🎉 Autism Signs Checklist for Children (12 to 24 Months)

🟣 Social and Communication Signs

• Avoids or rarely makes eye contact.
• Doesn’t respond when called by name.
• Uses few gestures, such as pointing or waving.
• Doesn’t share interests or show objects to adults.
• Rarely imitates the actions of adults or other children.
• Uses few sounds and gestures together when communicating.
• Has difficulty understanding simple commands (e.g., “get the toy”).
• Avoids or reacts unusually to physical contact.

🟣 Language Development

• Delay in babbling or first words; no meaningful words by 18 months.
• Doesn’t try to communicate verbally, even with simple sounds.
• Monotone or flat speech, or repeats phrases insistently.

🟣 Relationships and Play

• Rarely starts or joins shared play activities.
• Doesn’t engage in pretend or symbolic play.
• Shows more interest in objects than in people.

🟣 Repetitive Behaviors

• Rocks the body, flaps hands, or walks on tiptoes repeatedly.
• Lines up, stacks, or organizes objects in repetitive ways.

🟣 Routine and Sensory Sensitivity

• Becomes very upset with changes in routine.
• Has an unusual attachment to specific objects.
• Shows strong reactions to certain sounds, lights, smells, or textures.

🟣 Sensory Observations

• Rubs, licks, or smells objects repeatedly.
• Closes or turns eyes away from bright lights.
• Covers ears in response to everyday sounds.

🟣 References

• Autismsa.org.au — Early signs of autism in young children
• Raisingchildren.net.au — Early signs of autism
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) — Early Identification of Autism
• Wiley Online Library — Emerging Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Infancy
• Autismo e Realidade — Signs of Autism at 16–18 Months (Amy Wetherby)
• SAÚDE/SP — Autism Behavior Checklist, Brazilian Version