drinking from a cup. Fine motor skills, such as holding a pencil or paintbrush, were also delayed.

These delays can be subtle, but they’re worth noting if you suspect your child might have this sign of autism in combination with other signs of autism.

5. Sensitivity to Touch

Many autistic children have heightened sensitivity to touch, and my child was no exception.My child hated being touched by anyone other than close family members. Even casual touches from strangers would make them scrunch their shoulders and move away. My child would never allow anyone to even sit next to them and if anyone tried to my child would move. This heightened sensitivity to physical contact is one of the common signs of autism. I am also like this but as an adult I have learnt to mask it much better.

It’s important to respect your child’s boundaries and understand that they’re not being “difficult” on purpose. They might just be processing sensory input differently than other kids and might have very strict boundaries of personal touch.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

6. Repetitive Play with the Same Toy

(See – Autism: A Practical Guide for Parents)

My child had a particular toy they played with over and over again, mostly uninterested in other toys around them. This focused, repetitive behavior is another one of the early signs of autism.

Autistic children sometimes use play as a way to self-regulate. They might play with the same toy repeatedly because it helps them feel calm and in control and because it is familiar to them.

7. Sensitivity to Loud Noises and Bright Lights

(See – Autism: A Practical Guide for Parents)

Sensory sensitivities are common signs of autism in autistic children. My child would panic and scream when confronted with loud noises, such as the sound of a garbage truck or even a loud TV.

Bright lights, like those at a funfair or in busy stores, were also overwhelming for them. Sensory overload can cause a lot of stress for autistic children, leading to meltdowns.

If your child is frequently upset by loud noises or bright lights, it’s worth considering whether they might be showing signs of autism.

8. Fascination with Lights and Close-Up Play

Something I found fascinating, was that my child would often press their face close to toys with lights, almost as if they were trying to control the amount of sensory input they were receiving. It was as though they needed to experience the lights in a very specific way, which is another potential sign of autism.

Autistic children may engage with toys or objects differently than neurotypical children. They may focus on certain sensory aspects of an object, such as its lights or textures, and ignore the other toys or functions of the toy.

9. Rigid Rituals and Routines

Autistic children often develop rigid rituals or routines, even at a very young age. Both my child and me were and are both like this.

For instance, my child had to place their toy on the ground and touch it with their nose before they would begin to play. These little rituals can be comforting for autistic children and help them manage the unpredictability of the world around them.

Routines and rituals can become more obvious as children get older, but they can start as early as 18 months.

Yes! Children on the spectrum exhibit rituals as young and early as 18 Months. (See – Autism: A Practical Guide for Parents)

10. Trouble Falling Asleep

(See – Sleep Difficulties and Disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorder)

Many autistic children have difficulty falling asleep, and my child was no exception. have a hard time going to sleep at night also and it can take a very long time. It is very hard for us to shut down their brain enough for it to relax so they can fall asleep. Personally it takes me forever to fall asleep, to the point where I dislike sleep!

It would often take my autistic child over an hour to fall asleep, accompanied by crying or other signs of distress. Difficulty winding down at night can be one of the signs of autism.

My child was using crying to soothe themselves to sleep. I did gentle sleep training with my child in combination with the sound pillow. This worked wonders for me!!

The sound pillow helped create the noise that my child needed in order to be able to ignore the noise that was inside their head. So the screaming stopped once my child got used to the sound pillow!

The sound seemed to help drown out the sensory overload going on in their mind. This helped soothe our child to sleep more quickly.

11. Head Banging

(See – The World of the Autistic Child)

Head banging one of the most common signs of autism in autistic children because it is just that. Very common!

My child would sit on the floor and bang their head, sometimes to the point of causing themselves pain. This behavior can be a form of self-soothing or a way to release tension for autistic children. It’s a worrying behavior, but it’s also relatively common.

I remember, myself, having to bang my head against certain cars while walking home from school. I do not know why, but I had to do it.

I think it is because physical pain distracts from everything that goes on inside our head!

12. Lack of Response to Affection

What it simply means, is that they cannot understand how to process receiving love or how to return it. (See – Autism: A Practical Guide for Parents)

Showing or receiving affection can be difficult for autistic children. When I would try to hug my child, they would often remain stiff, with their arms hanging by their sides.

Kisses were met with a similar response — they would pull away or freeze. It wasn’t that my child didn’t love me; they just had trouble processing and expressing affection.

Despite this, my child did have their own way of asking for affection. For instance, they would run up to me, turn their body sideways, and stand stiff. That was their way of asking for a hug. Of course, I would give them one, and they would then immediately run off again.

13. Not Responding to Their Own Name (this one is one of the most common signs of autism)

Another of the signs of autism we noticed early on was that my child rarely responded to their name. Even when I called their name loudly or repeatedly, they wouldn’t turn or acknowledge me.

Sometimes you may question yourself and wonder if you are calling them by the wrong name. Or maybe your child changed their name without your knowledge.

This lack of response can be a key sign of autism in young children, as it indicates a difficulty with social cues.

I will give a little disclaimer on this though, take your child to their pediatrician to check if they have difficulty hearing.

Social difficulties and lack of responding to their own name, as well as not understanding how to play with certain toys in the way that they were designed to be used (especially if they are sound toys) it could also be a sign of lack of hearing and not necessarily a sign of autism.

Conclusion: What to Do If You See Signs of Autism in Your Child

If your child is showing several of these signs of autism, keep an eye on your child.

It is important to document the development of your child and keep the list of concerns to show your child’s pediatrician or psychologist, if you decide to seek out a professional evaluation. However, remember that every child is unique, and not all children who display these behaviors are necessarily autistic.

Autism is a complex condition with many variations, and it affects each child differently. That is why autism is described as being a spectrum.

By paying attention to the early signs of autism, you can ensure that your child gets the support and care they need as they grow.

Early intervention can make a big difference in helping autistic children develop communication, social, and motor skills.

The early intervention route is the route that we decided to take and I am very happy that we made that decision for our autistic child

If you have any questions or are concerned about your child’s development, speak with a pediatrician or a specialist.