Autism Checklist

• Has little interest in mixing or playing with other children.
• Leaves you confused because they laugh at inappropritate times, sometimes when people are hurt.
• Makes very little eye contact and when they do it is fleeting, often out of the corner of their eye.
• Likes predictability and routine and can become distressed if this does not occur.
• Would be described as having no fear of danger.
• Games may appear odd, choosing to play with unusual items such as vacuum cleaners.
• Does not seek attention when obviously in pain and may therefore be described as insensitive to pain.
• Repeats phrases that they have heard, often in a completely wrong and inappropriate context. They may repeat rude phrases.
• Would be described as liking their own company.
• Cuddles are not sought or wanted.
• May engage in the spinning of objects or be fascinated by patterns of moving light.
• Appears not to listen and respond to the verbal world.
• May attach to very unusual objects, or be over attached to items such as cars or Thomas the Tank Engine.
• Has great difficulty in expressing their wants and needs. Will probably be highly reliant upon gesture and pulling adults to what they want.
• Physical activity may be much more pronounced than other children of the same age or much less active.
• The child may enter into a tantrum without there being a discernable cue or trigger. The tantrums seem to come out of the blue.
• Will respond to teaching that is highly adjusted to suit children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
• There may be an uneven development of large and fine motor skill development. For instance the child may be able to thread beads with great skill but find riding a tricycle or bike very difficult.