1.2 12 to 24 months
It is often in the second year of life (12–24 months), when language, communication and play are beginning to take off in TD children, that important differences start to emerge, and are picked up by parents. They may notice difficulties with speech and language development, apparent indifference to others, dislike of change, or eating and sleeping issues. They may also notice that the child plays unusually, for instance repeatedly tipping bricks out of their container and then putting them back, rather than building with them. These possible signs may be particularly evident in children later diagnosed as ‘lower-functioning’. The more subtle symptoms of ‘high-functioning’ autism may go unnoticed for much longer, especially if, rather than showing developmental delays, a child seems particularly precocious. For instance, some parents report that their child showed strikingly early skills in reading or naming things.
Between 12 to 24 months, children subsequently diagnosed with autism may show little response to what is said to them (known as difficulty with
Also in this second year, children subsequently diagnosed with autism may show little