Here are some signs of autism you should look for in your preschooler:
Socialization
• emotional isolation, withdrawal or aloofness
• minimal mutual gaze, lack of eye contact with others
• lack of pointing and following the pointing of others
• lack of understanding the feelings and thoughts of others
• not being attached to anyone
• rarely seeking comfort or affection or offering comfort or affection
• odd social interactions including inappropriate emotional responses
• little emotional reciprocity
Communication
• minimal social speech, or loss of previously good vocabulary
• abnormal melody, pace, rhythm or tone of speech
• little use of gestures to communicate
• frequent echoing of others’ speech
• deficient dialogue
Behavior
• resistance to changes and to age appropriate learning
• repetitive behaviors and repetitive movements: flapping twirling or twisting
• lack of varied, spontaneous make believe or imaginative play
• treats people like utilities rather than as feeling persons
Interests
• marked insistence on sameness
• persistent preoccupation with unusual topics without awareness of the effect on others
• persistent interest in unusual objects or nonfunctional parts of toys rather than whole toys
• disinterest in most adults and peers and lack of shared enjoyment in play