Therapy Treatments & Resources for Families with Children
Affected by Autism & Related Disabilities in Cleveland / Akron Ohio.

AUTISM SCREENING QUIZ

Autism is a complex disorder that generally lasts a person's life. It is called a developmental disability because it starts before age three, in the developmental period, and causes delays or problems with many different ways in which a person develops or grows.

In most cases, autism causes problems with:

• Communication, both verbal (spoken) and nonverbal (unspoken)
• Social interactions with other people, both physical (such as hugging or holding) and verbal (such as having a conversation)
• Routines or repetitive behaviors, like repeating words or actions over and over, obsessively following routines or schedules for their actions, or having very specific ways of arranging their belongings

	Your child ... True False     does not respond to his/her name.     cannot explain what he/she wants.     has language skills or speech that is delayed.     doesn't follow directions.     at times, seems to be deaf.     seems to hear sometimes, but not others.     doesn't point or wave bye-bye.     used to say a few words or babble, but now he/she doesn't.     throws intense or violent tantrums.     has odd movement patterns.     is hyperactive, uncooperative, or oppositional.     doesn't know how to play with toys.     doesn't smile when smiled at.     has poor eye contact.     gets "stuck" on things over and over and can't move on to other things.     seems to prefer to play alone.     gets things for him/herself only.     is very independent for his/her age.     does things "early" compared to other children.     seems to be in his/her "own world."     seems to tune people out.     is not interested in other children.     walks on his/her toes.     shows unusual attachments to toys, objects, or schedules           (i.e., always holding a string or having to put socks on before pants).     spends a lot of time lining things up or putting things in a certain order. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

If you have checked "TRUE" for 10 or more of the items above, your child seems to have some of the signs and symptoms that should prompt and evaluation for autism or other communication disorder. Be sure to see your Pediatrician for further advice and a more detailed evaluation. Keep in mind that this doesn't mean that anything is wrong with your child, but rather that he has some 'red flags' that signal that more of an evaluation should be done.
Remember to consider your child's age when considering if any of the following are really a sign of autism, for example it is usually normal to toe walk before age 3 years and some children don't begin to 'wave bye-bye' until they are 15 months old. The symptoms of the disorder cut off people with autism from the world around them. Children with autism may not want their mothers to hold them. Adults with autism may not look others in the eye. Some people with autism never learn how to talk. These behaviors not only make life difficult for people who have autism, but also make life hard for
their families, their health care providers, their teachers, and anyone who comes in contact with them.

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Did you know ...

• Speech therapy is most effective when children are less than 3 years old
• Early referrals avoid later problems
• Speech problems run in families, so if you have an older child with speech problems, you should refer your younger children too!
• You don't have to ask your doctor for a referral. You can call and make the referral yourself.