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Early Signs of Autism in Toddlers: What Parents Should Know

ByDr. Sannia Dadasaheb Sanadi
Updated: 18 Sept 2026, 11:00 am
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Rajat Grover, Consultant – Neonatology & Paediatrics, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals

Being able to recognise the early signs of autism in your child will mean that they get the help they need earlier on. Each child develops at their own pace, but some tell-tale signs in communication, social skills, and behaviour can be noted. Here are the early signs of autism, the assessment process, and when to consult your doctor.

Pregatips
Noticing differences in how your child communicates, interacts, or responds to the world may raise questions about whether these could be signs of autism. This article helps you identify the early signs of autism so that you can take appropriate action accordingly.
In this article:
We talked to Dr Rajat Grover, Senior Paediatrician & Neonatologist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, East Delhi, Patparganj, in order to clear our doubts and obtain authentic information.

What Is the Importance of Early Detection?

As stated by Dr Grover, early developmental testing may help you determine where further assistance could be beneficial. It would depend on your child’s needs whether they need additional assistance such as speech or language therapy, occupational therapy, behavioural or developmental therapy, educational assistance or other types of assistance.

Early detection helps your child get the assistance they need when their brain is very receptive to learning and development.


What Are the Early Symptoms of Autism in the First Year?

Some early symptoms may appear when a child is just 6 to 12 months old, although it's quite rare to diagnose autism at such an early age. Early symptoms include:

  • Poor eye contact during feeding
  • Lack of response when called by their name, especially after 9 to 12 months
  • Very little or no babbling and vocalising after 12 months
  • Fewer smiles and less interaction when you talk or express yourself using facial expressions
  • Does not reach out or react to you as one would expect
According to Dr Grover, each autistic child is unique in their own way because of their individual strengths, communication style, interests, and needs.

What About Regression?

One type of milestone that concerns doctors is called regression. Regression happens when a child, who had some milestones earlier such as words, gestures, or social reactions, begins to lose them. Regression may occur anytime between 12 and 24 months, and it is considered an important milestone that should be assessed without delay.

If you feel that the child uses fewer words now than they used earlier or that they become less engaged in interactions, you should inform your doctor.

How Does Assessment Work?

If these signs appear repeatedly in your child, your doctor may conduct a screening test for development, which usually takes place at 18 and 24 months, although it can be done any time if there is a need. If the screening results are concerning, your doctor may recommend a detailed developmental assessment, performed by a specialist in diagnosing autism.

No test can determine if your child has autism. The diagnosis is made based on your child's behaviour and how they communicate and interact with other people, and that is why it may take some time.

When Should You Talk to Your Doctor?

It is advisable to consult your paediatrician in case you observe the following in your child:

  • The occurrence of multiple symptoms as mentioned above, instead of a single symptom
  • Any regression in language, gestures, and social skills
  • Lack of response to their name after the age of one year
  • Lack of meaningful words after the age of one year and six months and two-word phrases after the age of two years
  • Developmental pattern that differs from what you expected in your child
Your parental intuition counts a lot in such situations. If there is something that seems to be wrong regarding the development of your child, you should never hesitate to bring it to the notice of your paediatrician at the earliest.

Spotting early signs of autism is not about anxiously scanning for problems; it's about keeping yourself aware of your child's unique pattern of development. Early diagnosis, paired with the right support, can help your child build strong communication and relationship skills.

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FAQs on Early Signs of Autism in Toddlers: What Parents Should Know

  1. Is it possible for a child to have some of these symptoms and not be autistic?
    Yes, many normally developing children demonstrate a few or even one of these symptoms from time to time. It is the combination of many of these symptoms together that doctors are looking for.
  2. Does autism affect girls differently than boys?
    Sometimes autism can be hard to recognise in girls because they can hide many of the social issues associated with this disorder more effectively than boys do. This is something that you should talk about with your doctor.
  3. If my child gets diagnosed with autism when she or he is young, does this mean that my child is going to require lifelong care?
    Not necessarily. Each child will require different kinds of care, and many of them do not need lifelong care at all.
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