Understanding Early Signs of Autism in Babies and Toddlers
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Understanding Early Signs of Autism in Babies and Toddlers Through Awareness and Early Support
For parents and caregivers, the first months and years of a child’s life are filled with milestones, wonder, and constant learning. Much of the focus is rightly placed on meeting basic needs like nutrition, sleep, safety, and love. At the same time, paying attention to a child’s early social and communication development can provide important insights into how they experience the world.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability that can begin to show signs very early in life—sometimes as young as six months. While autism can be difficult to identify in infancy, recognizing early differences and pursuing professional autism diagnostic testing can help families connect to resources, supports, and services that allow children to thrive.
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological developmental disability that affects how individuals communicate, interact socially, and process sensory information. Autism exists on a spectrum, meaning each individual has unique strengths, challenges, and support needs.
Autism is not a disease and does not need to be cured. Being autistic simply means someone is neurodivergent—experiencing and interpreting the world differently than others. Researchers believe autism results from a combination of genetic and non-genetic factors, and current estimates suggest that approximately 1 to 2 percent of the population is autistic.
Because autism presents differently in every child, a comprehensive, individualized autism evaluation and diagnostic testing process is essential to ensure an accurate diagnosis and appropriate recommendations.
Early Signs of Autism in Babies
Autism can be challenging to detect in children under two years old because early signs may be subtle. However, differences in social engagement and communication may begin to emerge during infancy.
Possible early signs of autism in babies include:
Limited or no social smiling by six months
Difficulty engaging in simple social games such as peekaboo
Little back-and-forth vocalization like cooing or babbling
Limited response to hearing their name
Avoiding eye contact
Appearing unaware of people coming and going
Arching away from physical contact or avoiding being held
Developmental milestones often referenced by pediatric specialists include:
No babbling, pointing, or use of gestures by 12 months
No single words by 16 months
No two-word phrases by 24 months
Loss of previously acquired language or social skills
Every child develops at their own pace, and a delay in one skill does not automatically indicate autism. However, caregivers know their children best. If something feels concerning, it is always appropriate to discuss observations with a pediatrician or seek a referral for autism diagnostic testing to gain clarity and guidance.
Signs of Autism in Toddlers
As children grow, signs of autism may become more noticeable. Toddlers with autism may show differences in communication, play, or social interaction.
Common signs in toddlers may include:
Limited sharing or engagement during play
Little or unusual pointing to show interest
Pulling caregivers toward desired objects instead of pointing or speaking
Difficulty gaining attention when their name is called
Toe walking or repetitive hand and finger movements
Delayed speech or atypical speech patterns, such as echolalia (repeating words or phrases)
Research shows that autism can often be diagnosed accurately as early as 14 months of age. However, routine autism screening typically occurs at 18- and 24-month well-child visits. If concerns arise earlier, caregivers are encouraged to bring them up with their child’s provider and ask about a referral for a comprehensive autism evaluation and diagnostic assessment.
What to Expect From Autism Diagnostic Testing
If a child is referred for autism diagnostic testing, the evaluation process typically includes:
Developmental history and caregiver interviews
Standardized autism assessment tools
Observation of social communication and play
Evaluation of language, cognitive, and adaptive skills
Autism diagnostic testing is conducted by trained professionals and is designed to identify strengths as well as areas where support may be helpful. A clear diagnosis can open the door to early intervention services, therapy options, educational planning, and community resources.
Conditions That May Look Similar to Autism
Some developmental or behavioral conditions can resemble autism, which can make diagnosis complex. These may include:
Global developmental delays, where multiple areas of development are affected
Isolated speech delays, where communication is delayed but social engagement remains intact
Anxiety, which may present as rigidity, difficulty with transitions, or strong attachment to comfort items
This is why thorough, evidence-based autism diagnostic testing is so important. Clinicians carefully evaluate social communication skills—such as eye contact, facial expressions, and social motivation—to help distinguish autism from other developmental differences.
The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Intervention
Early identification of developmental differences through formal autism diagnostic testing allows children and families to access support during critical periods of brain development. Research consistently shows that early intervention can lead to meaningful gains in communication, social engagement, and daily living skills.
While early childhood is an especially powerful time for intervention, support can be beneficial at any age. An early autism diagnosis helps families better understand how their child experiences the world and equips caregivers with tools to advocate, support, and empower their child.
Just as importantly, early intervention helps create environments where children are respected, understood, and supported for who they are.
Autism Diagnostic Testing and Support at Sycamore Services
At Sycamore Services, we believe every individual deserves opportunities to grow, connect, and live a meaningful life. In addition to providing early intervention and community-based services, we offer comprehensive autism diagnostic testing to help families gain clarity, answers, and a path forward.
Our autism evaluations are designed to be thorough, compassionate, and family-centered. We work closely with caregivers to understand each child’s developmental history, strengths, and unique needs. Following diagnostic testing, our team helps connect families to appropriate therapies, educational supports, and ongoing services.
Understanding early signs of autism can help families take proactive steps toward support—but pursuing professional autism diagnostic testing can provide the confirmation and guidance needed to move forward with confidence.
We encourage families to trust their instincts, ask questions, and seek guidance when concerns arise. Through early diagnosis, compassionate care, autism diagnostic testing, and community-based services, children with autism can build skills, confidence, and independence—and families never have to navigate that journey alone.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2020). Identification, evaluation, and management of children with autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 145(1), e20193447.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Autism spectrum disorder: Early signs and screening.
Johnson, C. P., & Myers, S. M. (2007). Identification and evaluation of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics, 120(5), 1183–1215.
Lord, C., Elsabbagh, M., Baird, G., & Veenstra-VanderWeele, J. (2020). Autism spectrum disorder. The Lancet, 392(10146), 508–520.
Zwaigenbaum, L., Bauman, M. L., Choueiri, R., et al. (2015). Early identification of autism spectrum disorder: Recommendations for practice and research. Pediatrics, 136(Suppl 1), S10–S40.
