Early Autism Project Malaysia: 10 Early Warning Signs of Autism

1. Rarely smiles when approached by caregivers - infants typically smile when they are smiled at, but babies with developmental delays often don't respond to smiles from caregivers.

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2. Rarely imitates expressions - infant does not try to imitate sounds and movements others make, such as smiling and laughing during social exchanges.

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3. Delayed of infrequent babbling - by six months of age, most babies start babbling or produce repetitive syllables.

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4. Does not respond to his or her name - an infant should generally respond to his or her name with increasing consistency from 6 to 12 months of age. Lack of responsiveness to one's name is a sign of developmental delay.

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5. Does not gesture to communicate - by 10 months of age, an infant should begin to communicate through gestures.

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6. Poor eye contact - most children with autism shy away from eye contact. Lack of eye contact is therefore a common warning sign parents should look out for.

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7. Seeks your attention infrequently - infants exhibiting this developmental delay express less reliance on parents' care and attention.

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8. Unusual body movements - infants who may later be diagnosed with autism may repeatedly stiffen their arms, hands, or legs. They may also display unusual body movements, such as rotating the hands on the wrists, uncommon postures, or other repetitive behaviors.

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9. Does not reach up when parents try to pick him or her up - when parents reach for their children to pick them up or to hold them, infants generally respond by reaching back up toward the parents.