Child Development and Signs of Autism
Developmental milestones are important throughout a child’s growth and development. They are helpful in identifying what are your child’s strengths and what are their challenges. They can also help you identify parts of your child’s development that may be attributed to autism. Below are a few examples of milestones – you can find a full list of developmental milestones on the CDC’s website here.
If you are concerned about your child not reaching developmental milestones or are concerned that they are showing signs of autism, reach out to your pediatrician.
By 6 months of age
- Knows familiar faces and begins
to know if someone is a stranger - Likes to look at self in mirror
- Responds to own name
- Babbles with “ah” “eh” “oh” sounds
- Looks around at things nearby
- Begins to sit without support
By 1 year of age
- Cries when their caregiver leaves
- Has favorite things or people
- Responds to simple spoken requests
- Tries to say words you say
- Explores things in different ways, like shaking, banging, throwing
- Pulls up to stand, walks holding on to furniture (cruising)
By 2 years of age
- Gets excited when with other children
- Shows more and more independence
- Says sentences with 2-4 words
- Names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, or dog
- Follows 2 step instructions
- Begins to run
By 3 years of age
- Shows concern for crying friend
- Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” and “hers”
- Can name most familiar things
- Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time
- Plays make believe with dolls, animals, and people
- Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step
By 4 years of age
- Enjoys doing new things
- Would rather play with other children than themselves
- Knows some basic rules of grammar, such as correctly using “he” and “she”
- Starts to understand time
- Remembers part of a story
- Hops and stands on one foot for up to 2 seconds
By 5 years of age
- Wants to be like friends
- Can tell what’s real and what’s make believe
- Tells a simple story using full sentences
- Counts 10 or more things
- Can print some letters or numbers
- Uses a fork and spoon and sometimes a table knife
Below are a few examples of signs and symptoms of autism – you can find an extensive list from the CDC here. It is important to note that some people without autism can also have these symptoms.
- Avoids or does not keep eye contact
- Does not respond to name by 9 months of age
- Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age (e.g., does not wave goodbye)
- Shows little interest in peers
- Lines up toys or other objects and gets upset when order is changed
- Repeats words or phrases over and over
- Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
- Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
- Delayed language skills
Naperville, IL 60540
contactus@turningpointeaf.org
630.570.7948
Turning Pointe Autism Foundation Foglia Family Adult Services is a Certified Autism Center by the IBCCES and the Adult Day Pilot is accredited by CARF.
Our organization does not discriminate in employment or the provision of educational services on the basis on race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability, citizenship status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
Naperville, IL 60540
contactus@turningpointaft.org
630.570.7948
Turning Pointe Autism Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Turning Pointe Autism Foundation Foglia Family Adult Services is a Certified Autism Center by the IBCCES and the Adult Day Pilot is accredited by CARF.
Our organization does not discriminate in employment or the provision of educational services on the basis on race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability, citizenship status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
Angela Francisco
Crisis Interventionist
Angela Williams
Faculty Director-AD/DS
Certified Autism Specialist (CAS)
Ashlee Hare-Hunter
Lead Intense Behavior Interventionist
Ashley Hurst-Kim
Speech/Language Pathologist
Alissa Krusoe
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Barbara Brauer
Development & Operations Director
Bernadette Bassett
School Administrator/Compliance Director-AD/DS
Bianca Edmeier-Frost
Program Director
M.S., BCBA
Certified Autism Specialist (CAS)
Carolyn Bonessa
Foundation Coordinator
Carrie Provenzale
Executive Director
Celia Kaiser
BCBA/BA
Christina Pallack
RBT
Clare Jahnke
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Claudia Leiva
Registered Behavior Technician
Corrine Murray
Instructional Coach
Debra Kolak
Occupational Therapist
Drew Dresden
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Edel Vaca Jr.
Special Education Teacher
Elissa Holzwarth
Special Education Teacher
Guadalupe Sanchez
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Hilary Antolak
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Isaac Rodriguez
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Jessica Bain
Registered Behavior Technician
Jack Wolf
Enterprise Employee
John Higgins
School Bus Driver
Kaitlyn Wheaton
Lead Intense Behavior Interventionist
Kathleen Krieger
Nurse
Kehinde "Kenny" Ogunfowokan
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Kristen Skala
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Lacey Landmeier
Speech/Language Pathologist
Lexi Earll
Special Education Teacher
Lindsey Luther
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Mackenzie Muersch
Occupational Therapist
Mackenzie Cryder
Intense Behavior Interventionist/RBT
Marea Rosedale
Speech/Language Pathologist
Marina Romanelli
Teaching Assistant
Mary Brandner
Behavior Analyst
Mary Butler
Family Specialist
CCLS, CFLE
Maura McNamara
Special Education Teacher
Megan Kugach
Registered Behavior Technician
Melanie Saunders
BCBA
Melissa Cleary
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Megan Dobrolinsky
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Melissa Welsch
Lead Intense Behavior Interventionist & RBT
Michael Petrusky
Enterprise Employee
Nancy Santoro
Special Education Teacher
Nicole Cyrier
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Nicole Lombardo
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Paul Gardner
Special Education Teacher
Raymond Rivera
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Raymond Ziecina
Intense Behavior Interventionist
RaeAnne Rhule
Special Education Teacher-AD
IBCCES - Autism Certificate (AC)
Rebekah Osterman
Intense Behavior Interventionist
Robin Karling-Reece
Respite Intense Behavior Interventionist-AD
IBCCES - Autism Certificate (AC)
Samantha Blackwell
Clinical Coach
Samantha Camacho
Program Coordinator
Behavior Analyst
Certified Autism Specialist (CAS)
Sarah Bormann-Mayo
Lead/Scholastic IBI
Sarah Cammack
School Secretary
Seth Mathewson
Admin Specialist
Sonia Galicia
CNA
Stefan Krueger
Systems Specialist
Sydney Coyle
BCBA
Tara Willing
Speech/Language Pathologist-DS/AD
Certified Autism Specialist (CAS)
Taylor Parus
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant/COTA-Part Time
Tiara Mitchell
CNA
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