• No babbling by 12 months
• No pointing or gesturing by 12 months
• No single words by 16 months
• No two word phrases by 24 months
• Loss of previously acquired developmental skills, especially language
• Lack of joint attention (i.e., your child does not draw others’ attention to objects in the environment)
• Your child does not respond to his/her name
• Lack of pretend, imitative and functional play appropriate to your child’s developmental age
• Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate for your child’s developmental age
• Your child does not imitate others’ behaviors
• Your child is rigid in routines or has very difficult transitions
• Your child engages in repetitive or stereotypical behavior
• Your child has unusual or exaggerated responses to sensory stimuli (for example, covers his/her ears or becomes very upset with loud noises, cannot have tags in clothing, will avoid foods of certain textures)
• Your child has trouble relating to others or not have an interest in other people at all
• Your child avoids eye contact and wants to be alone
• Your child appears to be unaware when other people talk to them but responds to other sounds
• Your child repeats or echoes words or phrases said to them, or repeat words or phrases in place of normal language (echolalia)
• Any persistent family, physician or teacher concerns about your child’s development or behavior

Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder typically showing signs and symptoms at an early age. Presently, there are no biomedical tests to diagnose autism, instead, autism is characterized by a series of behavioral patterns and skill deficits. Due to the broad range of differences in the presentation of symptoms, autism is considered a spectrum disorder. Individuals with autism typically have difficulty with communication (verbal and non-verbal), repetitive behavior patterns, social skills and executive functioning. It is a neurobiological disorder involving impairment of early brain development. While there is no specific medical test, healthcare providers look at known behavioral and neurodevelopmental issues affecting individuals, in order to diagnose autism or ASD.

How and when autism presents itself is unique to each child, although autism can be diagnosed as early as 14 months but typically around three years of age. Some of the signs that may initially surface for your child are typically in the areas of communication skills and social interactions. If you or your family’s pediatrician/ physician observe any of the following, consider evaluation as soon as possible by a specialist skilled in providing an autism diagnosis.

In New Jersey, all healthcare providers who diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are required by law to report the diagnosis to the New Jersey Autism Registry, which is maintained by the New Jersey Department of Health. This registry helps the state better understand the prevalence of autism and connect families with valuable resources and support services. The information is kept confidential and is used to improve services for individuals with autism and their families. If your child is diagnosed with autism in New Jersey, their diagnosis will be reported to the registry as part of this statewide initiative. Parents have the option to request anonymous registration.