Checklist of Autistic Traits in Young Children
Learning whether your child is autistic or non-autistic can help you develop a deeper understanding of and connection with your child. Autism is primarily characterized by differences in social communication, intense interests and desire for repetition, and sensory processing differences (i.e. differences in how the child perceives sensory input like light, sound, touch, etc).
The following is a list of traits that may indicate a child is autistic. The more traits your child has, the higher the likelihood that your child is autistic! (On the other hand, the fewer traits your child has, the higher the likelihood that your child may be non-autistic.)
This is not an official assessment tool, instead it is meant as an informal guide or starting point! In time, we hope to add a resource library at the bottom of this page with similar guides, assessment tools, or resources.
Domain 1: Social Communication and Play
My child expresses their emotions through repetitive movements (e.g. my child might rock back and forth when stressed and might flap their hands when happy)
My child has differences in eye contact. This could include preferring to make less eye contact, preferring to make brief and intermittent eye contact, or preferring to only make eye contact with trusted/familiar people.
My child is fascinated by parts of objects (for example, my child might be extremely interested in the wheels on a toy car and might be less interested in the rest of the car).
My child often uses their surroundings in a unique way. For example, at a playground my child may be less interested in the slides and swings and may be more interested in throwing leafs in the dirt at the edge of the playground.
My child enjoys parallel play such as playing beside another child or adult without direct interaction (more than other children their age).
My child enjoys watching other children or adults play from a distance rather than wanting to be directly involved in an activity (more than other children their age).
My child prefers predictable or structured play, or play where the participants have clear roles.
My child will often use my hand or another adult’s hand to communicate (for example, my child will take my hand and use my hand to open a door)
My child uses gestures less often than other children their age
My child is a very literal communicator. They might find it challenging to understand figures of speech or “read between the lines” to pick up hints
My child prefers to play with children who are older than them or younger than them, moreso than children of the same age. (For example, a toddler might prefer to play with newborn infants or older children; or teenager might find it easiest to talk to adults than others in their grade.)
My child doesn’t differentiate between strangers and familiar people in a typical way. (For example, my child hugs strangers or shares personal information with/asks personal questions of strangers.)
My child is less interested in “typical” imaginative play (for example, a child might not be interested in imaginative play at all, or might be primarily interested in setting up the scene/environment for imaginative play and be less interested in imaginative play itself. Alternatively, they might enjoy repeating similar scenes of imaginative play many times.)
My child is unusually honest
My child is extremely energetic and enthusiastic. My child is constantly in motion.
Domain 2: Language Learning and Acquisition
My child uses less spoken language than other children their age (babbling by 11 months, vocabulary of 4-6 words by 17 months, vocabulary of 50 words by 23 months, three word sentences by 2-3 years, expressing ideas and feelings by 3-4 years, etc)
My child started talking and/or reading much earlier than typical (hyperlexia).
My child memorises large chunks of language (from favourite shows, books, etc.)
My child communicates using phrases/sentences that have a special meaning to them (for example, they might repeat a specific phrase from a movie or book whenever they are happy, or whenever they are hungry— even if the phrases don’t initially appear to be about happiness/hunger).
My child speaks in a monotone
My child pronounces or enunciates words differently
My child prefers to use formal language
My child uses an AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) device or other nonverbal method for communicating
My child speaks in a very soft or very loud voice
My child really enjoys making certain sounds repeatedly or repeating certain phrases
My child has echolalia (e.g. my child will repeat what other people say)
My child has pronoun reversal (e.g. they will speak from the perspective of the other person– saying “you drew a cat” instead of “I drew a cat” when showing someone a picture they drew)
Domain 3: Sensory processing differences and related conditions
General:
My child enjoys repetitive movements such as rocking back and forth, flapping their hands, repeatedly playing with their hair, etc.
My child toe-walks (walks on their tip toes)
My child is uncoordinated (bumps into things, finds tasks involving fine motor skills challenging, etc.)
Traits related to hypersensitivity:
My child is very sensitive to bright lights
My child strongly dislikes getting their hands or clothes dirty or messy
My child is very sensitive to loud noises (or other specific types of noises)
My child finds certain textures (clothing, etc) very uncomfortable
My child strongly dislikes having their teeth brushed
My child sometimes experiences sensory overload or meltdowns from sensory input
My child is uncomfortable eating most foods due to aversion to certain flavours, textures, or temperatures
My child dislikes most types of touch
My child greatly enjoys sensory toys (such as fidget toys or sensory bins)
My child finds it soothing to be in environments with limited sensory input (such as dimly lit and quiet rooms)
My child is highly sensitive to pain
My child dislikes being swung around or being subjected to other sudden/intense movements
Traits related to hyposensitivity:
My child enjoys rough-housing activities (jumping, play wrestling, etc.)
My child seeks out auditory input (e.g. by banging on the table to create sound, by making their own noises, or listening to upbeat and stimulating music)
My child enjoys seeking out different materials and textures
My child deep pressure touch (firm, gentle pressure)
My child likes to put objects in their mouth
My child enjoys foods with strong flavours or intense temperatures (e.g. frozen food, spicy food, etc)
My child is very interested in bright colours or other visual patterns
My child is very happy to get their hands or clothes dirty or messy, and sometimes seems to not notice
My child has an unusually high pain threshold
My child craves being swung, spun, or bounced
Domain 4: Repetition and intense interests
My child enjoys pattern recognition tasks such as lining up, stacking, or sorting objects
When my child discovers a new activity, they enjoy doing it over and over (for example, if a small child learns to open and close a door, they might repeat this for a very long time.)
My child often wants to talk exclusively about one or two favourite interests
My child enjoys being read the same books over and over
My child enjoys or prefers to eat the same food (or same small group of foods) over and over
My child has developed certain routines that they enjoy repeating (for example, a specific bedtime or mealtime routine)
My child experiences intense stress, anxiety, or frustration when unexpected changes occur
My child will sometimes ask me or others the same questions over and over
My child enjoys clear schedules or reminders (visual, verbal, or other) of what will happen next
Domain 5: Other/Challenges
(content warning- medical conditions)
My child was born prematurely
My child has unusual sleep patterns and/or has a sleep disorder
My child has food sensitivities, acid reflux, or other gastrointestinal conditions
My child has epilepsy or seizures
My child has Fragile X syndrome
My child has ADHD
My child has biological family members (siblings, parents, etc) who are autistic
My child has biological family members (siblings, parents, etc) who have ADHD
My child has behaviours that are safety concerns (e.g. self-injurious behaviours or running into roads)
