Is my child autistic? Signs to watch for in development and how to act

This is a question that many parents and guardians ask themselves at some point: “Is my child autistic?”. Sometimes, doubt arises because the child takes a little longer to speak. In other situations, it appears because she prefers to play alone, avoids direct eye contact, shows excessive discomfort with everyday noises or presents crises that are difficult to understand. It is also common for an alert to come from school, family or social life.

First of all, it is essential to accept this doubt calmly. Ask yourself about the child development of your child does not mean labeling the child, nor looking for “problems” where they do not exist. On the contrary: observing, seeking quality information and seeking professional guidance are profound attitudes of care and affection.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?

THE Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) It is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means that it influences the way children perceive the world, communicate, interact, learn and organize their daily experiences.

Autism is called "spectrum" precisely because it does not appear the same way in everyone:

• There are autistic children who communicate verbally easily, while others use non-verbal forms or are still developing oral speech.
• Some have a greater need for support in their daily routine.
• Others are able to keep up with a variety of academic activities, but face social, sensory, or emotional challenges that are not always visible at first glance.

The diagnosis of ASD is clinical and must be made by specialized professionals, such as neuropediatricians, child psychiatrists, psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and a multidisciplinary team. The proposal here is to help the family identify warning signs, know when to seek help and how to act in a welcoming and responsible manner.

What to observe in the child's development? (Warning Signs)

Although each child has their own growth rate, there are developmental milestones that serve as a reference. In the case of autism, signs generally involve three main areas:

1. Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

• Speech delay: Taking time to speak the first words or stop speaking words that you have already mastered (regression).
• Difficulty to answer: Not responding when called by name (appearing not to hear at times, although hearing is normal).
• Limited gestures: Difficulty pointing out what you want, saying goodbye, sending a kiss or shaking your head "yes" or "no". Often, the child takes the adult's hand and leads it to the desired object instead of pointing.
• Ecolalia: Repeating individual phrases, songs or entire lines from cartoons out of context. This repetition often serves a self-regulation or communication attempt function.
• Limited shared attention: Rarely looking where the adult points or sharing interest in an object or toy.

2. Social Interaction

• Preference for isolation: Playing alone systematically, showing little interest or difficulty interacting with other children of the same age.
• Difficulty in symbolic play: Little or no interest in "pretend" games (such as pretending to feed a doll or that a block is a car).
• Atypical eye contact: Avoid or maintain direct eye contact for a very short time.
• Own emotional expression: Appearing not to notice other people's facial expressions or feelings (such as crying or frustration from a colleague). Note: This does not reflect a lack of affection. Many children on the spectrum are extremely affectionate with their family members, expressing their attachment in unique ways.

3. Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests

• Stereotypical movements: Rocking the body, flapping hands, walking on tiptoe, turning objects, or aligning toys obsessively rather than playing with them in a functional way.
• Hyperfocus: Very intense and exclusive interest in specific themes (such as numbers, letters, dinosaurs, subway systems, maps or parts of toys).
• Routine rigidity: Great suffering or emotional disorganization in the face of small changes in routine (such as changing the route to school, changing the meal plate or changing the sequence of bathing actions). Predictability brings security to the autistic child.

Sensory issues in ASD

Many autistic children process sensory stimuli differently (hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity):

• Hypersensitivity: Severe discomfort with everyday sounds (blender, hairdryer, fireworks), refusal of certain clothes due to labels or textures, or extreme food selectivity based on the texture, color or smell of food.
• Hyposensitivity (sensory seeking): Continuous need for physical stimulation, such as running aimlessly, jumping, turning on one's own axis, squeezing objects tightly or putting non-food items in the mouth.

These reactions are not "trickery", "coolness" or lack of limits. This is a real neurological response to an environment that the child's brain perceives as hostile or confusing.

My son shows some of these signs. Is he autistic?

Not necessarily. A single isolated sign does not confirm autism. Speech delay, for example, may be associated with other developmental or auditory processing issues.

The decisive factor to note is the frequency, the intensity and the impact These behaviors have a negative impact on the child’s autonomy:

• Do they make learning or communication difficult?
• Do they harm socialization and school adaptation?
• Do they generate suffering or frequent disorganization?

If these behaviors impact the child and family's routine, a professional evaluation is highly recommended. The school is also a great partner: observe whether teachers report similar behaviors or interaction difficulties in the collective environment.

How to act when faced with suspicion?

The most important step is act welcomingly and seek specialized assistance:

1. Write down your observations in a practical way: When you go to the pediatrician, take reports of real situations: "He doesn't make eye contact when feeding/playing", "Doesn't answer by name most of the time", "It gets very disorganized with the vacuum cleaner noises".
2. Seek a multidisciplinary assessment: Consulting neuropediatricians and professional therapists (psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapist) guarantees a global assessment of development.
3. Structure your routine at home: Bring predictability to the routine using visual supports (charts with pictures of the day's activities) and anticipate transitions: "Now let's put the blocks away, and then it will be bath time".
4. Encourage communication while respecting the child’s time: If she still doesn't speak, encourage communication through gestures, expressions and validate her communicative intentions. When playing, take into account her interest (if she lines up cars, sit next to her and participate lightly, without immediately imposing strict rules).

The role of Psychopedagogy in monitoring

THE psychopedagogue plays a fundamental role in both the assessment process and ongoing support for children with ASD. Focusing on how the child learns and develops, the professional:

• Identifies potentialities and barriers: Investigates cognitive abilities and learning difficulties, tracing personalized paths for academic and social development.
• School mediation: Guides the school in developing necessary curricular adaptations (such as simplified visual instructions, segmenting long tasks, adapting assessments and creating sensory breaks).
• Partnership with the family: It offers practical strategies for everyday life at home, promoting autonomy and stimulating the child's executive functions in a playful way.